Leviticus 5

Leviticus 5 starts with these words in the Message version: “If you sin by not stepping up….”.  That got my attention.  How many times have I failed to step up when God called me to do something for Him?  How often have I ignored His tug on my heart to get involved and serve?  The context of this chapter is that we are to step up…when we have heard or seen…wrongdoing.  But I think the principle applies here.  God expects us to be involved and par tof what He is up to.  God wants us in the game and not just sitting in the corner pretending we didn’t see or hear what is happening.  The chapter has a list of things that people may do unintentionally – and the result – “you’re guilty”.  It sort of rules out that old saying the devil made me do it.  It also rules out the thought that I can’t sin if I don’t know.  Leviticus certainly teaches us that we can sin without it being a blatant disobedience – it can happen simply and almost accidentally – but the result is the same – it is still sin.  And as such, we are told today what our response needs to be to that sin later when “you realize it and you’re guilty”.

 God’s plan is simple: “When you are guilty, immediately confess the sin that you’ve committed and bring as your penalty to GOD for the sin you have committed…..an Absolution Offering.”  Sin needs to result in confession and then payment for that sin.  There is a penalty the comes with sin.  God takes sin very seriously.  He has to – He is holy and cannot just ignore it.  Sin comes with a price.  We are told here that: “When a person betrays his trust and unknowingly sins by straying against any of the holy things of GOD, he is to bring as his penalty to GOD….a Compensation Offering.”  We have to realize that sin carries a price tag.  And our way of dealing with it today is not to sacrifice a lamb or a ram as Leviticus describes, but rather to accept the sacrifice that has been offered on our behalf when Jesus went to the Cross for our sin.  Jesus paid the price for us.  He died to set us free from the guilt and penalty of sin.  But we have to accept that gift.  We have to reach out and take it as our own by having a personal relationship with Him.  Think this doesn’t apply to you – read this verse from today’s chapter: “If anyone sins by breaking ANY of the commandments of GOD which must not be broken, but without being aware of it at the time, the moment he does realize his guilt he is held responsible.”  The reality of sin is that there are no levels or grades.  Sin is sin.  And one sin carries the same penalty as many.  Death and eternal separation from God.  That happens if we break ANY of God’s commandments.  I can assure you that all of us already fall in that camp.  We have all broken MANY of His commandments and we have a sin problem that must be dealt with.  God has to respond – He cannot just turn His head.  So what are you doing about the reality of sin in your life – intentional or not?  Have you dealt with the only answer there is – the saving grace of Jesus and the blood sacrifice He shed on the Cross?  Now is the time to get right with Him and put away the penalty of sin once and for all.  Do it today!