VoM - Entries tagged "Jesus"Religion or Jesus: A Stern Warning Against Religion
Amos 5:21-24
“I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
“Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
“But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
The prophetical book of Amos was written to the northern kingdom, Israel directly, but indirectly to all people on the earth. God speaks through Amos, calling the people of Israel to repent of their materialistic, prideful, complacency, idolatry and oppression of the poor.
The books starts off proclaiming God's judgment on the surrounding neighbors of Israel and then moves to the judgment of Israel if the nation does not repent of their self-righteous lives. They lives were marked by self righteousness because they abandoned "real faith" and pretended to be "spiritual" by carrying out superficial religious exercises, ceremonies and prayers. This lack of spiritual integrity led God to be very blunt, straightforward and honest to such a self-deceiving people; regarding their hypocritical "worship".
During this Christmas season, I wonder how many of us are guilty of such? Did you go to church because "you had to" or because "it is the right thing to do" or "because that is 'what you do' ?" Let us be honest, Church attendance rises because feel obligated to "go to Church" during the Christmas season; yet, their hearts don't yearn and desire to worship God any other days during the year. Not only that, but there are those (and we all know it) who are faithful in church attendance, but their lives (i.e. relationship with their spouse, family, fellow-believers, strangers ect) do not show the love of Jesus Christ. So, how do find the right balance or better yet, what marks the heart of a true believer; whom God accepts their festivals, delights in our solemn assemblies, accepts our offerings and draws God's attention to our songs and musical instruments?
The answer is, repentance.
Amos hits this ealier in the book in Chapter 4, when he states "Yet You Have Not Returned to Me" five(5) times. God is saying through the prophet Amos, "You have not repented of your ways, you have not turned away from the path that leads away. Because if you did, you would have returned to Me (God)". This "returning", is the definition of repentance. You must turn from something and head in the opposite direction of that which you were going; with the motive to NEVER return to the way you used to go.
However, that is not the totality of repentance. Repentance involves a change in your heart that generates new desires and becomes a reality in your life by what you do. You heart, your thoughts, you desires, your mind - everything about you truly desires to draw near and know God; and this is shown by your conduct and character shining through what you say and do. Just seven (7) verses earlier, God said the same thing through Amos,
Amos 5:14-15
Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you,
Just as you have said!
Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the gate!
Perhaps the LORD God of hosts
May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
God is very clear speaking through Amos regarding this changed mind. We are to "HATE evil and LOVE good"; those are thoughts/emotions. Then God says we are to we are to "SEEK good", that is an action. This is not done through Church attendance, but how you LIVE YOUR LIFE. Let me be clear, this "Hating evil, loving good" is a lifestyle change, NOT a one or two day a week change, but a LIFE CHANGE. Every day, every hour, every second. "Hate evil, love good".
It also implies a very important command that is overlooked, once we "Hate evil" and we "love good" - we are to "establish justice". Once we repent and turn to seek and love good, we now have the obligation to ensure justice is established. Now, there are different levels of who/what does/type of justice is established; however, it does tells us, we have the obligation to ensure it is established. This is not ALWAYS in a political sense, but even in our day to day relationships. Making sure we (fellow brothers and sisters in Christ) are in fellowship, not only with God in the name of Jesus, but one-another. (More on this in my post "Christian Fisticuffs" regarding how to reconcile relationships).
So, let us go back to the original point. If we as believers are not LIVING a life of DAILY repentance, seeking good and hating evil, then how can we gather together to love God when we are progressively moving farther from Him? If we are running in the opposite direction of God, telling Him how much we love Him - what kind of relationship is that? Sounds like one that is...well... hypocritical.
Moreover, Isaiah tells us:
Isaiah 66:2b
"But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
Looking at this closely, defining"humble" means to be "poor" or "one who is in need" or "one who can't make it on their own and needs someone to come along them" (SOURCE) it is the concept of decreasing yourself and increasing someone else because of your need for them. "Contrite in spirit", means to be "crippled" or "lame" in hebrew (SOURCE). The idea here is, one who is not capable - one who is disabled - not having the ability to do "something". Finally "trembles" can be defined as "respect , awe , shaking , worried" (SOURCE); meaning, someone who respects, is in awe of or has a literal fear of what God says - meaning they take God's Word SERIOUSLY.
Therefore, those who live as if they are in need to depend on God, because they know they are literally disabled or incapable of doing any spiritual good; you must believe and take God's Word seriously. If this defines what you believe, then you will live a changed life, every day, every hour, every second. In that, as C.J. Mahaney Says in Humililty True Greatness "Humility draws the gaze of our Sovereign God".
Let us put this all together, repentance involves you realizing you must depend on God in the name of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you hate evil, love good. Then and only then, will your life change in what you think, say and do; and will God the Father, accept your festivals, delight in your assemblies, accept your offerings, listen to your songs and musical instruments. Otherwise, God hates your prideful, complacent, hypocritical festivals, worship, church gathering, music and offerings. Bottom line, God doesn't want to hear it- and that, is not a good thing.
Praise the Glory of His Grace,
Judson
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Vessels of Mercy is a cooperative blogging effort between three young men: Brandon Melton, Robbie Melton, and Judson. Being bound together by our love for God, our commitment to His truth, and our passion for His glory, we seek to magnify God’s worth by discussing cultural/doctrinal issues as they relate to the Body of Christ. It is our prayer that through this ministry you will grow in your love and understanding of God and His Word. Most of
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