Have you heard the phrase “obedience over sacrifice” before? When I first heard this term – I didn’t know what exactly it was referring to, and almost twenty years later, the Lord is still using it to teach me.
Back then, a mentor was encouraging me to let go of my works as a way to earn salvation. Through prayer and study, he was able to help me more fully understand, that the perfect sacrifice was already completed for me on Calvary. None of my striving was going to be enough – Jesus was enough, and the only sacrifice acceptable.
I’m sure this mentor saw some questionable patterns in my life and identified some growth opportunities.
Logically I knew that God didn’t work like a bank account, adding up our deposits (sacrifices and works) and comparing them to our withdrawals (sin), and look for a positive balance in order for us to earn heaven. While I knew this mentally, some of my behavior would indicate I had bought into this theology found in the world. “Just be a good person”, “Do more good than harm in your life”… those all sound positive and pleasant enough. But that’s not what we are called to as Christ followers.
God’s kingdom is set up completely opposite of that.
From the beginning, when sacrifices were made for our sins, shortly thereafter, the people started abusing it. Empty sacrifices without a heart change.
Then God gave us Jesus, who made the ultimate sacrifice for each of us. By believing this and accepting this gift, we let go of the constant attempts to obtain salvation by our own doing.
Our reading today in Psalms 50 is God’s response to sinners that are stuck in the cycle of sin and sacrifice. Those that are making sacrifices in vain and using the best of their flocks as a free pass to sin. As you read through this chapter, you can see where God wants our hearts – in a state of gratitude. He wanted the people to have a grateful spirit and let that be their sacrifice. Go through the heart change – which is much more challenging than giving up an animal. And while we might not be picking out a sheep each week, I’m sure there are similar practices or things we give up that we treat as sacrifices, similar to David’s time.
And these practices or holy habits can be great expressions of our faith, when our heart is right. God is calling us to let go of our “sin band-aids and justifications” of giving more, serving more, being more… he can see right through it.
In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel tells Saul, The Lord delights more when we obey his voice than he does in burnt offerings and sacrifices.
If you’ve ever had to follow through with a tough consequence given to your own kids, you just wish they would have obeyed from the start. You’d rather see them making wise choices, than watch them lose their phone for a week. You’d rather them experience an “ah ha moment” of heart change, than lose out on time with friends.
In Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus (Eph 2:8-9), he explains that we are saved because of our faith in Jesus, and NOT because of any of our own works or actions. This salvation is a gift from God, and we can’t earn it – and none of us have any reason to boast.
One last scripture I will share related to this topic – in God’s perfect timing, the Bible App’s daily scripture popped on my phone this week:
To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3.
This was such an awesome study for me this week! I know there are areas I still hold on to my “easy out” with sacrifices. Maybe not overtly, but deep down there are thoughts and even “well at least I…” or trade offs I will make with myself, to try to soften the blow to my own sin. But you know the only thing that actually does that? Jesus. Relationship with him. Drawing us to heart change and complete gratitude for what he did on Calvary.
