Title: Can You Make a Sacrifice for Your Belief?

Scripture focus:  “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).  

 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)

Devotion: On Good Friday, Christians all over the world remember the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He willingly endured suffering and death on the cross so that those who believe in Him might be saved from eternal damnation. His sacrifice was not partial, but total—an act of complete obedience to the will of God.  

  The Bible calls us to follow this example by becoming “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1). This means living in total obedience to God’s Word, setting aside the desires of the flesh, and choosing to do only what pleases Him. Unfortunately, many Christians today are reluctant to embrace this call. Instead of surrendering fully, they pick and choose which parts of Scripture to obey, preaching that once you give your life to Christ you can live however you please.  

  This trend has even crept into the church leadership. Some leaders manipulate their congregations into giving, not to support the needy, but to feed their own egos. Yet Scripture warns against such hypocrisy: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth… but you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23).  

  When Christians refuse to live sacrificially, the consequences are evident. In positions of authority, corruption thrives. Their speech, conduct, and even their appearance betray a lack of holiness, yet society often mistakes their ill-gotten wealth as blessings from God. This perpetuates a cycle of spiritual decay, where both young and old lose sight of true obedience.  

  But God’s Word is clear: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To make heaven, it is not enough to confess Christ as Lord and Savior; we must also live as sacrifices, wholly devoted to Him.  

  Therefore, I urge you to examine your life carefully. Re-examine your walk with Christ and return to Him before it is too late. Living sacrifice is not optional—it is the very essence of Christian discipleship. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).  

  May God grant us the grace to live in obedience, to forsake the flesh, and to walk as true living sacrifices. Amen.  

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©Dr. Joel Olanrewaju, gbemide09@gmail.com.