Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Offering Sacrifices, Study the Word, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Atonement for Sin, Thanksgiving, and Supplication Before God Are Not Outdated

Burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, ordination offerings and peace offerings… it can be overwhelming for those of us who grew up without studying these to comprehend all the details and symbolism. On a small scale, it truly mirrors learning the full gospel of Yeshua… none who are new to it can master all of it all at once. We start with the basics and continue to build on that with more Bible study and prayer. With time, help from others who know more than we do, and revelation from the Holy Spirit, we can grow closer and closer to our Lord and Creator, more fully understanding all that He has for us.

Burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings represent atonement for sin. Grain offerings were a freewill offering to our Creator. Ordination offerings were part of ordination process for priests. Peace offerings could be associated with recognizing fulfillment of a vow, a fellowship meal with Jehovah and with other believers, supplication and thanksgiving. These concepts are not “outdated”. They are relevant still today.

Each of these had specific instructions which the Lord laid out for His people to follow. While we no longer need to conduct these formal offerings now that Jesus has become the sacrifice for our sins, we can still learn about God’s relationship with His people by studying these offerings.

We are to come humbly before God as individuals and congregations or communities… asking forgiveness for and repenting from our sin. Our sin is ugly. It is not ok. A price must be paid. We must come before our Father on His terms rather than our own.

God invites us to bring freewill offerings just in thanks or recognition of Him as our Creator and Lord. While it may not be an animal or grain, perhaps today it would be the choice to serve others in His name… to help them even when perhaps we don’t feel like it. We offer our time and talent and our praise to Him.

Of course He also wants us to come humbly before Him in thanksgiving and supplication. Let us take time in all these situations to seek to honor our Creator.

Leviticus 7

The Priest’s Part in the Offerings

      1‘Now this is the law of the guilt offering; it is most holy. 2‘In the place where they slay the burnt offering they are to slay the guilt offering, and he shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 3‘Then he shall offer from it all its fat: the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, 4and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe on the liver he shall remove with the kidneys. 5‘The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt offering. 6‘Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. 7‘The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it. 8‘Also the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented. 9‘Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in the oven and everything prepared in a pan or on a griddle shall belong to the priest who presents it. 10‘Every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, to all alike.

      11‘Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the LORD. 12‘If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. 13‘With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread. 14‘Of this he shall present one of every offering as a contribution to the LORD; it shall belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings.

      15‘Now as for the flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning. 16‘But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what is left of it may be eaten; 17but what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. 18‘So if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings should ever be eaten on the third day, he who offers it will not be accepted, and it will not be reckoned to his benefit. It shall be an offensive thing, and the person who eats of it will bear his own iniquity.

      19‘Also the flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. As for other flesh, anyone who is clean may eat such flesh. 20‘But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people. 21‘When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.’”

      22Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat. 24‘Also the fat of an animal which dies and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it. 25‘For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to the LORD, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people. 26‘You are not to eat any blood, either of bird or animal, in any of your dwellings. 27‘Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people.’”

      28Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 29“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30‘His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the LORD. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be presented as a wave offering before the LORD. 31‘The priest shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons. 32‘You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33‘The one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat, the right thigh shall be his as his portion. 34‘For I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel.

      35‘This is that which is consecrated to Aaron and that which is consecrated to his sons from the offerings by fire to the LORD, in that day when he presented them to serve as priests to the LORD. 36‘These the LORD had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations.’”

      37This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering and the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings, 38which the LORD commanded Moses at Mount Sinai in the day that He commanded the sons of Israel to present their offerings to the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai.

Let us remember to come before God humbly in repentance asking forgiveness for our sin, in thanksgiving for our blessings, and in supplication as we ask for His help and presence in our lives. Let us come before Him on His terms rather than our own. Make the Lord a focal point and a “main thing” in your life. Praise Him! Serve Him through obedience to His word.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discerning / Judging, Offering Sacrifices, Seeking God, Study the Word

Learning to Dig for Gold

After spending a few days focused on Leviticus 6, I am convinced I need to set aside some time and go for a deeper dive into the meaning behind the details recorded here for my personal growth in relationship with God. I will not likely be able to capture and share it here in short daily articles.  There is a humorous song I have heard from which a verse goes something like this, “The Bible is a gold mine, now where is your pick and shovel.”

The level of detail included in the text may be overwhelming to those of us who are trying to make sense of all of it without the benefit of living in that culture and time. Fortunately there are great resources available online. You will surprise yourself if you try a simple internet search for something like “compare burnt offering to sin offering Leviticus”. Of course you have to take some time to discern which explanations  appear reasonable and which are “missing the mark”.

Leviticus 6:24-30

      24Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 25“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is slain the sin offering shall be slain before the LORD; it is most holy. 26‘The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. 27‘Anyone who touches its flesh will become consecrated; and when any of its blood splashes on a garment, in a holy place you shall wash what was splashed on. 28‘Also the earthenware vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then it shall be scoured and rinsed in water. 29‘Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy. 30‘But no sin offering of which any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place shall be eaten; it shall be burned with fire.

Take a few minutes to find your favorite search engine and do a search like the one I listed above. Scan through a few listed explanations and materials. It is amazing what is available on the internet, but we must still be prepared to dig through it to make sure we find real gold and not just accept the rock someone hands us. There are many wonderful resources and many that will lead you astray. The challenge I lay out… most of us already do this kind of research all the time. We may be buying a washer or dryer or oven or car. We get online and search. We review and discern truth from lies in advertising. We do this in deciding what foods are healthy to eat and which are not.

Doesn’t it make sense to put the same time and energy into seeking the truth of God’s word and applying it to our lives? The implications of developing this study habit focused on our relationship with God will last a whole lot longer than your next car.

What more can you find to help you get deeper understanding from today’s scripture?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy / Set Apart, Obeying God, Offering Sacrifices, Study the Word, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Seek the Lord and Serve Him In The Way of His Choosing

There is rich historical and spiritual context to be studied in reading through Biblical commentaries or other study material online regarding the sacrifices detailed throughout Leviticus 6. I encourage each of you to take some time and read some. BibleHub.com has many available online at no charge… just a few clicks away. One example is Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Even on the surface of the scripture we can appreciate some things it tells us about our Father and what He desires from our relationship with Him. Our Father calls even those serving Him full time to (such as Aaron and his sons) come before Him with offerings. There is much preparation for those who serve the Father even in how we give offerings. We are called to take time in doing this His way. It is a main activity and not a distraction. We are to focus on the Father and what He wants. We are not to hurry and treat this as a distraction from our daily lives.

 Leviticus 6:19-23

      19Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 20“This is the offering which Aaron and his sons are to present to the LORD on the day when he is anointed; the tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. 21“It shall be prepared with oil on a griddle. When it is well stirred, you shall bring it. You shall present the grain offering in baked pieces as a soothing aroma to the LORD. 22“The anointed priest who will be in his place among his sons shall offer it. By a permanent ordinance it shall be entirely offered up in smoke to the LORD. 23“So every grain offering of the priest shall be burned entirely. It shall not be eaten.”

Do you set aside time to maintain and grow your relationship with the Father the way He calls us to? In the example above, many of us may struggle with why the priests should go to so much trouble to prepare an offering, just to burn it all. There is actually some spiritual messaging there if we go and study to understand it in greater depth, but also even on the surface we can see that we are called to obey and serve the Father His way… even if we don’t always understand it.

Discerning / Judging, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Prayer, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Digging for Truth in Scripture

I am continuing to walk through Leviticus slowly and challenging myself to look through the context and cultural differences and seek to understand more about it every time I read. I am always looking for some valuable nugget of scripture that I can apply in my life. The scriptures are filled with meaning and significance. The question is who will dig to find it and take time to look for it.
As we read about the grain offering in Leviticus 6, there are several areas of interest in which we could dig for “gold”. Our offerings are pleasing to God. Though God wants to provide for those who carry out His work, such as the priests in this scripture, the first portion goes to God. The priests get what is left. There is a common theme of unleavened bread or cakes. Leaven is often symbolic of sin, a small amount affecting the whole loaf or cake. Here the symbolism seems to be applied again… those that serve God are to be set apart
for His purpose, to avoid sin, to be holy. We are reminded that their provision is not from the one giving the gift or offering, but rather from God Himself. He provides some of His portion for them.

Leviticus 6:14-18

      14‘Now this is the law of the grain offering: the sons of Aaron shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar. 15‘Then one of them shall lift up from it a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil and all the incense that is on the grain offering, and he shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, a soothing aroma, as its memorial offering to the LORD. 16‘What is left of it Aaron and his sons are to eat. It shall be eaten as unleavened cakes in a holy place; they are to eat it in the court of the tent of meeting. 17‘It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their share from My offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. 18‘Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it; it is a permanent ordinance throughout your generations, from the offerings by fire to the LORD. Whoever touches them will become consecrated.’”

Seek to dig a bit further on these themes. Study the commentaries and pray for God to guide you. It is a good discipline to develop… to dig for truth in scripture as if we were digging for gold.  The treasure is not always just lying in the open waiting to be found… sometimes we must seek it with discipline, commitment, and passion to find it.
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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Offering Sacrifices, Prayer, Provider, Study the Word, Through Prophets

Do Not Let the Fire Go Out

I will admit, as I read through the entirety of scripture, I do find times and passages where I struggle to immediately find value for application today. I have to dwell on it and sometimes study some of the commentaries. I am reminded by 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that even after our Lord Jesus was crucified and raised again from the dead,  the entirety of Old Testament scripture is still inspired by God and valuable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness… so we may be equipped for every good work. It is worth the time to seek to understand how it applies in my life still today.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Leviticus 6:8-13 has quite a bit of significance, though I would miss it if I just scanned it and said… “sacrifices no longer apply, so I will skip this.” I challenged myself to study further and take time to pause and meditate on it.

Our Father has provided many instructions to help us. Some we understand… some we do not. All are intended to help us love God and love one another. Should we insist that we must understand all that He asks in order to obey? No. That is not the natural order of things. All of us who had good and loving parents had to obey them as children, even if we did not understand why every time. They were helping us, protecting us, teaching us, etc. We could not as children understand as much of the complexity of life as the adults did. So too with us as adults… we can not fully understand the ways of God, but we can still obey and seek Him.

Leviticus 6:8-13

The Priest’s Part in the Offerings

      8Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 9“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning on it. 10‘The priest is to put on his linen robe, and he shall put on undergarments next to his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire reduces the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11‘Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 12‘The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. 13‘Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out.

There are many things we could explore and study in this passage. Why did the priest put on undergarments next to his flesh when approaching the alter? What symbolism is intended in the detailed instructions for this activity, which is set apart to honor God… it is holy. Why should the fire never go out? How might that apply for me today?

I will take one of those and unpack it a bit. I encourage you to read some commentaries (available through the link on BibleHub.com for no cost) and seek out more meaning and background.

The priests were to keep the fire going continually. They were not to let it go out. Our relationship with God needs constant attention. We should always be mindful of Him. We do not “turn on” and “turn off” our relationship with a spouse or child and neither shall we do so with God. He is to be continually a part of our focus through our daily life. We are to obey Him and seek Him in prayer and study His word and share His word and help others… continually. God does not wish us to go to church (e.g. light a fire to please Him) for a short while once a week, then ignore Him for a week (e.g. allow the fire to go out) until it is time to go to church again. We are to be in constant relationship with our Father. Yes… it takes time and commitment. Yes… He must be a priority and we must not get too distracted on lesser important things. Yes… if we tend to His business and obey, He will take care of the rest.

What else can you unpack from this scripture through prayer and study to apply in your life?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Correction, Greed, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Loving / Kind, Lying / Deceiving, Money / Finances / Wealth, Offering Sacrifices, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin

Reconcile with Both God and Man When You Sin

As followers of Christ, many of us have been brought up and taught as children to focus almost exclusively on the New Testament rather than the proper approach of building a foundation on the Old Testament and then continuing to build on it with the New Testament. They are two parts of the same relationship and commitment between Jehovah and His people. They are not two unrelated agreements. Because many of us don’t have a strong foundation in properly understanding the content and context of the Old Testament, it can sometimes be difficult to apply it. We started with the New Testament (the end of the history), and now we are trying to figure out the Old Testament (the beginning of the history). We go about it in reverse order and without the benefit of fully understanding the language and culture of the Old Testament people.

A good tool to remember that can really help motivate you to continue studying the Old Testament passages and looking for applicability in your life is the following wisdom provided by our Lord, Yeshua, Himself. All the law and the teaching of the prophets are summarized as loving God and loving one another.

Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

The chapters that precede Leviticus 6 discuss various offerings to be made as part of reconciling to God for our sin or guilt. Leviticus 6 reminds of the need to also reconcile with people whom we have sinned against. It also provides a very tangible incentive discourage the actions described that come about from greed or coveting and represent sin against God and fellow man.

Leviticus 6:1-7

Guilt Offering

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD, and deceives his companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion, 3or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do; 4then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him or the lost thing which he found, 5or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. 6“Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering, 7and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt.”

As the Holy Spirit reveals to us our sin, we must seek to reconcile ourselves with our heavenly Father to be sure, but also seek to reconcile ourselves with those whom we have sinned against.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, False Prophets / Teachers, Father / Yahweh, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy / Set Apart, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Worldliness

Do Not Love the World

The physical world is all around us. It is what we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. It shouts to get our attention. All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father… but is from the world. All of these will pass away.

Followers of Christ are called to turn away from worldliness and turn toward the behaviors and attitudes of Christ… of the Father. Setting ourselves apart for the purposes of God is making ourselves holy.  Those who do the will of God live forever. It is about more than saying we believe in Him. If we truly believe in Him, then our behaviors and attitudes will show it.  It is a life of self control, discipline, and submission leading to joy and peace and eternal life.

1 John 2:15-24

Do Not Love the World

      15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

      18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

The scripture is very clear on this subject… those that deny Christ are called antichrist. Denying Christ is serious rejection of the Father as well for they are one.  We can not fool the Father by saying we accept Christ and going to church, but not changing our lives to turn away from worldliness and turn toward holiness. We must actually submit our hearts and minds and lives to Him fully. Our life will change as a reflection of that submission. We will not make it perfectly, but He will help us. We walk with Him through this life and He helps us through the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside believers.

Ask the Father to reveal to you areas in your life in which you still “love the world” and have not submitted to Him. Ask Him for help to change and draw nearer to Him. Fight the urge to just assume you have it all worked out just perfectly and everything is comfortable for you “as is”. All of us do well to draw nearer to the Father and to continue addressing areas of sin and lack of submission in our lives.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Self Control, Sin, Study the Word, Teachable

Have You Truly Come To Know Jesus?

John addressed in clear manner a way for us to discern about others, and even about ourselves, whether or not we truly know Jesus Christ. It is simple, really, but many miss it. They get too complacent in saying they know Christ, but they do not actually follow Him and walk the way that He walked. They continue to live in sin, perhaps telling themselves that they have been forgiven, but refusing to turn away from their sin. The truth is not in them.

1 John 2:1-14

Christ Is Our Advocate

      1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

      3By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

      7Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

      12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Of course we all must start somewhere. When we are beginners in Christ, we will still be working to shed our sinful behaviors and attitudes. We will have started the journey to leave our sinful nature behind and begun the journey to become more and more like Jesus. We do not get there all at once. The Holy Spirit continues to reveal more and more truth through scripture study the longer we seek Him.

However, with a reasonable understanding of where we are in our journey with Christ, We should apply John’s test to ourselves fairly regularly. Are we keeping His commandments? Are we continuing to pull away from sin and move toward Christ more and more? Do we love our brothers rather than hate them?

Pray for the Father to help you have a clear understanding of your relationship with Him and not be deceived by the teaching of the world which constantly tell us we are good enough no matter what sin we continue and often mocks those who actually follow Christ most closely.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Depression / Discouragement, Hope, Persecution / Glorifying God, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Suffering / Adversity, Worry/Anxiety

A Living Hope No Matter What We Face

As followers of Christ, we have much to find comfort in, even while we experience grief in this world. We will have hard times. It is nothing new for believers to be scattered amongst pagan countries and cultures. Though we have essentially a pagan and not a Christian nation even in the USA now, there is still much freedom to worship Christ without the type of persecution that His followers have had to experience throughout history… still experience in many other nations around the world even today.

Whether we experience grief from persecution, from the difficulties of living amongst pagan peoples, loss of a loved one, or from other personal situations and trials… we can be comforted, encouraged and find hope in God’s offer and promise of salvation.

1 Peter 1

A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation

      1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

      3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

      10As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

      13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

      17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

      22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

24For,
“ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE GRASS WITHERS,
AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

      25BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.

The grief and pain of this world only lasts for a time. But we are called to action to prepare and to take hold of the offer of salvation. It will not just be given to us if we ignore or dismiss Christ. Taking Christ as Lord of our life should be reflected in changes to how we live. Less of our own selfish, sinful nature… more of Him.

      13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

     17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

      22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

The things of the flesh will fall away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Offering Sacrifices, Seeking God, Self Control, Sin, Study the Word, Teachable

Ignorance of Sin Is Not Protection From Guilt and Judgment

Many people today want to believe that everyone goes to heaven and no one gets punished. People want to believe that somehow if someone is “good” in man’s definition, then it must not matter what they believe in regards to God. This is dangerous teaching, because quite plainly it is not true and it can lead people to complacency in their relationship with the Father. Complacency in relationship to the Father usually results in becoming more like the world rather than becoming more like Him. Complacency is a lure that leads to separation from the Father.

Throughout the scriptures, the truth of guilt and sin are reinforced. From Old Testament to New Testament, we are reminded consistently that there is an absolute right standard … God’s standard, and there are things which are absolutely wrong… sin. It is God’s judgment on what is good and what is bad that matters, not man’s opinion. When we choose to submit to the Father as Lord of our lives, we want to learn how to please Him. We pray for wisdom and discernment and seek Him by studying scriptures. We learn right and wrong more completely according to His word.

For those who do not seek Him, who do not recognize sin effectively out of ignorance… ignorance is not a protection from guilt and the wages of sin is death.

Leviticus 5:17

17“Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

Romans 6:23

23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Leviticus 5

The Law of Guilt Offerings

      1‘Now if a person sins after he hears a public adjuration to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt. 2‘Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, though it is hidden from him and he is unclean, then he will be guilty. 3‘Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. 4‘Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these. 5‘So it shall be when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned. 6‘He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin.

      7‘But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8‘He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first that which is for the sin offering and shall nip its head at the front of its neck, but he shall not sever it. 9‘He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. 10‘The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it will be forgiven him.

      11‘But if his means are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not put oil on it or place incense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12‘He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, with the offerings of the LORD by fire: it is a sin offering. 13‘So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has committed from one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’”

      14Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 15“If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. 16“He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.

      17“Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. 18“He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him. 19“It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.”

A price must be paid for our sin. We are guilty whether or not we know if and how we sinned. Ignorance of sin is not protection from guilt. We are blessed that we have such a loving Father that He sent Jesus Christ to bear our punishment. The Old Testament sacrifices and offerings foreshadow the perfect lamb, Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for our sin. We now can turn directly to Jesus and ask forgiveness, changing our behaviors to be more like Him, and making Him Lord of our life. For those who truly make Him Lord, it will be obvious by their desire to change their sinful ways and turn toward Him. That requires study and prayer to learn God’s ways and identify sin from righteousness… and then turn away from sin.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.