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Question

If the Cross is the Ultimate and all-sufficient sacrifice, Where does my sacrifice fit in? I heard you say something that I would really love you to expound on more, "Our sacrifices are not in place of the cross, but because of the cross..."

Answer

On the cross, my point was simply that your concern in your initial question is a good one.  You were picking up on something and asking the right question.  We never want our works to be sacrificial in the "atoning" sense.  They are never in place of the cross.  They are never to gain us acceptance, access or standing.  Thus, your reference to our righteousness as filthy rags is an appropriate reminder in this regard.  Our righteousness, our works, will never gain us entrance before God.  The cross does that and sets us free from the power sin previously had over us.  We are free from the power of sin and from its penalty.  We are cleansed in Christ.  As a result, our sacrifices now are acceptable to God "because" of the cross.  We have access to come before him in worship.

This connects back to the initial point we made with Nehemiah [see “Why does Nehemiah ask God to remember his good deeds?” in Q &A].  Nehemiah was seeking and asking for God's favor and blessing.  And so should we!  God blesses us and enables us to bring before him good works, sacrifices of praise.