I do not want it said of me, “She multiplies words without knowledge” (Job 35:6).
I also never want to think of myself thus: “One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.” (Job 36:4)
That is scary! Only God is perfect in knowledge, and any person who thinks that he/she is thus, is seriously delusional! (And dangerous – there are so many people desperately looking for “definitive/ absolute” answers in a world filled with chaos and relativity! They are easily attracted to those who boldly and confidently offer “perfect knowledge” – wasn’t that the “gnosis” case back in New Testament times, too?)
Please keep me humble, Lord – and please keep me open too, and learning from you, from Your Holy Spirit, more and more of Your “perfect knowledge”! Thank You! Amen
Leviticus 5 Unintentional sins: As soon as a person realizes they have sinned unintentionally, they must confess immediately and bring the appropriate sacrifice to the priest for atonment and forgiveness of their guilt!
Some kinds of sins require different sacrifices, depending on one’s ability to pay – but others are “non-negotiable” – sins against the holy things or against the “Thou shalt not” commands require a ram [and a 1/5th extra value in silver restitution for sins against the holy things] … these, I’m supposing, are sins which everyone knows about and should be avoiding at all times!
HOLINESS!
(The expense of the sacrifice would – you’d think – be a deterrent against sinning! Wow, if we had laws like that, we’d – you’d think – have a really great – good! – society… but even among the Israelites, this “forced deterrent” system doesn’t seem to have held up very long or very well…
I guess if people are going to break the law, they are also going to “break” the consequences… and those “in charge” would have to be:
- very “righteous” themselves – role models
- very strong, and powerful enough, to put the consequences into action
- not willing to take bribes
- etc!! Oh! and totally willing to make all the sacrifices for their own guilt, too, even unintentional sins
But how many human leaders are able to do that? “Power corrupts” ….
We cannot, ourselves, even with “:deterrent consequences,” live up to God’s demands for holiness!
We must be filled with the Holy Spirit – and determined to folow, trust, obey Him always… (and even then our old sin nature, flesh, habits, the enemy, temptations, etc keep trying to rise up again…)
Oh God, please help me to learn to live holy – by the power of Your Holy Spirit! Thank You! Amen!
