Sacrifice

By Linda Mihalic

The mode of sacrifice on the Via Christa is summed thus: Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.—Hebrews 13:15-16. The Elect are those souls who choose God and obedience to His Law first and always. Our sacrifices of burnt offerings are the dregs of self burdening our souls. Our oblation is our whole soul, purified and perfected for God’s use.

To sacrifice is to offer as a sacrifice to a deity; to forfeit one thing for another thing considered to be of greater value; to sell or give away at a loss. We regard the act of sacrifice as an oblation, defined as the act of offering something, such as worship or thanks, to a deity; a charitable offering or gift.
  A sacrifice is anything material or immaterial, offered to God or a deity as an act of propitiation or homage, the destruction or surrender of something valued or desired for the sake of something having, or regarded as having, a higher or a more pressing claim, the loss entailed by devotion to an interest, also, the thing so devoted or surrendered." To offer sacrifice means "to surrender or give up something for the attainment of some higher advantage or dearer object.Webster’s American Dictionary

Sacrifice is an initiation in which you are asked to surrender something you do not really need, but may still believe you do. The more the self desires to hold onto the trait or selfish taint that soul is offering up, the greater the sacrifice weighs in the balance. Your sacrifice must be dear to you, or is otherwise meaningless. Sacrifice is a law of doing: You must make a sacrifice of self. Sacrifice is the keynote of the fifth lesser Via Christa Trinity, and it includes the Degrees of Consecration, Bravery and Action.

Edna Lister on Sacrifice

You must give of your self in complete sacrifice, to be used by the Power of God.—Edna Lister, The Sacredness of All Life, April 12, 1935.

Christ "humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8), which is the complete surrender and sacrifice of self. Obedience and complete surrender and sacrifice of self exalts you to the highest degree.—Edna Lister, The Saving Power of Christ Consciousness, April 14, 1935.

The Master’s was a life of sacrificing self, from beginning to end, never faltering, never hesitating. He loved life. The last sacrifice he made was to give up his life at the height of his ministry’s success.—Edna Lister, Eternal Life, April 21, 1935.

Silence is golden and is a virtue. Selfless sacrificial service is no sacrifice when you let others know what you have sacrificed.—Edna Lister, The Foundation of Life, September 29, 1935.

You cannot sacrifice anything without a desire behind it. You must desire to sacrifice for some reason.—Edna Lister, What Is Lent? February 7, 1937.

Be sure that you make great sacrifice of anything that comes to you for lifting. The greater your sacrifices, the greater your advance into the Light. Only sacrifice of self makes one great in God’s kingdom.—Edna Lister, July 24, 1938.

The greater your sacrifice of self in surrender for all Power to use, the greater an instrument you can become. This is yours to choose.—Edna Lister, July 24, 1938.

Success comes not for wanting or desiring it. You must plan, serve and sacrifice for success.—Edna Lister, August 25, 1938.

Sacrifices that you make only mentally involve us in confusion and discussion.—Edna Lister, September 28, 1938.

Make sacrifices from the heart, backed by the mind, then reason and judgment both rule and hold the heart’s vain emotions under control until you conquer them.—Edna Lister, September 28, 1938.

Whatever holds one soul back from spiritual vision holds back all alike in some measure. Therefore, lift any darkness instantly and lift it high. Darkness is anything that you would not be or do if you were standing before Master Jesus, and could see him clearly.—Edna Lister, January 13, 1939.

Sacrifice and surrender open the kingdom of heaven, but your Guardian Angels have carried you countless steps for each you have taken.—Edna Lister, January 23, 1939.

The Elect are chosen from those greatest in sacrifice of self and desire to be perfect, not because of their knowledge or wisdom.—Edna Lister, October 1, 1939.

Give up in surrender all that is not of the fullness of the Light of your true glory.—Edna Lister, November 10, 1939.

To ascend, you must accept your responsibility to sacrifice the petty little self and be flexible and balanced in your approach to life.—Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, 1941.

All living souls must travel upward on the pathway of sacrifice and responsibility while conquering the little self.—Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, 1941.

Each sacrifice makes your burden pure Light, which has no weight nor any darkness. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "Take my yoke … for my yoke is easy and my burden is Light."—Matthew 11:29. Each sacrifice of self to the Father yokes you to the white Light of the Christ, which thereafter pulls you home.—Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, 1941.

You are nearer your goal of mastery through every small sacrifice of self, though you cannot fully realize it at the time.—Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, 1941.

Sacrifice the self, let go of earth and let God use you.—Edna Lister, December 4, 1941.

The Messiah may hold open all heavenly Gates, but you can enter only on your own effort and sacrifice.—Edna Lister, November 25, 1942.

You are as great as your ability to sacrifice self and surrender to be a perfect instrument of God’s Power.—Edna Lister, September 25, 1944.

Asking to see or hear spiritually is the proof that the self still rules you. When you surrender daily, filled solely with the Love of God, you will have no time left for the clamoring self.—Edna Lister, October 26, 1944.

Real freedom comes only through complete sacrifice of all our past until you wipe your Book of Life pages whiter than snow.—Edna Lister, December 28, 1944.

You are sacrificing self. You will not even remember to say "but" after you have finally cleansed self enough. You need not ask, "Am I free? Am I right?" Only the little self poses such a query to prolong its dominance. You will remember nothing except to do.—Edna Lister, July 14, 1945.

A Vow of Sacrifice: "Father, let me find new things of self still buried in my subconscious, hidden from my conscious mind, to put on thy altars forever. Accept my soul, heart, body and affairs as living sacrifices to thee so that I may be used as thy servant and strong pillar in thy Temple."—Edna Lister, July 17, 1945.

Abraham made the greatest advance in faith for all time when he followed the orders of the One God, who commanded him to "Walk before Me and be perfect," and called upon him to offer his son as a sacrifice. Jesus made the advance in achievement for all time when he found his own divinity of soul through having found Oneness with God, The One.—Edna Lister, Vicarious Atonement, January 5, 1947.

The one thousand burnt offerings are a thousand days of perfection, complete sublimation, sacrifice of self with never a negative thought. You will see and hear spiritually after you have lived thirty-seven lunar months in complete perfection. If you descend from your cloud, you must start again.—Edna Lister, May 19, 1947.

Make a sacrifice of every bit of self that comes to the surface, and return all misused substance of self to God.—Edna Lister, God’s Eternal Purpose, February 24, 1950.

Sacrifice is but a preparation for Power to move and do the work. Declare, "Everything that comes to me is mine to lift." Permit no blame, or self blame.—Edna Lister, September 18, 1950.

Under a daily routine, you can get so "set" that you become "tight" in the body. Yet, when you travel, your gaze constantly shifts from one object to another, which keeps you "loose" in your body. If you ascend on your sacrifices, it creates a vacuum, a diffusion that loosens you in the body. For example, every time you sacrifice an opinion, an old, deep-seated reaction, disappointment or criticism, you loosen the physical, which enables you to see and hear spiritually.—Edna Lister, To Seek the Light, June 10, 1951.

Jesus set the ultimate keynote for sacrifice in laying down his life for the sheep.—Edna Lister, June 17, 1951.

The greater the sacrifice of self, the greater the soul’s ecstasy.—Edna Lister, December 30, 1951.

You can feel soul exaltation only when you have made a sacrifice. Remain before the altar day and night. All you need to do is to love God enough and release enough Power to pay the world’s debts.—Edna Lister, The Golden Silence, September 28, 1952.

The crucifixion of self-will is the final sacrifice of self-love.—Edna Lister, The Living Chalice, December 7, 1952.

Make a sacrifice of the little self on details, for therein lies the true Way of Ascension.—Edna Lister, April 5, 1953.

Love enough makes any sacrifice joyous.—Edna Lister, All Shall See the Salvation of God, November 22, 1953.

Moses was raised and trained as a prince of Egypt with all that wealth and position. Moses sacrificed everything—self and riches—for the honor of serving God. He knew that being a man of truth is greater than all the riches and treasures of Egypt.—Edna Lister, And It Came to Pass, August 28, 1955.

Perfect obedience to the law requires self-discipline, self-mastery, and sacrifice of self. Whatever self wants for itself must be sacrificed for soul, which grows in illumination. You no longer belong to self, but to God.—Edna Lister, Your Royal Birthright, April 29, 1956.

Sacrifice is giving up something you have for something that attracts you to a greater degree. Sacrifice is not looking long-faced, but sacrificing darkness for Light, bad for good, sorrows for joy. As you sacrifice the old to be filled with the new, you look younger and more beautiful, glowing with compassion and love.—Edna Lister, The Light, Your Expression, November 4, 1956.

Make sacrifices for others and yourself even when you do well. Make a sacrificial time in every prayer to give up self and make it a gift to God.—Edna Lister, November 5, 1956.

You must not let self blot the beauty of your sacrifice.—Edna Lister, November 17, 1956.

The kingdom of heaven is open to all believers; whether you get there depends on how much you want it, how much self you are willing to sacrifice.—Edna Lister, The Point of No Return, December 15, 1957.

When you make a sacrifice, you must give from heaven out, not from the teeth out.—Edna Lister, October 17, 1958.

Soul must make sacrifice to live in the golden silence, to scale the heights of God, to keep the high watch and maintain that mirror-like receptivity that registers God’s life.—Edna Lister, Being Without Self, November 2, 1958.

True sacrifice is giving up the little self, not giving up place, position and wealth. To sacrifice self for a high calling is hard, but glorious in rewards.—Edna Lister, Doing Without Thought of Reward, November 9, 1958.

You gain mastery through soul-conquering, not self-control. The keynote of mastery is sacrifice of self and it earns the rewards called seership and prophecy, spiritual seeing and hearing until you finally reach the point where you are free to speak. Sacrifice of self is not asking for a reward but accepting the reward you have earned when it comes. Jesus represents sacrifice of self through love. You, too, must become a living ensample of love to the world.—Edna Lister, Doing Without Thought of Reward, November 9, 1958.

The only one who can take your place above is the one who would never think of it, though he has made more sacrifices than you. He who would try to take your place loses his place. No one can take your place if you have even a small desire to return. God protects you every step of the way.—Edna Lister, June 15, 1959.

God does not ask you to give up the beauty, the loveliness, the glory of life, but the foolish things.—Edna Lister, March 3, 1960.

You must sacrifice all self, chiefly pride of position, to reconcile yourself to God. Jesus opened the vibration of sacrifice of self and surrender for personal reconciliation.—Edna Lister, From Gethsemane to Ascension, May 15, 1960.

When you ascend during a high sacrifice of self, law gives you a choice of the way you will go. The first choice is to hold to the high point of contemplative receptivity, which is full illumination, despite anything. The other choice is to want credit for this saintly sacrifice of self (which is nothing more than to do your clear and only possible duty), to demand credit for it and so sink into the morass and quicksand of self‑pity, frustration and that hopeless attitude of "What’s the use? It isn’t my fault. They can’t blame me because …"

When you make such a high sacrifice, you are invited to step onto the path of the creator gods. To forget self is the Via Christa, the Path of Destiny. To deny destiny with even a tinge of self, you fall back into the abyss where you travel the path of fate.—Edna Lister, January 29, 1961.

The sacrifices of self that you make during Lent are supposed to create enough space in your mind and heart for the Holy Spirit to pour in, which is the Power of God using you.—Edna Lister, Forgiveness, March 31, 1961.

Sacrifice and surrender of self is the only process by which you can lift yourself up to God.—Edna Lister, The Key to Right Action, October 1, 1961.

Many are called but few are chosen because many refuse to live under sacrifice and forgiveness.—Edna Lister, Ten Virgins Wise and Foolish, December 16, 1962.

The Via Christa is based on the teachings of the Christ, Jesus, and it is the way of sacrifice of self.—Edna Lister, You Are Immortal Now, July 4, 1963.

One thousand burnt offerings represent a thousand days of sacrifice of self.—Edna Lister, The Crown of Thorns, July 7, 1963.

"All for one and one for all" is a law of self-sacrifice.—Edna Lister, August 15, 1963.

An unwilling sacrifice, or one made grudgingly (a duty sacrifice of obligation), causes many delays and postponements, and brings no returns at all on the inner.—Edna Lister, Five Keys of the Kingdom, 1964.

Becoming law requires sacrifice of self, and nothing about it is easy.—Edna Lister, June 4, 1964.

During the forty days and three temptations in the wilderness, Jesus had chosen between acknowledging himself as the Messiah for whom the Jews were waiting, or to walk as a Son of Man, alone, knowing where he had to go and what he had to suffer. His sacrifice was to follow the Via Christa, to establish the New Jerusalem.—Edna Lister, The Good Shepherd, February 14, 1965.

When we, as creator gods, descended from heavenly places above, we gave up our positions, exactly as we do on earth when we move from one city to another. If we want to return to our places, we must earn them again. Achieving our goal means sacrifice, surrender of self and the greatest of all devotion to that goal.—Edna Lister, The First Man Through, May 2, 1965.

To sacrifice and lift self is Resurrection. To go up in consciousness is Ascension. Stay there.—Edna Lister, November 23, 1965.

When you want something, make an outer, visible sacrifice in payment for it; your sacrifice will bring it through.—Edna Lister, February 3, 1966.

Thank God for each sacrifice you make and call it a "gift" to make it pay greater dividends.—Edna Lister, October 31, 1966.

Sacrifice is a giving up the whole world, declaring a consciousness of something high, an expression of mind of God. God never wants you to give up anything good. You must pay your soul debts to clear the way before you. God’s Magna Carta declares that you are on the way home even if you have to back up the path to get there. You must give up doubt, fear, opinions, prejudice, self-pity. Sacrifice stupidity and lukewarmness. These are the sacrifices. You have to sacrifice everything on outside and see only good to get there. Sacrifice is a giving up. Give up idle words. You are conscious of something higher when you say, "I give up."—Edna Lister, What Reward for Sacrifice? November 3, 1968.

Worship is the first sacrifice of self. The soul of man is always seeking. We must seek our identity as a child of God. We must have conscious identity with God, standing in His image and likeness. First, we must seek our identity with God. Second, we must accept that we are creators in the likeness of God. This is where we must either accept or repudiate Him. Here we have acceptance, sacrifice, devotion and responsibility.—Edna Lister, Secrets of the Soul, November 10, 1968.

To know what you have available to sacrifice is the difficulty. During Lent most people sacrifice on outer, give up foods, etc. On the Via Christa, we sacrifice the weaknesses and taints of the self, the little me.—Edna Lister, The Cross, June 8, 1969.

Commune with God and sacrifice self for Him as Moses did when he sacrificed his position in Egypt.—Edna Lister, Seven Manifestations of God, October 26, 1969.

The only way of contacting God in the era of the Patriarchs was through sacrifice, but there was a great difference between sacrificing animals and making burnt offerings of incense. At Gibeon, Solomon made 1,000 burnt offerings of incense. The idea is for fire to consume evil. It means 1,000 days of burning away the of self. Religion has gone haywire because it discarded sacrifice. When you add sacrifice back into your religion, you will find God.

The sacrifice of personal soul taints was too hard for most people to accept, so they dropped it from their practice of religion. Sacrifice contains the lesser initiations, laws, and giving up of self, which we study and obey. Be prepared to face outer tests when you obey the law of sacrifice. On days of burnt offerings, everyone bands together to hinder you with endless phone calls, delays, etc.—Edna Lister, 1,000 Burnt Offerings, November 23, 1969.

Don’t make sacrifice with a grudge, but with a light heart and declaring it good.—Edna Lister, The Fiery Furnace, December 7, 1969.

Jesus gave the people new laws, a sharp contrast to their past practice of religion and life of faith. They had lesser mysteries and various types of training, based on the sacrifices of Abraham, and Moses. Jesus taught them to sacrifice self, not an eye for an eye, but covering the transgressions of others. Sacrifice of self makes you untouchable.—Edna Lister, Relate Mind and Power, May 17, 1970.

The Sermon on the Mount covers every law, every sacrifice, everything we need from the beginning to ascension.—Edna Lister, The Miracle of the Centurion’s Servant Healed, November 8, 1970.

Unless you touch the dimension of soul-conquering and self-sacrifice, you cannot earn the white robe of the Holy Spirit, nonresistance, the robe of the saints.—Edna Lister, The Prodigal Son, December 20, 1970.

Under the sacrifice of self, you grow closer to God in devotion. When you must make a new sacrifice, know that an end shall come to this sacrifice. You must face what will come, for you must lift it into the Light, which absorbs the darkness of self. You must become an ambassador of Light. Say, "Lord, take me; absorb me into Light."—Edna Lister, Resurrection from All Darkness, May 9, 1971.

Polishing comes from the sacrifice of the great thing or place, the giving of place and Power, not from having it.—Edna Lister, Undated Papers, 1924-1971.

A hesitant sacrifice means delayed results.—Edna Lister, Undated Papers, 1924-1971.

Stories That Illustrate Sacrifice

Abraham Sacrifices His Only Son: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh [The-Lord-Will-Provide]: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.—Genesis 22:1-18.

Jephthah Sacrifices His Only Daughter: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.—Judges 11:29-40.

Solomon’s Thousand Burnt Offerings: And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days. And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream.—1 Kings 3:1-15.

The Widow’s Mites (Mark): And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.—Mark 12:38-44.

The Widow’s Mites (Luke): Then in the audience of all the people [Jesus] said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation... And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.—Luke 20:45-47, 21:1‑4.

New Testament on Sacrifice

If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.—Matthew 5:23-24.

If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.—Matthew 5:29.

Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. [Do not do wrong then attempt to plea bargain for forgiveness.]—Matthew 9:13.

When ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.—Matthew 10:12-14. [Offer peace wherever you go; if it is rejected, let your peace return to you.]

Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.—Mark 9:41.

Everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. [Salt represents incorruption.]—Mark 9:49.

One of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.—Mark 12:28-34.

Unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.—Luke 6:29.

Give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.—Luke 11:41.

Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.—Luke 14:27.

Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath [self-will], he cannot be my disciple.—Luke 14:33.

Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.—Luke 20:25.

What is that to thee? Follow thou me.—John 21:22.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.—1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God.—Hebrews 5:1‑4.

We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.—Hebrews 8:1-5.

Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.—Hebrews 9:24-28.

Vicarious Atonement: For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; The Atonement: then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.—Hebrews 10:1-12.

If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.—Hebrews 10:26.

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.—Hebrews 13:15-16.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.—1 Peter 2:2-5.

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. … ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."—1 Peter 2:5-6,9.

Jesus Christ … hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.—Revelation 1:5-6.

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.

Old Testament on Sacrifice

Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.—Genesis 22:6-8. [God will provide for Himself the sacrifice for a burnt offering.]

Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.—Genesis 22:10-13. [When you are willing to slay your firstborn greatest desire, God will provide the substitute sacrifice.]

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.—Psalms 4:5.

I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.—Psalms 27:6.

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.—Psalms 50:14.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering.—Psalms 51:15-19.

I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.—Psalms 66:13-14.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.—Psalms 96:8-9.

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.—Proverbs 21:3.

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.—Isaiah 1:10-17.

Sacrifice in Other Sacred Writings

As gold in the furnace, God has tried us, and receives us as a burnt offering.—Wisdom of Solomon 3:6.

The righteous children of good men did sacrifice secretly, and with one consent made a holy law, that the saints should be like partakers of the same good and evil.—Wisdom of Solomon 18:9.