CONSECRATED

Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work – 2 Timothy 2: 21

The Ordered Life is a CONSECRATED Life. It is the giving of my life to God to do His will instead of mine. It means that I present my body and my soul to Him: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom.12:1). The animals which were offered to God in the Old Testament (OT) were slain – dead sacrifices. In the New Covenant, God requires that I be a “living sacrifice,” that I live for Him. Interestingly, the OT sacrifices were types of the Lord Jesus. For example, when a lamb was offered as a sin offering, it pictured the Lord Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. Another sacrifice which had nothing to do with sin was the “burnt offering.” This represented the Lord Jesus offering up His life to the Father to do His will: “not My will, but Yours, be done” (Lk.22:42b). From this very precious sacrifice we can learn much about consecration.

Consecration is Voluntary: “When any of you brings an offering to the LORD…he shall offer it of his own free will…” (Lev.1:2-3). God does not compel me to consecrate my life to Him; instead, He says, “I beseech you” (Rom.12:1). God wants me to give my life to Him, not because I have to but because I love Him and want to serve Him.

Consecration is to the Lord: to do His will wherever I am – in school, at home, or on the mission field. He decides what He wants me to do, where He wants me to serve Him, and whatever He chooses for me is sure to be the very best for me.

Consecration is the offering of a whole life to God: God permitted four kinds of creatures to be used as sacrifices in the burnt offering. People who were wealthy brought a costly animal such as a bullock; those with less wealth brought a sheep; and those who could not afford either of these brought a dove or a pigeon. But in each case, it was the offering up of a whole life to God. God could not accept anything less than all. I cannot give Him part of my life and keep part of it for myself. This would neither satisfy God nor me. All the joy and blessing in the Christian life hinge on holding back nothing from God.

Consecration is Irreversible: Once an animal was placed on the altar as a burnt offering to God, it was not retrieved. It was holy unto God: “…every devoted offering is most holy to the LORD” (Lev. 27:28). Once I have dedicated my life to God, I cannot take it back again. God expects my dedication to be a one-directional giving of myself to Him. God abhors sin, but if I do fall, I should confess my sins to God and be restored in fellowship. Some call this Rededication.

Consecration is Continual: The burnt offering was offered to God morning and evening, day by day, continually. This tells us that my consecration must be continual. It begins with the act of giving myself to the Lord, but I must live out my consecration. Day by day, I offer myself to the Lord to do His will instead of my own will. The Lord Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me” (Lk.9:23).

Apart from the OT sacrifices, vessels were also consecrated to the Lord. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 says, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.  Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” Is the Vessel of your life consecrated Vessel to God? Is your life an Ordered Life?