LENT: April 8 - Proverbs 21:3

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable

to the Lord than sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:3

 

Sacrifice was at the heart of the Jewish religion.

 

We might be able to understand sacrifice most readily in God’s Old Testament method of forgiving sin …

 

·         Sin has a cost.

·         In the eyes of a holy and perfect God, the penalty for sin – any sin and all sin – is death.

·         It requires the shedding of blood.

·         Fortunately rather than you and I having to shed our own blood, God provided a substitute – most commonly a lamb (or perhaps a goat or two turtledoves).

·         Sacrificing something valuable was costly (there’s a cost for sin), but it would pay the price for your transgression.

·         That’s why Jesus had to die, of course. With his blood and death, the perfect “lamb of God” took your penalty and mine.

 

But we know that, right? So go back to my first words, and let me ask this question …

 

Q: If sacrifice is at the heart of the Jewish religions, what does the Old Testament (Proverbs 21:3, our verse for today) say is more important than sacrifice?

 

A: Righteousness. And justice.

 

We’ll never be perfect enough to escape sin … but … how many people have used legalistic traditions, like sacrifice, to justify their bad behavior. (“I can do whatever I want … as long as I occasionally sacrifice two pigeons.” “I can do whatever I want … as long as I occasionally go to confession with the priest.” “I can do whatever I want … because God’s going to forgive me anyway.” Have you ever heard any of those excuses?)

 

Yes, we’ll never be perfect enough to escape sin … but … instead of cheap grace (“I can do whatever I want, because he’s going to forgive me anyway”), shouldn’t we aim for righteousness (“doing the right thing”) and justice (“for the right reason”)?!

 

Yes, I’ll still require an occasional sacrifice – Christ’s (and his was once and for all) – but don’t I bring glory to God by striving to be righteous (“doing the right thing”) and trying to do justice (“for the right reason”)?! And isn’t that wonderfully desirable and acceptable to God?!

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who really does care about

trying to do the right thing

for the right reason

(and is incredibly grateful that

God has my back when I sin and fall short)