Good Morning.
This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecrations, and the sacrifice of the peace offering, which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day when He commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai. (Leviticus 7:37-38)
It occurs to me that, in midst of all these instructions and details, some might consider the routine connected to these offerings to be synonymous with legalism. It is true that the routine did accommodate those who had an inclination to be legalistic because they did not perceive what the Creator was really saying through the request for offerings. As we have said over and again, these offerings were about probing the hearts of men to see what was truly residing within. Because of the lack of heart in many, including those who were in the priesthood, legalism did develop. Instead of being a people focused on a relationship with Almighty, they became a religious people who paid lip service to the Almighty.
This is one of the main issues that Yeshua confronted throughout His earthly ministry. He came to reinitiate the heart issue in the face of so much religion. For example, He addressed the issue of adultery, even quoting the Scripture that said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But in so doing, He made it clear that the intent of the command went beyond what could be done in the physical — along with every other sin, it was a heart issue. No doubt there were (and are) those who felt that, as long as they didn’t follow through with this physically, there was no transgression. However, He said, “I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
When it comes to obedience, rather than lowering the bar, Messiah raised it by accentuating this point — God isn’t looking for a religious people but for a people who wish to have a genuine relationship with Him. So then, we need to acknowledge that legalism is not exclusive to the Jewish world — it is just a prevalent in the Christian world and here is why — people. It is a human inclination to turn the terms of a relationship into a religion and, in time, lose focus of what the relationship was really all about.
So it seems fitting to remind ourselves of what Yeshua told the believers in Ephesus — “Don’t forget your first love.” Let’s not allow the duties associated with our relationship cause that relationship to devolve into religious exercise. Rather, let us renew the love and devotion for our Master each and every day that we may serve Him with joy and gladness.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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