It's a simple question. (Part 3)

Being a Christian is about sacrificing yourself to God.

Why? Well, it depends on where you want to start. For instance, if you start in the Beginning. Who makes the first sacrifice to God in the Bible? It's not Cain and Abel. Start earlier.

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen 2 NIV)

Have everything else you want, but sacrifice this one thing. We often think of sacrifices as things that we do have, then give up. We put it on the altar, and burn it up. But sometimes the sacrifice, like this one, is to never have what we want. If you look at it this way, then every command of God is not only demanding obedience; it is demanding some form of sacrifice. That kind of idea is a lot bigger than rams and knives and the book of Leviticus.

The next two great characters of the Old Testament are Noah and Abraham (Abram), and God's first words to each of them are a demand for sacrifice. Respectively, he tells them, "Build a giant floating zoo," and "Move your whole family from your home. I'll tell you where you're going later." (para: Gen 6:13-14; Gen 12:1)

So why is this a sacrifice?

Because I'm not a carpenter.
Because they will call me crazy.
Because the lions will eat me.
Because I'm too old.
Because I'm happier here.
Because my sandal is broken.
Because you're not giving me enough information.
Because it's in my family's best interest.
Because I don't want to.

Every excuse that didn't pass their lips was a sacrifice to God. Every feeling of confusion and doubt that they kept to themselves and gave him an offering of trust and obedience instead. That is sacrifice.

The New Testament follows the same pattern.

Sacrifice fairness; practice benevolence. (Mt 5:38-42)
Sacrifice confidence; practice faith. (Mt 6:25-34)
Sacrifice patriotism; bring bandages instead of bullets. (Lk 10:30-37)
Sacrifice doing it your way; throw your nets on the other side. (Jn 21:5-6)
Sacrifice your life; Jesus did this for you. (2 Cor 5:14-15)

If our relationship with God is not built around sacrificing ourselves for him, it is not because he hasn't required it; it's because we're afraid of it. Pride often clouds us to the point that we will not even accept the nature of such a relationship to him, but without accepting this, how can we even begin to know God?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12 NIV)

Sacrifice is the overarching image of man's relationship to God. It leads us to knowing his will.

It's what being a Christian is about.