What Is At The Core Of Your Faith? Have you ever wondered about the true spiritual status of believers? What is actually happening in the life of those that claim to be Christians, and are they truly passionate about the Lord?  We ask this question because most don’t know that the churches in the West are shrinking.  What used to be centers of the Christian faith are now quickly fading into the sunset.   With so many people attending church, why are we experiencing a retraction of Christianity in the West?  Isaiah 1:10-20 provides us with a good description of the Lord’s position on the self proclaimed righteous and those that are simply religious.

The Lord said through Isaiah:

10 Hear the word of the Lord,     you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord.  “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.  14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being.  They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.  15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.  Your hands are full of blood!  16 Wash and make yourselves clean.  Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.  17 Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless;  plead the case of the widow.  18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” 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.  19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

What does this mean?  Well, the Lord has repeatedly stated throughout scripture that doing acts simply for the sake of doing it doesn’t please the Lord.  Let’s look at two additional verses, Hosea 6:6 and 1 Samuel 15:22-23.  In Hosea 6:6, the Lord says, For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.  Next, in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, it states, 22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Let’s take these three verses and quickly analyze the logic presented by God.   If we say we serve the Lord, conduct rituals and acts, are we truly serving the Lord?  What is at the core of your faith and is your heart in the right place?  When the Lord says he despises the burnt offerings which are outward expression of piousness, but in reality our hearts are black and  wretched, are we truly serving the Lord?  In Isaiah 1:17 the Lord says 17 Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless;  plead the case of the widow.  Are we obeying the Lord and doing what is right?

As the living Church, our Lord has commanded us to be the Salt and the Light (Matthew 5:13-16).  As such, we are to be the voice of justice and doers of good.  That’s why we ask in our title, what is at the core of your faith? We are to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior as well as help the less fortunate, fight for justice and stand for the oppressed. So, take a long hard look at your life and determine if you are a church goer or a true Christian.  Does God reside in you, or are you simply a CINO – Christian In Name Only.  Be on fire for the Lord and stand for justice.  Serve the Lord and allow Him to take over your life.  AMEN.