For the people of the new covenant, sacrifice is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Christians should have nothing to do with other sacrifices but are to bring their own “spiritual” offerings.
The OT points ahead to the fulfilment of sacrifice in Jesus Christ
A new sacrificial system
Isaiah 56:6–7 See also Isaiah 19:21
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants — all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant— I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
The new people of God
The vision of the new temple
The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ perceived his death as a sacrifice
Matthew 26:28 parallels Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25 See also Hebrews 5:1
This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The contrast with the OT sacrificial system
Hebrews 7:27 See also Hebrews 9:23–26, Hebrews 10:1–3, Hebrews 10:12
Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.
Jesus Christ's sacrifice of a life dedicated to God makes believers holy
The sacrifices of Christians
Christians offer themselves as living sacrifices
Romans 12:1 Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
The sacrifice of praise and good works
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Christian attitudes to pagan sacrifice
See also 1 Corinthians 10:18–22, 1 Corinthians 10:25–26, 1 Corinthians 10:27–29 Christians must not appear to compromise with idolatrous worship.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.