(Psalm 69:30-36)
I will praise God with song;
I will proclaim his greatness by giving him thanks.
This will please the Lord more than offering him cattle,
more than sacrificing a full-grown bull.
When the oppressed see this, they will be glad;
those who worship God will be encouraged.
The Lord listens to those in need
and does not forget his people in prison.
Praise God, O heaven and earth,
seas and all creatures in them.
He will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah.
His people will live there and possess the land;
the descendants of his servants will inherit it
and those who love him will live there.
Showing posts with label Formalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Formalism. Show all posts
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
22.4 What Counts Is Not Circumcision But God’s Commandments
(1 Corinthians 7:17-19)
Each one should go on living according to the Lord’s gift to him, and as he was when God called him. This is the rule I teach in all the churches. If a circumcised man has accepted God’s call, he should not try to remove the marks of circumcision; if an uncircumcised man has accepted God’s call, he should not get circumcised. For whether or not a man is circumcised means nothing; what matters is to obey God’s commandments.
Each one should go on living according to the Lord’s gift to him, and as he was when God called him. This is the rule I teach in all the churches. If a circumcised man has accepted God’s call, he should not try to remove the marks of circumcision; if an uncircumcised man has accepted God’s call, he should not get circumcised. For whether or not a man is circumcised means nothing; what matters is to obey God’s commandments.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
22.3 Against Lip Service
(Matthew 15-6b-9)
In this way you disregard God’s command, in order to follow your own teaching. You hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you!
‘These people says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach man-made rules as though they were my laws!’
In this way you disregard God’s command, in order to follow your own teaching. You hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you!
‘These people says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach man-made rules as though they were my laws!’
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
22.2 Sacrifice Without Respect
(Malachi 1:6-14)
The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. I am your father – why don’t you honor me? I am your master – why don’t you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’ This is how – by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’. I will tell you- by showing contempt for my altar. When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there’s nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?”
Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault. The Lord Almighty says, “I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me. People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me! But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise. You say, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you? A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.”
The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. I am your father – why don’t you honor me? I am your master – why don’t you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’ This is how – by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’. I will tell you- by showing contempt for my altar. When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there’s nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?”
Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault. The Lord Almighty says, “I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me. People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me! But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise. You say, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you? A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.”
Friday, November 6, 2009
22.1 Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
(1 Samuel 15:22-23)
Samuel said, “Which does the Lord prefer: obedience or offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey him than to sacrifice the best sheep to him. Rebellion against him is as bad as witchcraft, and arrogance is as sinful as idolatry. Because you rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king.”
Samuel said, “Which does the Lord prefer: obedience or offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey him than to sacrifice the best sheep to him. Rebellion against him is as bad as witchcraft, and arrogance is as sinful as idolatry. Because you rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king.”
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