The Bible has a lot to say about spiritual sacrifices. At a high level, spiritual sacrifices refer to offerings and acts of worship we make to God from the heart. They go beyond external rituals and physical sacrifices to involve our inner being – our spirit. Spiritual sacrifices are rooted in God’s grace and enable us to have an intimate relationship with Him.
The Old Testament details various ceremonial and physical sacrifices God’s people were to make under the old covenant. These included burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, and more. The sacrificial system pointed to our need for cleansing from sin and foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Under the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus, outward sacrifices are no longer required. Instead, God desires spiritual sacrifices offered through Christ (Hebrews 10:1-18).
What are some spiritual sacrifices emphasized in Scripture?
1. The sacrifice of a broken spirit and contrite heart
God doesn’t delight in outward rituals, but in inward repentance and humility. In Psalm 51, David offers a prayer of repentance after his adultery and murder. He says “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17). Rather than another burnt offering, David knows God wants his humble repentance and renewed heart.
Similarly, the LORD says through the prophet Isaiah “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15). God wants us to offer humble hearts in place of pride.
2. The sacrifice of repentance
Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God. In Hosea 14:2, God tells his people to “Take with you words and return to the LORD…and offer the sacrifices of our lips.” He wants their repentance, not empty ritual. The Lord rejects outward sacrifices without the inward sacrificial attitude of repentance (Psalm 40:6-8, Amos 5:21-24).
The New Testament also emphasizes repentance as a sacrifice. John the Baptist declared that genuine repentance brings “fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Paul said “godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). When we turn from sin and turn to Christ, it pleases God more than any physical sacrifice.
3. The sacrifice of a surrendered life
God wants more than our moments; He wants our lives. Romans 12:1 urges: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” As believers, we are to offer ourselves fully to God each day in ongoing worship and service.
Paul says we’re not to be “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Full surrender involves transforming our thinking and attitudes to align with Christ. Surrendered living also means using our gifts to build up others and glorify God. Our whole life becomes an act of spiritual sacrifice and worship.
4. The sacrifice of praise
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Hebrews 13:15). Praise exalts God’s glorious character and mighty works. The book of Psalms is filled with praise, and we’re instructed to speak psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as praise to God (Ephesians 5:19). Lifting our voices in adoration is a sweet sacrifice that pleases the Lord.
Praise is a right response no matter the circumstance, even “though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines” (Habakkuk 3:17-19). Regardless of troubles, God is still enthroned in majesty and worthy of our highest praise.
5. The sacrifice of doing good and generosity
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16). Doing good includes serving, giving generously, and meeting practical needs. In Micah 6:6-8, God says the outward sacrifices of burnt offerings and calves are not what He requires. Rather, He calls for us to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with Him. Acts of service and generosity toward others demonstrate loving obedience to God.
Giving also includes sharing finances and resources to support the gospel and aid the needy. Paul describes the financial gifts of the Philippians as “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18). When done with a godly heart of faith, good works and giving are spiritual sacrifices.
6. The sacrifice of dying to self
As followers of Christ, we’re called to die to self-interest and live fully for God each day. Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Dying to selfish desires and ambitions makes room for God’s will in our lives. It enables the life of Christ to be manifested in and through us.
Paul affirmed his death to self and life in Christ by declaring, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20). Our old self-consumed identity dies, and we live a Christ-centered life empowered by the Spirit.
7. The sacrifice of love
Love sums up the spiritual sacrifices God desires most. When asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39). Loving God and loving others is true spiritual worship.
As John writes: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8). Demonstrating Christlike love in all our relationships and ministries is Among the highest sacrifices we can offer.
8. The sacrifice of proclaiming Christ
Sharing the gospel is a spiritual sacrifice that spreads God’s truth and draws people to salvation. Paul describes his evangelistic ministry as “an offering sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16). Though proclaiming Christ brought him persecution and prison, Paul delighted in “the sacrifice and service that comes from your faith” (Philippians 2:17). There is sacrifice in giving our time, resources and very lives to reach others with the good news.
We proclaim Christ through both our words and actions. “In every way we commend ourselves as servants of God… through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger” (2 Corinthians 6:4-5). Making known the glories of Christ whatever the cost is spiritual sacrifice.
9. The sacrifice of obedient faith
Faith in God and walking in His commands is better than any offering under the old covenant. Samuel said: “Has 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 listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22). We demonstrate faith through obedience to God and submission to His will and ways.
The writer of Hebrews affirms the examples of faithful obedience seen throughout Scripture. “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice…” “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance…” (Hebrews 11:4, 8). Willing obedience to the Lord is a spiritual sacrifice that pleases Him.
10. The sacrifice of ourselves
All these spiritual sacrifices culminate in giving ourselves fully to God. Paul urges us “in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). We reserve nothing back but make our whole lives a continual offering of worship to the Lord.
Paul exhorts Timothy to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). As we grow in godly maturity, we increasingly devote our total being – body, mind and spirit – to the Lord and His kingdom purposes.
Offering acceptable sacrifices through Christ
Our spiritual sacrifices are only acceptable to God through faith in the finished work of Christ, who became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins once for all (Hebrews 10:1-18). Only by God’s grace can we approach His throne and “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). Ephesians 5:2 also reminds us that Christ “gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We join our sacrifices to His perfect sacrifice.
Spiritual sacrifices bring intimacy with God as we open more of our inner selves to Him. Our external actions flow from internal devotion and righteousness through the Spirit. As Peter exhorts: “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4-5).
Our spiritual sacrifices are sweet offerings when done out of genuine love for God and others. They reflect hearts devoted to pleasing and glorifying Him with our lives. While no longer under the old covenant of outward ritual sacrifices, we have the privilege as believers of offering sacrifices of worship that align with the new covenant in Christ.