By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
Leviticus 4: The Sin Offerings (The Fourth and Fifth Offerings)
• They were compulsory offerings;
• They were necessary to restore and maintain broken fellowship.
• Nine times the text states that the person bringing the offering will be forgiven.
Leviticus 4:14 “When the sin which they have committed becomes known…”
• When they realize they’ve done something wrong they were to bring the sin offering. Now please remember the context here in the Old Testament. These were people who were already redeemed, as Passover lamb was slain for their redemption. They were redeemed out of bondage and death by the shed blood of the Passover lamb in the same way we were redeemed through Jesus our Passover lamb of Jesus. (John 1:29)
• But on a regular basis, God tells them that when they realized they had sinned they were to come with an offering. And this is a picture of –
1 John 1: 8-9 If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• John is writing this to forgiven men and women.
• Because of the cross of Jesus –
we’re reconciled with God;
we enter into a relationship with the Holy God of the Bible; we become His adopted children.
• Now when we sin on this side of the cross – that is after coming to Christ we don’t stop being God’s children; but our fellowship with God is messed up, and the only way to restore that fellowship is by confession and repentance.
• This cannot be substituted by praise or other offerings and sacrifices. it restores our broken relationship so that we can offer other offerings
• The moment you realize have sinned confess and repent before you offer your other prayers and sacrifices
Leviticus 4: “2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying If anyone sins unintentionally…”
• We need to understand that unintentional sin is still sin nonetheless; it still disturbs fellowship with our holy redeeming God.
• The fact that you didn’t intend to sin does not justify you, you are equally guilty. The fact that you never intended or it was not intended does not justify you before God, it is still a sin and must be remedied by a sincere confession and repentance (be sorry and change.)
• Some people ordinarily don’t feel like they have failed or sinned simply because they never intended to fail or offend. They expect to be understood and they don’t see the need to apologize but they forget their failure though unintended still hurts, offend and only a genuine apology or sorry will make up.
• One definition for the word sin in the New Testament is – to miss the mark. To miss the mark implies that you are aiming for the bulls-eye, but you missed. It’s not intentional.
• When am trying to hit something, I’m looking at the target, and I’m aiming at the target? It is not my intention to hit right at the point but I miss, not intentionally. I’m still missing the mark.
• We can disappoint and hurt people at times even when we’re actually trying to love or bless them. We may intend or even think we are helping them by doing our best but somehow, they are hurt. We aim at the target, but still, we miss the mark and someone is offended.
• We do that with God severally. Unintentionally we grieve Him. Even with our best intentions, we disappoint God by our acts of omission or commission.
Isaiah 64:6- our righteousness is like filthy rags
Psalms 19:12- but who can discern his own errors, forgive my hidden faults
• Unintentional or sins we commit unconsciously are sins and still remains to be sins. Notably, they still affect our relationship with God and requires confession and repentance.
Note
Here’s what this sacrifice was not about:
This sacrifice didn’t cover intentional sin Nitafanya kesi baadaye
You couldn’t say I don’t like this person and I feel like to beat, trash, abuse him and since I’ve got this spotless lamb in my backyard I will do it, then I’ll grab my spotless lamb and I’ll get things right between me and God.
• This is not that sacrifice, right? You couldn’t choose to sin, knowing you would resort to the sacrifice to cover it. And that’s exactly what Paul was writing about in Romans 6.
Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means!” - The King James says, “2 God forbid!”
• Sin is very horrific in nature and if you want to know how horrific sin is, just Look at Jesus on the cross. That’s how horrible sin is. – In light of this we cannot take the attitude
• I can do whatever I want because there’s the cross.
• I can do whatever I want, and then come for forgiveness.
Psalms 19:13 keep your servant from willful sins; may they not rule over me,
• Willful sins become habitual and addictive taking over our life thus becoming hard to stop. Their consequences are also greater requiring a different offering.
• In the fifth and the last offering God differentiates between – unintentional sin,
and willful disobedience.
Conclusion
Psalms 139: 23-24
23. Search me God, know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24. see if there is any offensive way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
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