23Â Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
[Matthew 5:23&24]
Another category of those who offer sacrifice of fools are those who holding grudges against others.
Jesus has given us the order of how things should be done. He says we should leave the gift on the altar and then go for reconciliation first; then we can come back and offer our gift to God and it’ll be accepted.
Note that God didn’t say send the gift home- it may not come back into the temple. He says leave it on the altar. That shows God wants you to sacrifice to Him. He wants to smell sweet savour of your offerings like those of Noah and Solomon. However, the obstacles that clog the aroma of your gifts must be removed first.
If we ignore the red lights and go ahead with our offerings, we may be playing over the bar or offside.
Reconciliation is therefore important for God to receive our offerings. No more offering of sacrifices of fools. Amen
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
[1 John 3:17&18]
This Scripture is self-explanatory. It is telling us it’s impossible to say we love God when we don’t love our neighbour. Meanwhile, He commands “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love always gives. You cannot love someone and not give to the person. What you give may not be expensive or flamboyant, but you’ll still give. True love always gives. For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son… True love always gives! If we don’t give to our neighbours who are in need, it shows we don’t love them; and the Scriptures is asking how then we can claim to love the unseen God when we don’t love our neighbour that we see.
Look at verse 18 again. If we claim we love God when we don’t love our neighbour, then we’re loving in word or tongue only; not in deed and in truth. It means we’re only lying to ourselves and God isn’t impressed.
Anyone who gives to church and the work of God and refuses to help those around, who need his/her help most is offering a sacrifice of fools. Jesus says I was hungry, thirsty, naked, a stranger, in prison etc. and you attended/didn’t attend to me; depending on whether one is a goat on His left hand side or a sheepon His right hand side. He explained that whatever we do or don’t do to the brethren is done or isn’t done to Him, Jesus. May we be found as sheep on His right hand side.
No more offering of sacrifices of fools. Amen