It means praising and thanking God with your lips every day—beginning when you wake up and continuing through the week—as the living sacrifice God asks for in light of Christ's finished work.
Hebrews 13:15 calls this the fruit of our lips. Les Feldick teaches that this is God's appeal rather than a harsh demand—He asks believers to respond to His grace by offering words of praise throughout the day, not just in a Sunday service.
Hebrews 13:15 — This is the exact verse behind the question—it defines the sacrifice of praise as the fruit of our lips giving thanks to God continually.
Romans 12:1 — Les links Hebrews 13:15 to Paul's appeal to present the body as a living sacrifice, the response called for by God's mercies.
In Hebrews 13:13–15, the writer connects going forth to Christ outside the camp with offering praise: "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." The verse plainly calls praise a "sacrifice" and describes it as literal speech from the lips—giving thanks to God. Hebrews 10:11–14 contrasts the repeated animal sacrifices with Christ's single offering, after which He sat down at God's right hand, having "perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Paul likewise appeals to believers in Romans 12:1: "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."
Les Feldick teaches that the "sacrifice of praise" in Hebrews 13:15 is the living sacrifice Paul asks for in Romans 12:1. He stresses that God is not commanding or demanding this praise—He is asking for it. The word "beseech," he explains, carries that idea of appealing and asking rather than threatening. The sacrifice God wants is the fruit of our lips: words of praise and thanksgiving spoken to Him all day, every day. This praise can begin the moment you get up in the morning and continue until you lay your head on the pillow at night, and it is "so easy" because it doesn't depend on a formal service. Every day should be a day of praise and worship, even though the church's formal gathering is on the first day of the week. Les also emphasizes that Christ suffered outside the gate bearing reproach, so believers go forth to Him outside the camp—and the praise of the lips is the natural response to His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection.
Hebrews 13:15 itself calls it "the sacrifice of praise." In what comes before it, the writer points to the sacrifices offered under the old economy and to Christ suffering "without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). Les Feldick explains that God is not asking for an animal sacrifice or the shedding of blood; He is asking for the sacrifice of the lips. He points out that God says "beseech" rather than making a demand—He appeals to us by the crucified Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection to offer this praise to Him.
Les links the two directly. He says the sacrifice of praise "that is the fruit of our lips" is the living sacrifice God is looking for first and foremost. When a believer's lips are speaking praise to God seven days a week, that believer will naturally start accomplishing things for God—it works hand in glove. He warns, however, that the living sacrifice should not stop with the lips; it moves on into other areas of the believer's life and involves being holy, which simply means set apart.
No. Les says that every day becoming a day of praise and worship does not mean having to attend a formal service or having the church doors open seven days a week. Instead, the Christian walk should not depend on a one-day-a-week service or worship. Each day is to be a day of praise and worship, while Paul, when speaking of the formal coming together of God's people, refers to the first day of the week.
Les says this living sacrifice can be offered "from the time you get up in the morning until you lay your head back on the pillow at night." It is easy, and he especially emphasizes it for believers in blessed America. The idea is not Sunday-only praise but a life that continually gives thanks through the week.
Outside the Camp Bearing His Reproach
Les explains that Jesus was crucified outside the gate because the cross was considered a reproach, and the believer is to go forth to Him outside the camp bearing that reproach—the setting for the sacrifice of praise in verse 15.
Lips of Praise as the Living Sacrifice
Les identifies the sacrifice of praise—the fruit of the lips—as the living sacrifice God wants most, and says praising God all day every day is the easiest way to fulfill Romans 12.
God Asks Rather Than Commands
Les stresses that God is "beseeching" believers, not commanding or demanding; by virtue of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, He asks believers to offer the sacrifice of praise.
From Praise to Other Areas of Life
Les says the praise of the lips is not the end—the living sacrifice moves into other areas of life and involves being "holy" (set apart).
Praises Every Day, Not Just Sunday
Les teaches that every day is to be a day of praise and worship, which does not require a formal service seven days a week; the formal gathering of the church is on the first day.
From Morning to Night
Les says the living sacrifice of praise can be offered from the moment you get up in the morning until you lie down at night.
Christ's One Sacrifice Versus Daily Animal Sacrifices
Les contrasts the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament priests with Christ's one sacrifice, which perfected forever those who are sanctified—the backdrop for offering praise instead of animal sacrifices.
Why Heaven Won't Be Full of Boasters: Faith vs. Works
What prompted them to keep the sacrifices? God had told how to do it. And when they did it on the basis of faith, they were accepted. You go all the way back to Cain and Abel. What does Hebrews 11 say about Abel? By faith, Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Why was it more excellent? Because Abel did what God said to do. Cain didn't.
Hebrews 13:15: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
This is the key verse in the question; it explicitly tells believers to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually as the fruit of the lips.
Hebrews 13:13: Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
This nearby verse shows that praise is connected with going forth to Christ outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
Romans 12:1: 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.
Paul's appeal to present the body as a living sacrifice is the passage Les connects to the continual sacrifice of praise.
Hebrews 10:14: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Contrasts once-for-all sacrifices; because Christ's offering perfected the sanctified, believers respond with praise rather than repeated sin offerings.
The sacrifice of praise is offering words of praise and thanksgiving to God from your lips. Hebrews 13:15 calls it the fruit of our lips, and Les says it is the living sacrifice God is looking for first and foremost.
You begin as soon as you get up in the morning and continue through the day until you go to bed. It's not about formal services seven days a week; everyday words of praise and thanksgiving characterize your walk.
Les emphasizes that God is not demanding or commanding it; He is asking for it. The word 'beseech' shows it is an appeal by the mercies of God and by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Yes. Les says every day is to be a day of praise and worship, even though the formal gathering of the church is on the first day.
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