I'm sure you have heard people say something like this: "If you are sincere about what you are doing for God - if you really believe it to be right - then God will accept you."
But there can be serious trouble when sincere worshippers have different ideas about what pleases God. Here is a short, true story of God being angry with some who worshipped Him! and we will learn how we can avoid God's anger against us. (Isaiah 1:10-20. Matthew 15:8-9.)
"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves...." (verses 13-14.) Those people believed they were pleasing God. They were selling animals to the worshippers to offer to God.
But, Jesus "made a whip, out of cords, and drove all from the temple area.... To those who sold doves He said, 'Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father's house into a market!'" (verses 15-16.)
Churches here today are not used as market places - OR ARE THEY? People don't go to church expecting to have to buy sheep and doves - but many do go hoping to buy favour with God in other ways! Sincere people go to church willing to spend a lot of time in devotion to prayers and sacraments, and to give of their money also, in the hope that they will earn favour with God. They come out from church feeling good. Surely God will be impressed with what they spent on Him, and He will forgive their sins, they are thinking.
But, listen again to what Jesus said - "How dare you turn My Father's house into a market!" (verse 16.) The place of worship must NEVER be thought of as a market place where you can go along hoping you can pay enough to buy God's forgiveness! God accepts no one because of their goodness or payments. (Galatians 2:16. Romans 3:19-28.)
You see, with those sacrifices in the temple it was not the price paid for the animal that was important to God. It Was what the people believed and felt towards God that was important. (Jeremiah 7:21-24.)
The sinner who brought a sacrifice before God was to come in true repentance: that is, wanting to FORSAKE THE SINFUL WAY OF LIFE. That sinner brought his/her animal sacrifice knowing that it was to die instead of the repentant sinner. God, in His great mercy, was allowing the death of the substitute to be in place of the sinner who deserved death and Hell.
The coming of Jesus Christ, the Son Of God, has done away with the need for animal sacrifices. Jesus, "the Lamb of God", died once, and that was for "the sins of the whole world". (John 1:29,. 1st John 2:1-2.)
So today, THANKS TO JESUS CHRIST who paid in advance the full price God demanded for all our sins, you can have forgiveness without paying. (Hebrews 10:10.)
Trust Jesus to save you today, then church will no longer be a place where you try to earn God's favour. Instead you will want to find a Church where the people worship and praise God for having saved them through Jesus. You will eager to join with them in praising God your Saviour. (verse 17.)
God's house is not a market. Read about this in John's Gospel chapter 2, verses 12-17.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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