Now we are, in our natural minds, much more comfortable with legalism than grace. That is, we prefer to think that sacrifice on our part can earn God's forgiveness. And we think that if we can praise him right and feel good about our Christian life, and lead others to him, that will make us more acceptable to him. Get the order right. Forgiveness, Joy, Witness.
Witness comes as a result of the joy of salvation.
The joy of salvation comes from knowing our sins are forgiven. Happy is the one to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity. There is only one sacrifice that God wants as a pre-requisite to forgiveness. And that is the admission that we have no sacrifice worthy to bring - that we are totally spiritually bankrupt. We burn our self-righteousness on the altar of the cross.