Monday, August 08, 2011
Do cultural beliefs validate sacrifice? When bounded by strict mores, don’t the offerings turn to being just a mandated tax?
I have seen friends who, by choice, starve from daybreak to sunset in adherence to an undefined long-lived tradition. They condemn eating pork too which, to their credence, is but a filthy meal. Religion after religion, there arise principles that followers opt to live with even outside the real biblical doctrine. We abstain from doing what is physiologically essential to us human and call it sacrifice, for us to be purged and set a clear path to heaven. We keep doing good works in exchange for something beneficial to us and label this as valid offering.
The bible says in 1 Samuel 15:22b, “To obey is better than sacrifice…” Let’s be precise here: I will not reach heaven for not eating pork or anything impure and fasting for nothing can’t simply be my fire insurance to shun hell when I wake up after death. So what do we need to obey then? God commanded the people thru Moses in Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The Lord lives and in Spirit our every action is clearly made known to Him. A real child of God will defy doing things that he knows will grieve his Father’s heart. The bible is already complete and all that the Lord expects from His flock are written in black and white.
Let’s not bargain faith with tradition. Rather we must seriously obey God’s commandments not for anything else, but because we do love and honor Him. I am no perfect but in my weakness, the Lord shows me His strength.
I have seen friends who, by choice, starve from daybreak to sunset in adherence to an undefined long-lived tradition. They condemn eating pork too which, to their credence, is but a filthy meal. Religion after religion, there arise principles that followers opt to live with even outside the real biblical doctrine. We abstain from doing what is physiologically essential to us human and call it sacrifice, for us to be purged and set a clear path to heaven. We keep doing good works in exchange for something beneficial to us and label this as valid offering.
The bible says in 1 Samuel 15:22b, “To obey is better than sacrifice…” Let’s be precise here: I will not reach heaven for not eating pork or anything impure and fasting for nothing can’t simply be my fire insurance to shun hell when I wake up after death. So what do we need to obey then? God commanded the people thru Moses in Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The Lord lives and in Spirit our every action is clearly made known to Him. A real child of God will defy doing things that he knows will grieve his Father’s heart. The bible is already complete and all that the Lord expects from His flock are written in black and white.
Let’s not bargain faith with tradition. Rather we must seriously obey God’s commandments not for anything else, but because we do love and honor Him. I am no perfect but in my weakness, the Lord shows me His strength.
Posted in: biblical truth,making sense of life
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