Thursday, February 11, 2010

Holiness and Worship

At the conclusion of my Sunday School class this past Sunday, I asked my class to consider the following question. "Can a person live a sinful life during the week, then come to the church on Sunday morning and expect to be able to worship?"

This morning I read from Isaiah 1. Here is part of it. Read it and let me know how you think it relates to the question I asked my class.

Isaiah 1:13-18
Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--
I cannot bear your evil assemblies.
Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;
wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

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