A Pure Offering

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, said the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:11,

12 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. Romans 12:1-2

The word “Pure” in Greek, is “katharos” meaning clean, physically purified by fire; in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and fitted to bear fruit.

Based on this definition, we can say that a Pure Offering is giving a gift or contribution which is clean, physically and spiritually purified by fire; like a vine cleansed by pruning and fitted to bear fruit. 

Theology and Research has shown that there are 5 types of Offering, when you read the book of Leviticus, from Chapters 1-5.

1. The Burnt offering
2. Grain/flour offering
3. Fellowship or peace offering
4. Sin offering
5. Guilt offering

1. The Burnt offering is voluntary, an offering that brings a sweet savour to the Lord.

2. Grain/flour offering is offering that does not have blood in it. So, it is basically offering made with flour. The unleavened bread and what have you.

3. Fellowship, also known as the Peace offering, represents feasting with the Lord. This is where the Israelites will share in the food offered to the Lord as sacrifice.

4. Sin offering is a required offering. This offering is meant to cleanse both the sinner and the sin committed.

5. Guilt offering is also known as a trespass offering. It was offering for particular sings committed.

What is the significance of these offerings?

• The essence of these offerings was a foreshadow of what Christ was to come and do for us. But, something amazing happened after the death of Christ.
• We know God does not change right? We still make these sacrifices or give these offerings; not with bulls or pigeons or any of that, but in other ways.
• We don’t need someone to make these offerings for us, we have a high priest in Jesus who allows us to make these offerings through him, in him and in him. We know our sins are forgiven us because of the blood of the Lamb. By the lamb we have obtained power over sin and death. (1 John 2:2, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• Aside the blood of the Lamb, we have the Holy Spirit in us and we get to have direct fellowship with the Father! This is because we have been moved from the level of servanthood to the level of son ship. We are one with Christ. 

THE IMPURE IN THE PURE OFFERING

In the pure, there is the impure. Like we have Logos and Rhema.

It all boils down to motive. Watch this:

Why do we give or share with others? Is it because are good people or because we think we are good?

Let’s take a look at Genesis 4:1-7

4 Adam^[a] made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.^[b] She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth^[c] a man.” ² Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

The story of Cain and Abel talks of Cain as a farmer and Abel as a shearer of sheep.  The two decided to sacrifice. Cain gave what he had but the Lord rejected it. Why?

Let’s go back to read versus 7. But you should rule of it!!!

Why was the Lord saying this? Because he knew beforehand what Cain will do!

Cain’s heart was not right. The Lord knew ahead of time that if Cain was unable to control his anger and jealousy, he would kill his brother.

Now, let’s look at Mark 12:41-44

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

The widow’s offering touched Jesus because her heart was right. She put all she had in. This brings back the question again. Why do you give? Why do you serve in church? Why do you help the poor?

Why would God love Esau and hate Jacob? Malachi 1:1-3, Romans 9:13

1 This is a divine revelation. The Lord spoke his word to Israel through Malachi.

² “I loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How did you love us?’

“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “I loved Jacob, ³ but Esau I hated. I turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the jackals in the desert.

What did Esau have to do for the Lord to hate him? Jacob was the stubborn one. Why Esau? Follow me to Genesis 25:29-34.

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. ³⁰ And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.^[a]) ³¹ Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” ³² Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” ³³ Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

God knew beforehand that Esau will sell his birthright for food! Beans stew ooo.

And he swore too. Didn’t the Lord ask us not to swear? Matthew 5:33-37

Many a time the Lord rejects an offering not because of the yesterday or the now, but because of the tomorrow. Who knows tomorrow from today?

• Cain was going to kill his brother anyways
• Esau was going to sell his birthright anyways
• You are going to boast of how you paid someone’s fees anyways

Before you blame God for anything eh, check your motive. Before you ask God why he is blessing Ama and leaving you, check your motive. You want to lament about how you have served in church and your life is still the way it is? Check your motive.

Now, let’s come back to Romans 12:1-2

12 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.

What are some of the Agents that can Pollute a Pure offering?

1. Bitterness. Ephesians 4:31-32
2. Fear. 2 Timothy 1;17, Job 3:24-25
3. Wrong mentality. Proverbs 23:7
4. What are you thinking about? Selling your birthright for beans?
5. What are you allowing through your mind gates? Toxic or positive thoughts?
6. Wrong use of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
7. Pride. Isaiah 14:12-15. God and pride are like oil and water. They don’t mix.
8. Sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:18

SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

The answer lies in Romans 12:1-2

1.  Offer you’re your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God because it is your true worship.

A pure offering talks about rendering service, or contributing your quota, etc. But then, can we look at another dimension of pure offering, which is you yourself being a pure offering.

Being a Pure Offering involves Preparing yourself, consecrating yourself. We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, constantly reminding ourselves that we are not of this world but are sons of God. You must constantly rub your mind on the mind of God, meditating on his word, praying and fasting.   

Giving yourself as a pure offering requires you to have a persistent desire to live wholly for God. You are dead to self o? It is Christ who lives through you, in you and with you. Acts 17:28, Philippians 2:17

• A pure offering cannot conform to the pattern of this world. You must be willing to pay a heavy price. Value for value.

Your price is purity. Refusing to succumb to the pressures of the world, refusing to compromise. Exodus 19:9-11.

But, at the end of the day, it is not up to us to determine that which is pure and is not. It is the Master that wills it. Because you cannot live up to God’s standards unless You Let Him Live It, unless You let Him live through you.