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Proverbs 15:8-11 ESV
The Sacrifice of the Wicked
What does a sacrifice represent? It is something we do, either believing we are doing it for the Lord or in pretense that we are doing something for the Lord according to his expressed desires or commands, but as a coverup for or as a distraction from what we are really doing. Jesus talked about how the Pharisees went through particular religious exercises but that it was in form or for show only, because inside of their hearts was all sorts of wickedness.
For example, he told them that they were those who practiced tithing, but that they were those who neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They cleaned the outside of the cup and the plate (I am assuming one of their religious rituals), but inside they were full of greed and self-indulgence. They were those who outwardly appeared righteous to others, but within themselves they were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matthew 23:1-39).
So, today this could be like someone who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and who attends weekly religious services at a local gathering of what is called “church.” And this individual may go through the motions of worship of God by attending these gatherings and by singing songs and by listening to the preacher preach and by putting in a tithe in the offering plate. But then he may leave there and go right back to living in sin.
Sin is still his practice, not righteousness, and not obedience to the Lord. And he may be a “good deed doer” and even someone admired for his generosity and helpfulness and cheerfulness in front of other people. But in reality he (or she) is a inappropriate content addict or a spousal abuser and/or someone who wastes away his life on what is not of God but is of the flesh of man. And he may have much knowledge of the Scriptures, but not much at all in practice.
So, although this person may appear religious outwardly in front of those he (or she) is able to impress, and he may be a “good deed doer,” the religious sacrifices being offered are disingenuous, because the heart of the person is still full of pride, envy, hate, malice, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, idolatry, lying, faithlessness, adultery, sexual immorality, murder, theft, false witness, slander and evil thoughts (see Luke 6:45 and Matthew 15:17-20).
So, this person’s sacrifice, supposedly to the Lord, and his way of living, i.e. his walk (conduct, practice) are an abomination to the Lord. In other words, his sacrifices and his way of life is exceptionally loathsome, hateful, sinful, wicked and vile in the eyes of the Lord. For he (or she) is an idolater whose practices are inherently evil. For this person makes a practice of illicit sex, lying, deceit, hate (or murder), adultery, and faithlessness, and the like.
Thus, there is severe discipline for him who forsakes the ways of the Lord and who chases after other gods, the gods of this world. And this is not just Old Testament teaching. The New Testament teaches that, regardless of what our lips profess, if we are walking (in conduct, in practice) in sin, and not in godliness, holiness, righteousness and obedience to our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God but we will face eternal destruction.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
The Ways of the Righteous
In contrast to the ways of the wicked are those of the righteous. And the righteous are not those who merely make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, those who are righteous in the eyes of the Lord are those who are practicing righteousness, but not self-righteousness, but the righteousness of God, and not in the flesh, but in the power of God’s Spirit now at work within them, by the grace of God (1 John 3:4-10).
They are those who are walking in the ways of the Lord, who make obedience to the Lord their practice, and who are living holy lives pleasing to God. They are those who are walking in integrity, moral purity, honesty, faithfulness, love, kindness, humility, and self-sacrifice, forgiving those who sin against them. And they are true worshipers of God who give their lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1-2).
And they are those who can claim the promises of God over their lives and who can be assured of heaven as their eternal destiny, for they are walking in holiness and righteousness and in obedience to the Lord and not in sin. And so their prayers are acceptable to God, for they are living upright lives in the power of God for the glory of God. And sin is no longer their practice. For God loves those who pursue him and who pursue righteous living.
[See the same Scriptures as referenced above which give us the promises of God for those whose lives are pleasing to him, and which also warn of the judgments of God on those who are still living by the flesh and not in walks of obedience to the Lord. And if you are still living to the flesh, and in sin, I pray you will surrender your life to Christ today, turning from your sin to now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his will for your life.]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!”
The Sacrifice of the Wicked
What does a sacrifice represent? It is something we do, either believing we are doing it for the Lord or in pretense that we are doing something for the Lord according to his expressed desires or commands, but as a coverup for or as a distraction from what we are really doing. Jesus talked about how the Pharisees went through particular religious exercises but that it was in form or for show only, because inside of their hearts was all sorts of wickedness.
For example, he told them that they were those who practiced tithing, but that they were those who neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They cleaned the outside of the cup and the plate (I am assuming one of their religious rituals), but inside they were full of greed and self-indulgence. They were those who outwardly appeared righteous to others, but within themselves they were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matthew 23:1-39).
So, today this could be like someone who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and who attends weekly religious services at a local gathering of what is called “church.” And this individual may go through the motions of worship of God by attending these gatherings and by singing songs and by listening to the preacher preach and by putting in a tithe in the offering plate. But then he may leave there and go right back to living in sin.
Sin is still his practice, not righteousness, and not obedience to the Lord. And he may be a “good deed doer” and even someone admired for his generosity and helpfulness and cheerfulness in front of other people. But in reality he (or she) is a inappropriate content addict or a spousal abuser and/or someone who wastes away his life on what is not of God but is of the flesh of man. And he may have much knowledge of the Scriptures, but not much at all in practice.
So, although this person may appear religious outwardly in front of those he (or she) is able to impress, and he may be a “good deed doer,” the religious sacrifices being offered are disingenuous, because the heart of the person is still full of pride, envy, hate, malice, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, idolatry, lying, faithlessness, adultery, sexual immorality, murder, theft, false witness, slander and evil thoughts (see Luke 6:45 and Matthew 15:17-20).
So, this person’s sacrifice, supposedly to the Lord, and his way of living, i.e. his walk (conduct, practice) are an abomination to the Lord. In other words, his sacrifices and his way of life is exceptionally loathsome, hateful, sinful, wicked and vile in the eyes of the Lord. For he (or she) is an idolater whose practices are inherently evil. For this person makes a practice of illicit sex, lying, deceit, hate (or murder), adultery, and faithlessness, and the like.
Thus, there is severe discipline for him who forsakes the ways of the Lord and who chases after other gods, the gods of this world. And this is not just Old Testament teaching. The New Testament teaches that, regardless of what our lips profess, if we are walking (in conduct, in practice) in sin, and not in godliness, holiness, righteousness and obedience to our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God but we will face eternal destruction.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
The Ways of the Righteous
In contrast to the ways of the wicked are those of the righteous. And the righteous are not those who merely make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, those who are righteous in the eyes of the Lord are those who are practicing righteousness, but not self-righteousness, but the righteousness of God, and not in the flesh, but in the power of God’s Spirit now at work within them, by the grace of God (1 John 3:4-10).
They are those who are walking in the ways of the Lord, who make obedience to the Lord their practice, and who are living holy lives pleasing to God. They are those who are walking in integrity, moral purity, honesty, faithfulness, love, kindness, humility, and self-sacrifice, forgiving those who sin against them. And they are true worshipers of God who give their lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1-2).
And they are those who can claim the promises of God over their lives and who can be assured of heaven as their eternal destiny, for they are walking in holiness and righteousness and in obedience to the Lord and not in sin. And so their prayers are acceptable to God, for they are living upright lives in the power of God for the glory of God. And sin is no longer their practice. For God loves those who pursue him and who pursue righteous living.
[See the same Scriptures as referenced above which give us the promises of God for those whose lives are pleasing to him, and which also warn of the judgments of God on those who are still living by the flesh and not in walks of obedience to the Lord. And if you are still living to the flesh, and in sin, I pray you will surrender your life to Christ today, turning from your sin to now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his will for your life.]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
