No Defects

If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the Lord a young bull with no defects. [Leviticus 4.3]

As I read today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, it stood out to me (again) that the sacrifices made requiring blood seem to have all had at least one thing in common: the animal must have no defects.

I think today this is important!

Defects are something God seems to shy away from. Why would that be? It is because God is holy. Defects and holiness cannot coexist. Holiness, by its very nature excludes defects because defects are, in fact, the result of the curse upon sin.

If a person has sin in his or her life, that, in effect, is a defect. It would not make sense to sacrifice a defect for a defect. No, a pure substitution must be made for a defected life.

I know there are a lot of people who, well-meaning as they may be, erroneously embrace defects (sickness, disease, handicaps) and teach others to do the same. Although the Bible certainly acknowledges defects and sickness, there is nothing in the whole of the book that should be construed as teaching us to embrace defects!

Jesus taught us very clearly how life should be in the way He taught us to pray! He taught us to pray for God's will on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN! Now think, God repeatedly made it clear He will not accept defects! What makes anyone think defects are the way it is in heaven? Why then would anyone embrace defects as God's will? THINK!

I completely understand the implications of this are serious upon us. But it is time we own up to our shortcomings and stop fabricating doctrines of suffering that are simply pride - refusal to acknowledge that defects and sin are inseparable. It is pure arrogance to consider a defect anything but unacceptable to God. If God rejects defects, why would we ever embrace them?

We have no record of Jesus EVER refusing to heal someone because their infirmity was God's will.

And, anyone who uses Job as a reference in support of the doctrine of suffering, simply needs to read the book of Job until they get it. Regardless of Job's initial state of perfection, God's rebuke of Job at the end is all the evidence we need to understand clearly that Job went awry. There is no other reason God would rebuke Job. Why would God EVER rebuke righteousness?

There is so much to learn from the Bible. But we have to be willing to learn it.

Father, Your Word is tough on me. It would sure be easier to go with the flow of pridefully embracing a teaching that has nothing to do with You just to justify my own innocence. Help me to 'fess up and understand true Kingdom teaching.