A Larger Conscience / NKJV 365

 

A Larger Conscience

Interestingly, not only individuals bring a sin offering to God, but the whole congregation as well. Perhaps that rubs us the wrong way, for we are more prone to think of individuals coming under conviction, individuals repenting, and individuals finding the new life in Christ. People may be saved through a church’s ministry, but may a church itself be saved?

If nothing else, perhaps the Old Testament, and this passage, in particular, will serve as a healthy corrective against exclusive emphasis on individual responsibility and virtual neglect of community responsibility. One can only wonder if our absorption with the individual has more to do with rugged, pioneer Americanism as its antecedent than with biblical thought itself.

God’s word to Israel was, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves” (2 Chr. 7:14. It is a word to all His people, not just to some of them. Perhaps the time has come for the church of believers to confess corporately our own sins, even those done “unintentionally.” Little progress in God’s name will be made while we point the finger at others.

Taken from The Devotional Daily Bible

““If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty. When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle. The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the Lord. The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle, dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the inner curtain. He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the Lord’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Then the priest must remove all the animal’s fat and burn it on the altar, just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven. Then the priest must take what is left of the bull and carry it outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest. This offering is for the sin of the entire congregation of Israel.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭4:13-21