The True Christian: A Living Sacrifice Unto God

[M.A. Crawford]

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. Emphasis mine throughout.

The Bible makes it very clear in no uncertain terms that if one is to be counted among those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, then that individual must become A YIELDED INSTRUMENT FOR GOD'S SERVICE. What is to be yielded is simply oneself:

"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Romans 6:3.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2.

"Man, fallen man, may be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that he can 'prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.' How does he prove this? BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TAKING POSSESSION of his mind, spirit, heart, and character. Where does the proving come in? We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men' [1 Cor. 4:9]. A REAL WORK IS WROUGHT by the Holy Spirit upon the human character, and its fruits are seen.

"Just as a good tree will bear good fruit, so will the tree that is actually planted in the Lord's garden produce good fruit unto eternal life. Besetting sins are overcome; evil thoughts are not allowed in the mind; evil habits are purged from the soul temple. The tendencies which have been biased in a wrong direction are turned in a right direction. Wrong dispositions and feelings are changed, new principles of acton supplied, and there is a new standard of character. Holy tempers and sanctified emotions are now the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. AN ENTIRE TRANSFORMATION has taken place. This is the work to be wrought.

"We see by experience that in our own human strength, resolutions and purposes are of no avail. Must we, then, give up our determined efforts? No; although our experience testifies that we cannot possibly do this work ourselves, help has been laid upon One who is mighty to do it for us. But the only way we can secure the help of God IS TO PUT OURSELVES WHOLLY IN HIS HANDS, and trust Him to work for us. As we lay hold of Him by faith, He does the work. The believer can only trust. As God works, we can work, trusting in Him and doing His will (MS 1a, 1890)." (6BC 1080).  

Please notice that Romans 12:1 and 2 make it clear that BOTH BODY (vs. 1) AND MIND (vs. 2) are to be yielded to the Lord. In other words, THE WHOLE BEING!! Ninety-nine-and-a-half just won't do. It must be all, or none! ONE'S WHOLE BEING must be presented to the Lord BY WAY OF A MADE UP MIND for His service. An individual MUST BE DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION that there will be no turning back, and must remain firm in that resolve. When an individual is HONESTLY AND TRULY ready to make this kind of commitment THE HOLY SPIRT WILL RECOGNIZE THIS and will give him or her the Power to overcome the onslaughts of the enemy. Actually, Jesus says of Himself that:

"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30.

Why is that? Because, as Christians, we do not fight the enemy in our own strength. When we daily continue to present our minds and our bodies as living sacrificies unto God HE GIVES US THE POWER TO OBEY AND OVERCOME. The Bible reminds us that:

"I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME." Philipians 4:13.

Instead of doing what we would do (please don't miss this), we are to CAREFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY study God's Word AND DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO in a given situation. This is how we put ourselves WHOLLY IN HIS HANDS, and trust Him to work for us. This is how besetting sins that plague us are overcome. This is how evil thoughts are not allowed into our minds: BECAUSE WE THINK THE THOUGHTS THAT JESUS WOULD THINK! This is how evil habits are purged from the soul's temple: BECAUSE WE DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO and not what we would do by way of our cultivated tendencies. This is why the Bible tells us:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: FOR IN THE LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength." Isa. 26:3, 4.

To be continued.

M.A.

[Richard Myers]

Amen!

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:4-9.

[Ele Holmes]

"We are to carefully and prayerfully study God's word and do what Jesus would do in a given situation...."  Amen
Wonderful Quote M:A:

Sanctification is not merely a theory, an emotion, or a form of words, but a living, active principle, entering into the everyday life.  It requires that our habits of eating, drinking, and dressing be such as to secure the preservation of physical, mental, and moral health, that we may present to the Lord our bodies, not an offering corrupted by wrong habits, but, "a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God"  Counsels on Health  67

Any course of action that weakens your physical or mental power, unfits you for the service of your Creator.  We are to love God with all our hearts.... Every one who has a realizing sense of what it means to be a Christian, will purify himself from everything that weakens and defiles. All the habits of his life will be brought into harmony with the requirements of the word of truth, and he will not only believe, but will work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, while submitting to the molding of the Holy Spirit.  RH 03-06-88

[Sister Marie]

How Timely Sister Ele,
Yesterday we had a Deaconess meeting and we decided to make changes in potluck. No more juice and coco, only water and lemon slices. Only homemade deserts or fruit, no boughten cakes, etc... and so on. We was in unity about it too, which was wonderful. Today I seen your quotes here. Thank you Sister Ele.  

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With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

[M.A. Crawford]

"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men." 2 Corinthians 3:2.

"It is not enough for you to avoid the appearance of evil; you must go further than this....YOU MUST REPRESENT CHRIST TO THE WORLD (Emphasis mine throughout). It must be your daily study how you can learn to work the works of God. His followers are to be LIVING EPISTLES, 'known and read of all men.'--The Youth's Instructor, November 5, 1896." (MYP 348).

How are we to become living sacrifices unto God? The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:2 that we are to become LIVING EPISTLES known and read of all men. Ellen G. White echoes the same in her quote from The Youth's Instructor in Messages To Young People above. How do we become living epistles? BY LIVING OUT THE WORD OF GOD in our everyday living. We are to take these words off these pages, incorporate them into our minds, and DAILY PERMIT THEM to be our Guide in all that we say and do. Mrs. White says in the first paragraph above that IT MUST BE OUR DAILY STUDY to learn how to work the works of God. In that same paragraph, she says we are to represent Christ to the world. We must carefully and prayerfully study the Life of Christ as it is presented in God's Word and then DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO by way of our words and actions. Mental assent, or merely agreeing that truth is truth, is not enough. We must go beyond that which is theoretical, and enter into THE PRACTICAL REALM by making truth and what "Thus saith the Lord" a part of our everyday living. THIS is how we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. We must have A NEW TALK, A NEW WALK, AND NEW THOUGHTS:

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away all lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down on your wrath: neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying [margin, building up] that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:23-32.

This is more than just "good advice," It is the Word of God. And Jesus reminds us that we are to LIVE BY EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the Mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). Therefore it behooves us to study these and other passages of Scripture like them, HIDE THESE WORDS IN OUR HEARTS, and make them a part of our everyday living.

M.A.    

[Ele Holmes]

Dear M.A.
   I praise God for your words.

We are ambassadors for Christ and we are to live, not to save our reputation, but to save perishing souls from perdition.  Our daily endeavor should be to show them that they may gain truth and righteousness....He has made provision that every worker in His service may have grace and wisdom, that he may become a LIVING EPISTLE, known and read of all men.   CH 560

The Bible and the Bible alone, is to be the rule of our faith.  It is a leaf from the tree of life, and by eating it, by receiving it into our minds, we shall grow strong to do the will of God.  By our Christlike characters we shall show that we believe the word, that we cleave to the Bible as the only guide to heaven.  So shall we be LIVING EPISTLES, known and read of all men, bearing a living testimony to the power of true religion.   RH 05-04-97

[Richard Myers]

Amen!

"Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee...." 1 Samuel 15:22,23.

[Ele Holmes]

"Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee."

"An  experience that brings us into harmony with the WORD of God will cost the SACRIFICE of SELF.  It will require humility of mind and a realization  of utter dependence upon God.....

"Let the missionary ever keep the WORD of GOD upon his lips.  Those who talk the truth will have light upon the WORD of GOD.  Contemplating the Word of Christ is beholding Christ by the eye of faith.

"The WORD of GOD is quick and powerfull and coming in contact with the faculties of men, and human mind becomes strong and vigorous, and able to exercise its powers in learning the lesson of sinking self into Christ."  SW 47

[Ele Holmes]

INSPIRING WORDS - A True Christian

"All who strive to reach this standard will be marked by the sanctification of the spirit through the truth. The work of sanctification is the work of a lifetime.  The TRUE CHRISTIAN must be unresting in his endeavors.  He is ever climbing, never content with that to which he has attained.  The more he seeks a knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, the more he desires to reflect the divine image.  Every gift imparted to him by God is used to draw others in the same line, to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  The longer he walks in the path of self-denial and self-sacrifice, the more willing he is to hide himself in Christ, and sacrifice all for him."   RH 10-03-99

[Ele Holmes]

The movie on the Passion of Christ died down in a hurry.  Easter is over, the movie is gone. How many in the world today have gone back to their old ways of sinful living, bad habits, unhealthy diets, selfish actions, self-seeking fun....?  How many of us care less about the guy sitting next to us in our pew on Sabbath morning?

"The TRUE CHRISTIAN banishes all selfishness from his heart."  How can we live for self as we think of Christ hanging on the cross, giving His life for the life of the world?  In our behalf Jesus died a death of shame.  Are we willing to consecrate ourselves to His SERVICE? to hold ourselvs ready to be or to do anything He may require?  Are we willing to put self aside, and speak a word of warning to a friend we see giving-in to Satan's temptations?  Are we willing to SACRIFICE some of our plans for the sake of trying to lead someone to safe paths?

Today I had two different friends come over at two differnet times....both spoke about the same thing.  One was a Johovah Witness, and one was a Catholic.  Niether of them ever spoke to me about God.  I asked the Catholic if she talks to the old people about God, about Jesus and His love, about heaven? "Ele" she said, "I do not believe in talking to anyone about God...Everyone has their own beliefs, I don't say anything. It is none of my business what religion they are."  (This Catholic and I use to feed the poor, now that I am in a wheel chair she goes with another friend every week and I give her clothes, foods etc... She is a very kind loving person.)

The other friend also feels the same way.  The only time that God is brought up is when I bring up the subject. (In this case I am very glad she doesn't bring it up.)

How would you treat each situation?  Do you agree with their attitude?  Give me  some words of wisdom.....

[This message has been edited by Ele Holmes (edited 04-22-2004).]

[Sister Marie]

Tonight is the last night here and the last night we will be handing out books. It has run for two weeks and tonight they are doing it for free. So they are expecting a lot more than normal. God has really opened things up for us (and others) to pass our information about Christ. I did see one man come out almost crying. He looked at us and said, "I can't believe it, He would have died just for me, just for me!" Where as there are problems with the movie, God is using it to touch souls so we can give them the truth. I feel it is just a begainning of God showing us that He can use anything to open wide the doors to peoples hearts so we can witness to them, where before we could not.

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With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

[Ele Holmes]

"The life of a TRUE CHRISTIAN is one of continuous round of service.'We are laborers together with God.'  Every day brings to the one in God's service duties proportionate to his powers.  His usefulness increases as, under the guidance of a supreme Power, he performs these duties.  

The fulfillment of one duty makes us better prepared to take up another.  Those who have a true sense of what is to be done will place themselves in the direct light of the word of God, in union with His other working forces.

Every day, clothed with the whole armor, he will go forth into the battle.  With prayer and watchfulness and perseverance he will labor, determined that the close of his lifework shall not find him unprepared, not having done all that he could for the salvation of perishing souls.  9T 220

[Ele Holmes]

I have posted many of Ellen Whites quotes on this subject.  Only because there is so much to learn in regard to what makes up a TRUE CHRISTIAN character. The Lord wants us to give him all there is of us, in a steady  evenly balanced Christian life, a life that will illustrate His principles and His law.

"Diligent, constant work is the work of the TRUE CHRISTIAN.  Evil surmisings are not allowed to take root in his heart.  He has genuine modesty, and does not talk of his qualifications and accomplishments. Self-admiration is not a part of his experience....

"The TRUE CHRISTIAN keeps his eyes fixed on Him who searches the heart, who requires truth in the inward parts.  His constant prayer is, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'

"The glory and majesty of God should ever fill our souls with a holy awe. His condescension, his wide, deep compassion, his tenderness and love, are given us to strengthen our confidence...." RH10-23-00

[M.A. Crawford]

"...I am the way...." John 14:6.

In these four words, Jesus summed up what constitutes salvation. He makes it perfectly clear that HE IS THE WAY, the Truth and the Life, and that NO MAN OR WOMAN comes unto the Father except by Him!! What does that mean?

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6.

In other words, IF WE ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS, and abide in Him as we say we do, THEN we also should SHOW SOME SIGN AND LIVE AS HE LIVED:

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." 1 Peter 2:21.

Christ left us an Example, by way of the life He lived (now don't miss this), SO THERE WOULD BE NO MISTAKE as to what constitues the true Christian life. In other words, no one will ever be able to TRUTHFULLY say "Lord, I didn't know the way" because Jesus has plainly told us in His Word HE IS THE WAY!!! From birth to Calvary, Christ taught us not only in Word, but BY WAY OF THE LIFE HE LIVED IN THE FLESH as to what constitutes REAL CHRISTIANITY. The Bible record presents unto us what He said and how He lived which provides us, as 1 Peter 5:22 says, with an Example--A LIVING, BREATHING EXAMPLE--that we should likewise follow in His Steps. Therefore, THERE IS NO MISTAKE as to how true Christians should live because Jesus has already demonstrated for us AS A HUMAN BEING how we are to so order our lives AND BECOME A LIVING SACRIFICE UNTO HIM in terms of what we say and do.

"NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER: for there is NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN, given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. Emphasis mine.

M.A.    

[Ele Holmes]

M.A.  thank you so much....I really needed that today.....I love these quotes, They fill me with such love for Jesus.  And it gives us so much inspiration to WANT to be better and better as the days pass by and as we get closer and closer to our Lord's Coming......  God Bless you, and write more,,,,  Ele

[M.A. Crawford]

Thank you, Sis. Ele, for your kind comments. As Christians, and as our love for Jesus continues to grow, God empowers us by way of His Holy Spirit to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Grace is unmerited favor from God, which means we neither did, NOR CAN DO, anything to earn it. The Good News is GOD LOVED US BEFORE WE LOVED HIM:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. Emphasis mine.

What we need now in our Seventh-day Adventist Churches more than anything else is A DEMONSTRATION of the love for Jesus you spoke about in your last post that flows from heart to heart and from breast to breast. I will say more in my next post.

M.A.

[M.A. Crawford]

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John 13:34.

In asking the disciples to love one another as He had loved them, the Lord was now commanding His disciples to come up on higher ground. Heretofore, the disciples had experienced the PHILEO love, which is the brotherly love one has when one enjoys being in the company of and associating with one another. But now Christ was asking His disciples to COME UP HIGHER AND EXPERIENCE THE AGAPE LOVE, which is the love THAT GOD HAS for us which can be summed up in the following:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.

This kind of love is also summed up in John 3:16 which tells us that GOD SO LOVED US until He was willing to give--not one of five, or even one of two--but, HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON so that whosoever believed in Him (by accepting Him not only as Saviour, BUT ALSO AS LORD) would not perish but have everlasting life. THIS IS THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL!!! And every sermon preached from every Adventist pulpit should have some aspect of this Agape Love in it, because a right understanding of this love by one who is honest and sincere is what melts the stony heart of a truly repentant sinner.

This commandment to love one another as God loves us (Agape Love) was new to the disciples because THEY HAD NEVER TRULY EXPERIENCED IT BEFORE!!! They had experienced the lower levels of interpersonal-type brotherly love relationships, but now God was calling for them to come up ON A HOLY LEVEL and experience the Agape Love of God. A true Christian will O TASTE AND SEE (Ps. 34: of this Love and allow the Holy Spirit to bring forth the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) in his or her everyday living.

To be continued.

M.A.    

[Ele Holmes]

"TASTE AND SEE...."  I agree M.A. "Every sermon preached from every Adventist pulpit should have some aspect of this Agape love in it.... it melts the stony heart of a truly repentant sinner." Oh! how very true.

We may develop a true Christian character if we will submit ourself to discipline.  What we need is TRUE HOLINESS and a spirit of SELF-SACRIFICE.

"The Word of God gives the description of a true Christian, which corresponds with the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart and life.  The children of God know at once they have the evidence in their own hearts that they are born of God.  He that 'will come after me,' says Christ, 'let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'  It means depth and breadth of experience to follow the Lamb whihersoever He goeth.  SELF-DENIAL and SELF-SACRIFICE will always be found in the path that leads through the strait gate to the broad meadows of the Lord's pastures."   21MR 23

[This message has been edited by Ele Holmes (edited 06-03-2004).]

[Ele Holmes]

We must remember that when the Spirit  of Christ is in the heart, the character of Christ will be revealed, and there will be manifested gentleness and patience, love  and peace, joy and humility.

"Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is rightous"

Righteousness can be defined only by God's great moral standard, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. There is no other rule by which to measure character.

[M.A. Crawford]

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10.

Here in graphic detail is how one can become a living sacrifice unto God. If we place ourselves in the proper spiritual posture and allow ourselves to be covered as described in Isaiah 61:10 above, when as Christians God looks upon us, He does not see our sinfulness because IT IS COVERED WITH THE ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. How are we covered with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness?

"And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:3-6.

We oftentimes sing the words of the refrain of a very popular hymn which are: "O, how I love Jesus...." But Jesus says in John 14:15 IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. We sing another hymn which begins with the words: "What a friend we have in Jesus...." But Jesus says in John 15:14 YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU. In other words, A TRUE CHRISTIAN will demonstrate his love and friendship for Jesus BY WAY OF HIS OR HER ACTIONS more so than his or her words. God is not interested in our talk. HE'S INTERESTED IN OUR WALK!! This is why 1 John 2:6 tells us above:

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

We know that we abide in Christ when we walk as He walked, or when we LIVE AS HE LIVED!! We are to very deliberately and carefully study the life of Christ in order that we might COPY THE MASTERPIECE and make His Way of life our way of life in what we say and do, and in how we interact with one another. It is of paramount importance that we understand THIS IS HOW WE WALK AS HE WALKED! When we walk as Jesus walked, we then BECOME LIKE JESUS by way of our actions. We are to DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO in what we do, where we go, what we say, and even in what we think. Therefore, when God looks upon us, He sees not the "old man (or woman)" who is ruled and governed by what we would say or do. Instead, the Creator sees THE CHRIST LIVING IN US, which is how we are covered by the Robe of His Righteousness.

M.A.