Sacrifice self and possessions, even our very lives, to God’s will.
202. We are asked to– sacrifice self, possessions even our very lives to God’s will for us here in this life: It seems to be a common practice, in the beginning of a revelation, for all the messengers of God and their followers to sacrifice their will, even their very lives in the path of God. We find this over and over again throughout all the major world religions. In the Holy Bible this is hinted at by Peter: 
Christianity: Mark 10:28 “Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” Mark 10:29 “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,” Mark 10:30 “But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Clearly the Disciples of Christ gave up their homes their will, their everything, to follow Christ and later many gave up their lives, the ultimate sacrifice, in the pathway of God. This is selfless, unconditional devotion to God. 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.” Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” God loves those that give of their own free will. We also find this kind of sacrifice happening in the writings of the Bahá’í Faith.
BAHA’I FAITH: “They were content to renounce possessions and ready to joyously forfeit life itself.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 80)
Baha’i Faith: “Therefore we also must strive in this pathway of love and service, sacrificing life and possessions, passing our days in devotion, consecrating our efforts wholly to the cause of God, so that, God willing, the ensign of universal religion may be uplifted in the world of mankind and the oneness of the world of humanity be established.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 230)
BABI RELIGION: “May my life, my inmost being, my soul and my body be offered up as a sacrifice for the dust ennobled by His footsteps.”
(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 199)
JUDAISM: Deuteronomy 5:27 “Go thou near, and hear all that The Lord our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that The Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.” Wisdom 8:5 “If riches be a possession to be desired in this life; what is richer than wisdom, that worketh all things?” 2 Chronicles 1:10 “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?” 1:11 “And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:” 1:12 “Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.” 1 Kings 1:11 “I will give him unto The LORD all the days of his life.”
BAHA’I FAITH: “His Holiness the Báb became a martyr, and over twenty thousand men and women sacrificed their lives for their faith.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 233)
BABI RELIGION: “O THOU Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake, and have yearned for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient witness unto me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days.”
(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 59)
CHRISTIANITY: Philippians 2:17 “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
BAHA’I FAITH: “For the betterment of the world Bahá’u’lláh endured all the hardships, ordeals and vicissitudes of life, sacrificing His very being and comfort, forfeiting His estates, possessions and honor — all that pertains to human existence — not for one year, nay, rather, for nearly fifty years. During this long period He was subjected to persecution and abuse, was cast into prison, was banished from His native land, underwent severities and humiliation and was exiled four times. He was first exiled from Persia to Baghdad, thence to Constantinople, thence to Rumelia and finally to the great prison-fortress of ‘Akká in Syria, where He passed the remainder of His life. Every day a new oppression and abuse was heaped upon Him until He winged His flight from the dungeon to the supreme world and returned to His Lord. He endured these ordeals and difficulties in order that this earthly human world might become heavenly, that the illumination of the divine Kingdom should become a reality in human hearts, that the individual members of mankind might progress, the power of the Holy Spirit increase its efficacy and penetration and the happiness of the world of humanity be assured.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 322)
BABI RELIGION: “I, too, shall tread the path of sacrifice, and will join you in the realm of eternity.”
The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 142)
ISLAM: 195. “And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them: ‘Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: ye are members, one of another; those who have left their homes, or been driven out therefrom, or suffered harm in My cause, or fought or been slain, verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into gardens with rivers flowing beneath; a reward from the presence of Allah (God), and from His presence is the best of rewards.”’
(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 3)
Islam: 110. “But verily thy Lord to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere, thy Lord, after all this, is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” “One day every soul will come up struggling for itself, and every soul will be recompensed (fully) for all its actions, and none will be unjustly dealt with.”
(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 16)
ZOROASTRIANISM: “The willful surrender of the free man is what The Lord enjoys.” “Complete surrender of one’s own will to the will of Mazda (God), is the best way of God realization.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 273 and 449)
Zoroastrianism: “The compulsory obedience of the slave does not please Mazda: only the willful surrender of a free being, the self surrender of the lover to the beloved can please Him.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 485, 487 and 488)
Zoroastrianism: “There should not be any how and why, nothing but complete surrender to Mazda would procure the cup of joy. Complete surrender to the beloved Mazda is the perfection of love. The pleasure of Mazda is the only wish of the intoxicated devotee. He entertains no wish on his own account. Such self-effacement leads to unity with Mazda.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 776)
HINDUISM: “But where so any doeth all his deeds Renouncing self for Me, full of Me, fixed To serve only the Highest, night and day Musing on Me- him will I swiftly lift Forth from life’s ocean of distress and death, Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me! Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell Surely with Me on high.”
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 12)
Hinduism: “Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me! For he that laboureth right for love of Me Shall finally attain! But, if in this Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! Find Refuge in Me! let fruits of labour go, Renouncing hope for Me, with lowliest heart, So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more Than diligence, yet worship better is Than knowing, and renouncing better still. Near to renunciation- very near- Dwelleth Eternal Peace!”
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 12)
BUDDHISM: 6. “The good renounce everything. The pure don’t babble about sensual desires. Whether touched by pleasure or pain, the wise show no change of temper.”
(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))
Buddhism: 24. “The wise say that it is not an iron, wooden or fiber fetter which is a strong one, but the besotted hankering after trinkets, children and wives, that, say the wise, is the strong fetter. It drags one down, and loose as it feels, it is hard to break. Breaking this fetter, people renounce the world, free from longing and abandoning sensuality.”
(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))
Buddhism: “The Bodhisattva must be free from all presuppositions and attachments to things, ideas and selfness.” “They will be able to put an end to the clinging to their own self-interests. Free of this burden of error and its attachments, the passions will no more assert themselves and the hindrances will be cleared away forever…” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)
SABEANISM: “We offer up our commemoration, our petition, our prayer, Our submission, our tabuta and our faith In Thy presence,” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75
Sabeanism: “And Thou hast spoken to us with Thy Word And hast commanded us with Thy commandment ‘Be My glory and I will be your Glory. Be My light and I will be your Light. And My name shall be in your mouths And I will be with you.’” And we shall selflessly submit to Thy will and Thy command. “In the twinkling of an eye and at a turn of the wheels, (Let) our petition, our prayer and our submission Rise up before Thee Manda-d-Hiia (Haiyi, God)!” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75)
BABI RELIGION: “To God would we commit our Cause, and to His will are we wholly resigned.”
The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 340)
Babi Religion: “As to the Babi sect, he said ‘my people are taught to follow the injunction of the Saviour ‘if any one strike you on one cheek turn to him the other also’ hence you find among them many widows, orphans and widowers, their husbands, parents and wives having fallen martyrs for the truth without the least retaliation, the more the persecution continued the more their faith was strengthened.”
(Moojan Momen, The Babi and Baha’i Religions, p. 195)
BAHA’I FAITH: “I desire neither Myself nor My life except for the purpose of serving Thy Cause, and I love not My being save that I may sacrifice it in Thy path.” “Unto this bear witness They Who are the Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that They possessed in His straight Path.”
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, pp. 36 and 79)