Thoughts on Sacrificial Worship

   Early in Genesis we see Cain and Abel offering the fruits of their labor to God. This is the first moment referenced in the Bible where sacrifices are made specifically for the purpose of worship.  

   “In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.”

Genesis 4:3-5 HCSB

   We learn here that God desires and values signs of our love and respect as worship. We also learn that not all sacrifices are equal. Reading on, we see that Cain’s offerings were given from the leftovers of his harvest, while Abel offered the finest and foremost produce from his flock. The position of their hearts in the act of sacrifice meant everything. 

   Long after Genesis, we see Jesus teaching his disciples this similar lesson in sacrifice in the book of Mark.

   “Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed — all she had to live on.””

Mark 12:41-44 HCSB

   Do not misunderstand. God is not an uncaring God who demands everything we have so that he may be rich regardless of our cost. God asks for all we have to give so that we can act on our faith, see the futility of those physical things, and find our security and portion in His provision. The greater importance here is also the statement that the position of the heart in acts of sacrificial worship is essential.

   Offering sacrifices to God out of worship is a fascinating and difficult concept for me for several reasons. In this article I hope to help you with your own views, or spark some thought by sharing what I’ve learned over the past few months. I absolutely don’t claim to know this topic well, I can only share truths that I have, in kind, been given.  

   I remember a conversation I had with my parents when I was around eight years old. I had been reading the Old Testament, and asked my parents why we (as modern Christians) didn’t offer burned offerings to God like the Israelites did.  

They explained that Christ took the place of sacrifice for all sins of those who allow him to be their savior. Because of this it is no longer necessary to make offerings of atonement, and that such offerings now are actually counter to the Gospel, as any attempt to make sacrifices to pay for our sins are futile and Christ-rejecting.

   They were entirely right, but I wasn’t asking about sin offerings. I was very interested in offerings made simply as worship to God. While I definitely wasn’t interested in slaughtering an animal and burning it on a pyre, (please believe I am not a sociopath,) the idea of burning incense or grains as worship like the Israelites seemed like a very attractive idea. It would be something physical that I could do to express worship.

   (I’ll take a moment here to state firmly that I do not condone or consider it wise to try offering burned sacrifices of any kind as a modern Christian. If you are confused, please keep reading.)

   This desire for a physical method of worship or acting on a religious belief is not rare. I argue that it manifests strongly in all people who believe in a higher power or spiritual realm. A word that I believe universally translates this concept is; “Ritual.”

   “Ritual” noun. a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

   We humans are desperate for ritualism when it comes to our faith, for a very simple reason…

   Above all other desires we struggle with the need for control. As intelligent beings, we want desperately to be in control of all aspects of our lives. Fear is caused by the lack of control over a situation; because we are at the mercy of a foreign entity or circumstance that controls that situation. This desire for control floods into our faith also. This is especially difficult in Christianity, because the very message of the Gospel is that we must surrender our control fully to Christ.

   “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

   So how do sacrificial worship and a desire for rituals tie together?

   Worship through music and singing has always been difficult for me for a myriad of reasons. Most times I simply don’t feel the power or emotional connection through musical worship that many people seem to experience. Often I feel uncomfortable with the lyrics of some modern worship songs, because they seem more self-indulgent than worshipful. There have also been many times where I let myself become distracted by mistakes in the music, or an ungifted singer in the mix. (Yes I know this makes me a self-serving minor-narcissist) ((Shame on me))

   It wasn’t until recently that I learned to view worship not as a resource for me to feed on, but a sacrifice for me to offer. I can’t stress enough how much this reshaped my view on the entire enterprise of musical worship, as well as other physical forms of worship; (tithes, prayer, fasting, service, etc.)

   Do you see the difference? A resource is something I take away from, and I can critique its value or quality. A sacrifice is something I must give freely, as it is, and in a state of utter humility. And even as worship is a sacrifice made, God being the loving God that he is, gives us satisfaction through our own acts of sacrifice that are intended for him alone. Through these Gospel-honoring methods of physical sacrifice, we can appease our longing for tangible religious action.   

   God, being a knowing and loving God, requires that we give up our control over our own salvation, but provides worship so that we may indeed offer something given by our actions.

   When our mentality on worship changes from “resource” to “sacrifice” it becomes easy to let all of the nonsense and distraction fade away. Make your heart’s position in the act of worship is a desire for some action you can take on your own to offer something to God. Make worshiping God your ritual, and you will achieve greater purpose, and because God is loving, I’m confident you will find satisfaction as well.

   In summation, there are two key points I am trying to communicate:

1.    Our desires for a definitive & physical action to contribute in our walk with God is available through worship. This includes musical worship, prayer, tithing, fasting, service to others, and obedience to God. God provides us with these modes of service as outlets for our desire to act in our faith.

“So whether you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all things for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV

2.    These acts must not be considered a method of attaining salvation, and must not be approached with a heart of anything but humility and service. Worship must be done out of sincerity, and without false pride. We see clearly God’s view of worship with wrongful intentions in these verses:

“But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Isaiah 29:13

Thanks so much for reading! Don't hesitate to share any thoughts, comments & questions!

   P.S. Since it didn't seem appropriate to accompany most of this text with GIFS, please enjoy a few of my favorites in reimbursement...

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