The Lord Is More Pleased When We Do What Is Right And Just Than When We Offer Him Sacrifices
Jesus Died To Break The Curse Of Sin, Not That We Can Continue In It
PROVERBS 21:3
“To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”
Proverbs 21:3 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/pro.21.3.nkjv
My beloved, when one wrongs his wife and he knows it, the guilt comes in and flowers come out.
But sacrifices are not, and can never be bribes to somehow make God overlook our sin.
Thank God for Jesus Christ who paid our debt of sin on a cross.
But surely, we can not ask God to overlook a wrong in our behaviour because we did something good in another area of our life.
While we walk in Christ righteousness, holiness is the minimum standard to follow (ROMANS 12:1).
Sin can only be dealt with through repentance by turning from it toward God, and can only be achieved by walking by the leading of the Holy Spirit (GALATIANS 5:16-26).
We must be willing to cooperative with God and turn from all sin to bring about change in our lives.
Sin, gives the devil’s authority to enter our flesh, but repentance sets us free.
James said, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
James 4:7-10 NKJV
Sacrifice in Old Testament times was like a punishment or fine to pay the debt of sin, but today, sacrifice is an expression of love, worship, and thanksgiving to the most High because Jesus already settled our account when He paid our debt in full with His own blood.
He is the Lamb that was slain.
Sacrifice today is presenting your body a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service to God (ROMANS 12:1); not as a payment for what Christ has done, but out of love for God and His people.
If our personal and business dealings are not characterised by truth and justice, no amount of generosity or good service will make up for it.
God hates our sins; they cause Him pain.
He said through the Prophet Isaiah, ““I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
Isaiah 43:25 NKJV
My brethren, Jesus died on a cross to take away the curse of sin that brings about death, not so that we can continue in it.
Of course, we are all sinners and will make mistakes, but as mature Christians, repentance should be just in case we made a mistake, not because we deliberately sinned.
Having said that, God is faithful to forgive time and time again. But repentance must be genuine.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
These basic steps of instruction are key to a changed life and will reveal what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God in your life.
The devil will continue to attack your provision and bring temptations and obstacles into your life to take you off track and give him away in. He comes only to steal and to kill, and to destroy, but Jesus came to give you life, and that you may have it more abundantly (JOHN 10:10).
Jesus said, “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:30-34 NKJV
We really don’t have reason to live anything less than holiness in Christ.
For He is our provider, and He knows our every need; He knows our likes and dislikes, our desires and our dreams, that what is good for us and that what is damaging to us.
Furthermore, He sent His holy Spirit to help, lead, and empower us in our walk (JOHN 14:15-18), and all we need do is remain obedient to the Spirit rather than our sinful flesh and its lusts.
It’s not easy, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Galatians 5:17-18 NKJV
Therefore, before anything else, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and you will be short of nothing good, for all shall be added to you (MATHEW 6:33).
I tell you again, ““Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
