God desires that we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. This is the sacrifice that
pleases Him; that we choose, of our own free will, to pay the cost for the faith we
profess. Rightfully Jesus says whoever comes to Him must take up his cross and
follow Him, and that whoever seeks his life will lose it, while he who loses his life
for Christ’s sake will gain it (Matthew 16: 24-26). The story of the prodigal, and the
discourse on the sons of the kingdom, already taught us that.
God does not desire human sacrifice in the sense that people are physically
sacrificed to God. That is a pagan and abominable practice and always was. God
however desires self-sacrifice where we are willing to lay down all, even our lives,
for His own sake and His righteousness. This is the sacrifice that pleases God. This
is a sacrifice born of absolute obedience and holiness, where we choose His will
above all else.
And so Christ says in Luke 14:26- 27 :
‘“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers
and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever
does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”’
Jesus here does not mean hate in terms of emotions or evil conduct towards our
own, but rather He emphasizes that nothing, no one, must be more important to
us than Him, and the work of His Kingdom. Nothing must come between us and
our obedience and service to Him.
And again He says in Revelation 2:10, while speaking to the church in Smyrna:
‘” Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you
in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the
point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”’
We are called to be faithful even to the point of death, if death becomes necessary
to our obedience in Christ.
Many God’s children over the centuries, even in our day, have paid the ultimate
price for their faith. We all hope and pray that we won’t be called upon to make
this sacrifice, but should it happen, we must all be ready to stand firm and not
denounce our faith in Christ. Christian martyrdom is not something that God’s
children inflict on themselves or other Christians, it is something instigated by the