The burnt offering means a complete consumption. What did God illustrate to us when He required His people under the Old Covenant to offer burnt offering sacrifices?
- His coming Messiah’s perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
- The ordained way He requires that His people serve Him.
Jesus was the ultimate burnt offering. He gave all of Himself freely in obedience to His Father and to redeem mankind.
“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
In His earthly days, our LORD came and resolved to do the will of His Father.
“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49
What was ultimately the “Father’s business”?
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Mankind fell in the Garden and is separated from God due to his sin (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). Ultimately, Jesus came to die for the sins of the world (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21). “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” to ultimately die a sacrificial death for our sins – “that he might bring us (back) to God” (John 1:14).
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” 1 Peter 3:18
Jesus, who is God “manifest in the flesh,” a living man was crucified as the burnt offering sacrifice “for the sins of the whole world” (1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 2:1-2). This is in fulfillment of what the burnt offering represented, prefigured under the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant as it pointed to the coming Messiah and to the cross He instructed us to take up in following Him (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 12:1, etc.).
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;” Hebrews 2:3
There were 5 types of sacrificial offerings that God required of His people under the Old Covenant to atone for their sins. Each of these offerings depicted this “so great salvation” of Christ (Hebrews 2:3). They were prophetic of what our LORD Jesus, the Messiah, would do when He came, and we know He has come. What is merely represented in these offerings to God were a foreshadowing of the perfect, one-time sacrifice Jesus was coming to offer. Book of Hebrews. Jesus is the fulfillment of each of these offerings which were a mere prefiguring of His perfect offering to come. He is the embodiment of them. His perfect sacrifice is what was represented in these 5 offerings to God. His sacrifice, His blood, is the basis for every and any kind of sin that has ever been committed. God covered all bases for fallen man’s sin!
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14
Jesus “offered himself without spot to God” – Not only was Jesus the perfect, spotless sacrifice, He offered Himself wholly, unreservedly, unconditionally to the Father and therefore to the cross which was the ordained will of the Father. Jesus was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” John 5:30
The Old Covenant concept of the burnt offering was a complete giving up of self, of self-will, self-interests, and selfish ambition, and an unreserved giving of self to God.
As Jesus gave Himself wholly, so should Christ’s disciples, allowing the cross to vanquish us, to consume us, that Christ might raise us upward for His glory.
The burnt offering depicted the coming Messiah’s complete giving over of Himself to the will of His Father to be the atoning sacrifice to buy back His fallen race, mankind.
One observer of Scripture writes:
“During the First Temple and Second Temple periods, the burnt offering was a twice-daily animal sacrifice offered on the altar in the temple in Jerusalem that was completely consumed by fire. The skin of the animal, however, was not burnt but given to the priests respective of their priestly division.”
Our LORD Jesus gave Himself unreservedly to the Father, in fulfillment of the Old Covenant sacrificial system of burnt offerings. This now obsolete sacrificial requirement merely foreshadowed the atoning death of the Messiah who was to come and now has come. In the same way, Christ’s New Testament saints are called to offer their “bodies a living sacrifice” to the LORD (Romans 12:1). We are here for Him who died and rose again for us, to do His will. So, just as did our LORD, so we must yield ourselves to God and His will and work, without reserve, holding nothing back.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, declared:
“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22:42
This exemplifies the unreserved giving of Himself to the Father for the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:19).
One commentator notes:
“The biggest difference between the burnt offering and other offerings is that to make a burnt offering the entire animal was burned on the altar, symbolizing total commitment or surrender to God. As you read, think about different ways the burnt offering can teach us about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it reminded the Israelites of their duty to God.”
There was no other way for Jesus but the cross and there’s no other way for you than the cross (Luke 22:41-44). And you will not make it without the cross He commanded you to take up daily (Luke 9:23-24). It’s only when we worshipfully, obediently resign ourselves in the death and burial of Christ – when we are “crucified with Christ” – that He raises us upward in His victory! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20) In the divine economy the resurrection is the victory and it of necessity, must be preceded with our own death and burial (John 12:23-25; Romans 6).
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2
Jesus Christ is our LORD, Savior, and example, and He is unique in all of history. Christ perfectly and exclusively satisfied the claims of the Father’s justice to buy back (re-deem) mankind from sin to the Father.
“For the love of Christ constraineth (compels) us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
As Jesus gave Himself over wholly to the Father, so we must do the same and such is done daily as we are crucified with Christ.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth 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
“The burnt offering is in one sense the most “complete” of all the sacrifices offered to God. In every other type of offering, only a small portion is burnt on the altar. The rest is consumed by the priests, sometimes shared with those who brought the offering. But the burnt offering is to be entirely consumed by flame, as a “sweet aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17).” S. Aaron Osborne
From Forerunner Commentary
“‘And he took unto him all these (animals to sacrifice), and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.’ Genesis 15:10
Genesis 15:10 and 17 show us a small portion of the ancient practice of making serious covenants. Those making the covenant prepared a sacrifice by dividing animals or fowl in two, then both parties passed between the divided carcasses. This symbolized the seriousness of their intentions in that the divided carcasses represented what would happen to them if they did not keep their oath! They placed their lives at risk. The carcasses were then burned, symbolizing their acceptance.
The smoking oven and burning torch symbolize God. In many instances in the Bible, God represents Himself through the image of fire (i.e., the burning bush and the pillar of fire). The sacrifice in Genesis 15 is interesting in that only God passes between the divided carcasses because, in reality, this is an oath of only one party, God, to keep His promise. In this specific case, Abraham has agreed to nothing, but God has bound Himself with utmost seriousness to meet the requirements of His promise in full. This promise will be fulfilled only because of God’s character and grace.
The 14th thus signifies the ratification of the promise by sacrifice, and the 15th, what it accomplishes by providing visible evidence of God’s faithfulness (e.g., the Israelites go free).”
Adam Clarke on Romans 12:1
“That ye present your bodies – A metaphor taken from bringing sacrifices to the altar of God. The person offering picked out the choicest of his flock, brought it to the altar, and presented it there as an atonement for his sin. They are exhorted to give themselves up in the spirit of sacrifice; to be as wholly the Lord’s property as the whole burnt-offering was, no part being devoted to any other use.
A living sacrifice – In opposition to those dead sacrifices which they were in the habit of offering while in their Jewish state; and that they should have the lusts of the flesh mortified, that they might live to God.
Holy – Without spot or blemish; referring still to the sacrifice required by the law.
Acceptable unto God – Ευαρεστον· The sacrifice being perfect in its kind, and the intention of the offerer being such that both can be acceptable and well pleasing to God, who searches the heart. All these phrases are sacrificial, and show that there must be a complete surrender of the person – the body, the whole man, mind and flesh, to be given to God; and that he is to consider himself no more his own, but the entire property of his Maker.”
FB Meyer on Romans 12:1-8
“DEVOTING SELF AND USING GIFTS
Therefore links this practical appeal to the whole of the sublime argument, which reaches its climax in the previous chapter. It is easier to die once for God than to live always the surrendered life. But nothing so pleases God as daily surrender, the sacrificed and yielded will tied by cords to His altar. Such an attitude is the only reasonable one we can assume. If God be all we profess to believe, He is worthy of all we are. But we are reminded that the world is ever seeking to mold us to its will, and we need the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, that we may withstand its baleful influence. We need to be transformed-that is, transfigured-by the renewing of our mind. Please God, and you will be pleased with the will of God.”
William MacDonald writes:
“Romans 12:1-2
III. DUTIFUL: THE GOSPEL LIVED OUT (Chaps. 12-16)
The rest of Romans answers the question: How should those who have been justified by grace respond in their everyday lives? Paul takes up our duties toward other believers, toward the community, toward our enemies, toward the government, and toward our weaker brothers.
A. In Personal Consecration (12:1, 2)
12:1 Serious and devout consideration of the mercies of God, as they have been set forth in chapters 1-11, leads to only one conclusion—we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. Our bodies stand for all our members and, by extension, our entire lives.
Total commitment is our reasonable service. It is our reasonable service in this sense: if the Son of God has died for me, then the least I can do is live for Him. “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,” said the great British athlete C. T. Studd, “then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” Isaac Watts’ great hymn says the same thing: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my heart, my life, my all.”
Reasonable service may also be translated “spiritual worship.” As believer-priests, we do not come to God with the bodies of slain animals but with the spiritual sacrifice of yielded lives. We also offer to Him our service (Rom_15:16), our praise (Heb_13:15), and our possessions (Heb_13:16).” Believer’s Bible Commentary
Articles
Are You a Follower of Jesus and Considering Moving to Mexico? [podcast]

Could the LORD be shaking off the dust of His holy feet against America?
“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 10:14
HAPPENING NOW:
Just handed a tract to a man named Ruben. He said “Thank you. I’ve been searching and was thinking of visiting the JW (Jehovah Witness) church near me. Thank you.” Then a conversation ensued. He was informed that that JW and Mormons are cults. Ruben was given the law to convict, and saving Gospel, and exhorted to pray in repentance today and receive Jesus for the remission of his sins. He was told by way of testimony and the Word that Jesus is exactly Who he was looking for.
We exchanged numbers and will be meeting again soon. Please pray for this man. He’s in ripe mode if you will….. ready to repent and receive Jesus, Heaven’s Treasure, Salvation! Would you like to pause and lift Ruben in prayer?
*** Saints, as your brother in Christ, let me encourage you to dare pray something like this today if you are inclined: “Dear LORD, I am all Yours. You created me. You came and died for me. I am Yours. Please put me on Your planet, just exactly where You want me, and use me dear LORD! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Saints the JW and Mormon cults are here in Mexico. There are few if any Christian missionaries. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.”
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38
I don’t believe any American would regret moving to this great country. The peace and tranquility are off the charts. If you need someone to talk to, let me know.
One thing is certain, you will be immediately spoiled by the preciousness of the Mexican people and their acceptance of the message of Christ! You will minister to no one who won’t say “gracias.”
Are you printing out your supply of JESUS tracts to pass out daily? Never leave home without your supply of the Gospel of Jesus to share with others. Download Jesus tract PDF with one click here – English and Spanish
“Love this Jesus Tract! The other day, at the home we minister in (retirement home), Tom asked me to read this to the people as they usually follow along. Half way through it the reality of what Jesus did for me and all of us, on the cross hit me and the tears began to stream down my face. I could no longer read it. This tract is so filled with the truth and how much God loves us, even in spite of how wicked we are, how could anyone not be convicted?” Karen Cochran
“As this sanctification process happens in our hearts we will see more and more of Christ’s light shining in our hearts. Proverbs 4:18: “But the path of the just is the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” As we surrender daily, as we die to ourselves, as we die downward and are buried with Christ, Jesus’ resurrection life (newness of life) will shine brighter and brighter in our hearts! Until that perfect day when we shall be taken up into glory to be with our Savior forever. Then God’s glory will fill our hearts and the heavens! Until now let the Daystar arise in our hearts each day so His light can shine forth into this lost world. We are to be the light shining Christ’s light into this broken and dark world! Jesus alone is the Answer! His resurrection light! Glory hallelujah!” Karen Cochran
FEEDBACK
Francisco repented and received Jesus! As our LORD would have it, our paths crossed by divine ordination. Francisco was preached to and gladly received a Jesus tract. Upon showing him the prayer of repentance and faith on the back, he immediately raised his hands to pray. It caught me off guard, in a good way, and so he was instructed to pray in repentance and faith… as he was led, and he did, out loud, acknowledging that he has sinned against God and then calling on our LORD Jesus to forgive, save, wash away his sin.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. … 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13
Beloved Francisco was showed and encouraged to download the Reina Valera Spanish Bible onto his devices and wake up to seeking God in His Word and prayer first thing each morning (Matthew 6:33). He was given the idea also of reading the Proverb of the day each morning.
This continues to happen here with these precious people. They are so hungry for Christ and only need someone to show, to lead them to Him. Several times when instructed to go home and pray in repentance and faith, they overtly lift their hands and hearts and begin praying right on the spot – which demonstrates that they’d been waiting eagerly to hear the message of Christ’s Gospel!
“HOW shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14
Ensuing his repentance toward God and faith toward our LORD Jesus (Acts 20:21), the discipleship began. We’ve already been communicating and he’s got the Born Again book in Spanish with three more of the ministry books which will be sent to him this week.
The life being lived with any other purpose except to please God and serve others, is a wasted, hell bound life.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalms 90:12
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16
Remember, flights back and forth from Texas to Mexico are only a 2-3 hour flight.
The Great Commission Jesus Gave Us
Spanish Content on SafeGuardYourSoul
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Articles
Is Romans 7 Before or After Paul’s Salvation?

“The truth is that while Christ dwells in the believer’s new nature, He has strong competition from the believer’s old nature. The warfare between the old and the new goes on continually in most believers.” AW Tozer
The law of God is “holy, and just, and good.” (Romans 7:12)
The holy law of God and the depraved nature of fallen mankind could not be further apart – the righteousness of God inherent in His law vs the “old man,” the iniquitous fallen nature of mankind (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9).
Nothing but a caustic reaction, explosion could be the result of the 2 colliding (Romans 7). One or the other must reign.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17
In what tense did the great apostle speak in when addressing this “old man” that wars against the Spirit in us?
“O WRETCHed man that I am! (presently) who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24
Paul’s flesh was and our flesh is a constant reminder of the ever momentary need for the cross, burial, and resurrection grace of Jesus (Romans 6:3-10; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.). Read Romans chapters 6-7 each morning this week.
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18
No, the apostle wasn’t admitting to living in sin but rather that that “old man” – the flesh – was present and must be crucified with Christ daily. Is that not exactly what Jesus taught?
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his CROSS DAILY, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24
I believe Romans 7 applies to both before and after one is saved …. Because if the saved person departs from the daily cross walk, that same “old man” will take center stage. “O wretch man that I AM (present)” (Romans 7:18) ….. we are born again children of God, saints of the Most High and yet that potential to evil, that “old man” must be crucified and “put off” by the daily cross so the “new man” can reign with Christ in this life and eternity. What Paul calls the “old man” must be “put off” and so we can conclude that there IS an “old man” to be “put off” otherwise no such instruction would have been given. We are not to deny the “old man” – the sinful bent – but rather to crucify it (Romans 6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9).
Charles Pray writes: “So many want to hide their sins, especially those who like to appear Holy on the outside while inside they are dark, unholy ministers of the flesh. They have become a product of their own desires. Dear Lord, please bring them back to their first Love–Jesus! Amen.”
Saints, we cannot possibly begin to appreciate this “so great salvation” that is Christ until we understand how lost, helpless, and alienated we were in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-10; Hebrews 2:3). We must study to understand the biblical doctrine of inherent sin, fallen mankind, and the holiness of God …. in order to begin to be able to appreciate the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
What to “Put Off” and What to “Put On”
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation THE OLD MAN, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on THE NEW MAN, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off THE OLD MAN with his deeds; 10 And have put on THE NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” Colossians 3:9-10
“When we embrace the crucified life we are given overflowing rivers of new life! New life is breathed into us. Walking in the flesh only makes our soul sick with sin! And sin kills and destroys! (Romans 6:23). Rotting us from the inside out! But the way of the cross brings life to our flesh! (Proverbs 3:8, 4:22). Our flesh meaning our whole spirit, soul and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23. We cannot be a whole person until we are completely given over to the Lord! And this can only happen through the cross. When we are dead and buried and raised up in the newness of life Jesus offers us, then the joy of the Lord will fill our hearts!” Karen Cochran
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Articles
Mission Mexico Elvita Dejected then Blessed [video]

“Wow! God is sure blessing this ministry! And given you the heart of a servant. As I listened to these stories and saw all the pictures all I heard was Jesus! This whole Mexico Mission is all about Jesus! Not Todd but Jesus. Hallelujah!” Karen Cochran
Spanish Content on SafeGuardYourSoul | The JESUS tract in English and Spanish
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