by OLUMOFIN Kehinde Benjamin

A sacrifice cannot and should not wish itself “congratulations and happy successful offering”. It negate the scriptural principle upon which all the sacrifices in the old Temple at Jerusalem were offered.

Once a sacrifice was brought by the comer and certified fit to be offered by the officiating priest, it was then laid on the altar, thereafter, the sacrifice was no longer within the control of the one who brought it. Whatever happens after is for the priest to determined.

The altar and the fire that consumed the offering belong to God and so was the sacrifice once laid on the altar. Afterwards, only the high priest can declare an offered sacrifice a success or otherwise, depending on the signs and responses of the One he offered to.

So is a living sacrifice. It should be holy and acceptable to the High Priest, Who will offer it on the eternal altar before the Throne. Ours is to surrender ourselves as a “living sacrifice, holy and within the acceptable” standards of grace, worthy of the time and labour of an uncompromising High Priest.

Having surrendered willingly, accepted and offered on the Great Altar, a living sacrifice no longer retain the old self and is no longer “alive” to know or declare self a successfully offered sacrifice. Though alive, but now only by the life graciously offered by the officiating High Priest.

And the eventual success or otherwise of the offering, is determined by the One the sacrifice was dedicated and offered to. It is not in any of us, to presumptuously attributes that divine right to oneself and afterwards congratulate oneself a successful offering. A living sacrifice only offered himself but cannot sacrifice himself not congratulate himself.

That was for the High Priest and His God to determine on a Day He has set for Himself. Present yourself a “living sacrifice” is all we are asked to do. The rest is outside our jurisdiction, even the Lord did not abrogate such right to Himself on Calvary until after He had shown and presented Himself before His Father and His God after the Resurrection, neither should we, until the appointed Day, when the degree of successes of every living sacrifice will be determined and be made manifest at the Bema Seat of Christ.

Until then, keep presenting yourself a “living sacrifice” and leave the rest, the dancing and the self-greetings of a successful offering for the High Priest, the Bishop of our souls and His God, and till the Day He has appointed, until then, be sober minded.