Head-dibs

QUESTION: “I read many times in the scripture where laws are given regarding animal sacrifices; yet, I also read many injunctions against killing, including statements where God does not accept sacrifices. Please address this contradiction.” ANSWER: First, anyone who reads should be commended because reading demonstrates the desire to know. When we read we are challenged to think, which is better than merely hearing something and drawing a conclusion without checking out the facts. There are many laws and instructions regarding the animal sacrifices and there are statements of God’s displeasure in them. What God desires is obedience, not sacrifice; but, since man would rather disobey, sacrifice was to remind man of God’s perfection. Remember: from the beginning God and man enjoyed unbroken fellowship until man disobeyed God and brought death by his sin. So that man may keep before him the seriousness of the consequences of sin and the need to be clean before God, God required ...

Proof of the deity of Christ. "Jesus Christ ... declared to be the Son of God with power ... by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3-4). An integral part of the gospel. " The gospel ... how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures " (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The seal of the finished work of Christ. " When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high " (Hebrews 1:3). Essential for salvation. " If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins " (1 Corinthians 15:17). " That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved " (Romans 10:9). Evidence of the believer's justification. " Jesus our Lord ... was delivered for our offenses, and was raised ...

Objection: Some verses show that God requires animal sacrifice (Genesis 4:4; 8:20-21; 15:9-10; Exodus 20:24; 29:11-37; Leviticus 1:5; 23:12-18; Numbers 18:17-19; Deuteronomy 12:27); however, other passages indicate that God does not require animal sacrifice (Psalm 40:6; 50:13; 51:16; Isaiah 1:11; 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20; Micah 6:6-7). This is yet another reason why I won’t believe the Bible! Answer: Yes, God did command animal sacrifice; but, the sacrificial system was never intended to be permanent. The purpose of the sacrifice was to show mankind the necessity of being morally clean. Look at it from this perspective: regardless of whether they were Guilt Offerings, Sin Offerings, Peace Offerings and all the rest, how many offerings would be given before a man’s resources run out? He can’t just walk up to the flock, grab a lamb and kill it. There were specific offerings that had specific criteria for specific purposes. The point was to show man’s limitations and God’s provision b...

If a child gets $1.00 for the offering plate and $7.00 for the movies, what set of values will he keep for the rest of his life?

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs and prostitution, but the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. S he eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her ...

Someone dropped me a line that said to the effect (I accidentally deleted it): " I did not ask to be saved. How absurd that God should go on a scape-goat blood-bath for me when I did not ask for it. I don't want to be saved. I love my sin ." Here's a thought from Charles Spurgeon: "There is no other reason why God should save a man, but for his name's sake; there is nothing in a sinner which can entitle him to salvation, or recommend him to mercy; it must be God's own heart which must dictate the motive why men are to be saved. One person says, "God will save me, because I am so upright." Sir, he will do no such thing. Says another, "God will save me because I am so talented." Sir, he will not. Your talent! Why thou drivelling, self-conceited idiot, thy talent is nothing compared with that of the angel that once stood before the throne, and sinned, and who now is cast into the bottomless pit for ever! If he would save men for their tal...

“If the gospel be not preached, Jesus Christ is, as it were, buried. Therefore, let us stand as witnesses, and do Him this honor, when we see all the world so far out of the way; and remain steadfast in this wholesome doctrine. . . . Let us not deceive Jesus Christ in the testimony we owe Him, by stopping our mouths, when it is needful to maintain His honor, and the authority of His gospel. Yea, and when we see our brethren afflicted for the cause of God, let us join with them, and assist them in their affliction. Let us not be shaken by the tempests that arise, but let us always remain constant in our purpose; and stand as witnesses for the Son of God, seeing He is so gracious as to use us in such a good cause. Let us mark well, whether men suffer for their sins, or for the truth of God . . . . Every man will confess this: but they add, we are weak, and shall quickly be beaten down by the cruelty of our enemies. But St. Paul taketh away this excuse, by saying, God will strengthen us, ...

Isaiah 6:3 ; Revelation 1:8 ; Isaiah 43:25 ; 1 John 3:18-22 ; James 4:13-16 ; Micah 4:2 The Lord our God is enthroned on High, and we live in His world unstunned by His glory. The angels in God’s presence don’t dare to look or be uncovered in His sight; yet they dare not look at anything but Him nor do anything that is not pleasing to Him. They dare not say anything beyond calling out who He is. They are not merely overcome with astonishment, but are mobilized by the fear of who He is. Men live, move and have their being without guilt or shame, uncovered with high-handed sin in His sight. There is no fear of God before our eyes. If we did fear Him, He would receive much higher praise, louder and longer praise by all we say and do. “ Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had every imag...

A railway worker in charge of a drawbridge took his small son to work with him one day. Immediately after a large ship had passed under the up-raised bridge, the worker started to lower it for a rapidly approaching train. As he set the machinery in motion, he heard a scream of pain, and turned to see that his son had fallen into the huge gears. In split second, the worker realized he had a choice to make: reverse the gears, free his son and wreck the train; or, allow his son to be crushed so the train could pass in safety. As the train roared over the bridge, drowning out the screams of his son, the passengers on the train waived joyfully at the worker, unaware of the sacrifice he had made for them. In the same way today, so many people go roaring joyfully through life, waving at God, unaware of the sacrifice He made of His Son.