Our paragraph topic is: (Their distorted religion) Part 3.
They were worldly in their beliefs. They valued gold and silver and incents and jewels and all kinds of precious things. Their eyes and minds were filled with the ways of the flesh and not the spirit of the Lord. The prophets came to warn them of their transgressions but they did not listen. The words spoken to their forefathers did not reach them. For it had been years since the Lord had spoken to them.
The leadership of the people had lost their way. They had become blinded by the ways of the world as did the Israelites in desert when they fashioned calves of gold to worship as their god. Their minds were still set on the glitter of gold as having a value greater than anything on earth or in heaven. This is why they said that: "But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound."
They were fixated on gold. They placed it at a higher value than anything else. And they believed that if one swears by this higher value then one is bound by that value because if one breaks that bond then one would have to pay that bond in gold. And yet not many had such a value in gold to pay.
Yet who was to determine if that bond was broken? Who was to judge if that bond was a just bond or a false bond, one that could be easily broken? If the bond is broken do we fear paying the price in gold? What would be the consequences if not paid? Would it be jail, or a beating, or lashing, or death, or servitude? What would be the ultimate price that one would pay for breaking a bond of gold?
What would be the price of breaking a bond with God? Can we swear by him that we will be bound to do what we say we are to do? Are we confident in ourselves that we can commit to do what we say that we are bound to do? Is that something that we can swear by? Is that something that we can keep?
We are really between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand we have a god who does not want us to transgress and on the other we have evil that does. Our Father knows that we will be influenced by the evil that is in the world. He is willing to forgive our transgressions if we understand that we have done wrong and ask for his help and forgiveness. We are not perfect beings. We are subject to make mistakes. He is perfect and is willing to forgive our mistakes and love us still because he knows that there is evil in the world.
Christ saw the good and the bad in all mankind and he was willing to sacrifice his life that we might have the chance for a new life. His passion for mankind is so great that it transcended the pain and suffering that he endured to save us. Now we each have a decision to make about our lives. That choice is ours to make. Open your heart. Find the true soul of who you are within. Christ is waiting for your call. He will come knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open it and let him in?
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
They were worldly in their beliefs. They valued gold and silver and incents and jewels and all kinds of precious things. Their eyes and minds were filled with the ways of the flesh and not the spirit of the Lord. The prophets came to warn them of their transgressions but they did not listen. The words spoken to their forefathers did not reach them. For it had been years since the Lord had spoken to them.
The leadership of the people had lost their way. They had become blinded by the ways of the world as did the Israelites in desert when they fashioned calves of gold to worship as their god. Their minds were still set on the glitter of gold as having a value greater than anything on earth or in heaven. This is why they said that: "But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound."
They were fixated on gold. They placed it at a higher value than anything else. And they believed that if one swears by this higher value then one is bound by that value because if one breaks that bond then one would have to pay that bond in gold. And yet not many had such a value in gold to pay.
Yet who was to determine if that bond was broken? Who was to judge if that bond was a just bond or a false bond, one that could be easily broken? If the bond is broken do we fear paying the price in gold? What would be the consequences if not paid? Would it be jail, or a beating, or lashing, or death, or servitude? What would be the ultimate price that one would pay for breaking a bond of gold?
What would be the price of breaking a bond with God? Can we swear by him that we will be bound to do what we say we are to do? Are we confident in ourselves that we can commit to do what we say that we are bound to do? Is that something that we can swear by? Is that something that we can keep?
We are really between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand we have a god who does not want us to transgress and on the other we have evil that does. Our Father knows that we will be influenced by the evil that is in the world. He is willing to forgive our transgressions if we understand that we have done wrong and ask for his help and forgiveness. We are not perfect beings. We are subject to make mistakes. He is perfect and is willing to forgive our mistakes and love us still because he knows that there is evil in the world.
Christ saw the good and the bad in all mankind and he was willing to sacrifice his life that we might have the chance for a new life. His passion for mankind is so great that it transcended the pain and suffering that he endured to save us. Now we each have a decision to make about our lives. That choice is ours to make. Open your heart. Find the true soul of who you are within. Christ is waiting for your call. He will come knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open it and let him in?
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
