SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 9-10
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)
Having lost our connection to God, we resort to religious practices to navigate our relationship to God.
Sacrifices can symbolize our guilt, or our repentance, or our need to make things right with God.
The blood and gore of religion is NOT what God needs to be appeased, but how serious sin is.
Our selfishness murders and kills and ruins the good life God created us for.
(And most disturbing, religion has often only made this worse).
Every sacrifice exposes this, dramatically showing us why we need God’s help, God’s forgiveness.
God is not a vampire, hungry for blood; God hates sin and death, and does what it takes to end it.
Through Jesus He kills the curse of sin and death, and ends the cycle of violence and misery.
We’ve been forgiven, we’ve been set free, we’ve been restored to full fellowship with God.
No more bloody religion needed, no rituals or sacrifices or temples or traditions.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)
Stop using guilt and violence to ‘save’ others, God will do the saving through love and good deeds.
Stop using religion to divide and conquer; come together to encourage each other in the love of Jesus.
Our relationship to God has been secured by Jesus loving sacrifice; share that love with others!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for putting an end to religious blood and gore… I can’t stand the sight of blood. May my only religion be love and good deeds, like Jesus!