crucified (credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/onkel_wart/)

I am crucified with Christ

Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

I am not literally crucified, but in Him, I am covered in His blood and, as He arose, He allowed me to live in His ability and strength.  I am not subject to what I used to be or do, but rather am alive in Christ, becoming holy as I seek Him.

Dead to sin (credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/)

I am dead to sin.

Romans 6:2. 11

May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?  Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 2:24

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Being dead to sin means I am not controlled by it.  I have authority to stand and walk in righteousness.  Does it mean that I will not sin?  No.  But, I am not ruled by sin, and I have forgiveness in the blood of Yeshua.  The sin that ripped into my body leaving jagged, gaping wounds are healed by His blood.  He took them upon himself when He chose to die for me.  All the ones before and all the ones to come, have been erased by His love.

My sins, horrible, jarring
Jagged lines, stripe my body
Gaping, weeping, seeping
Infection poisoning my soul.
In one porentious moment
Faded, vanished
Erased
As Yeshua stretched out His arms
On a plank of ragged wood
To die
For me
I look and see my wounds
Appear
On his perfect body
Scarring, tearing
Killing
Him.
I died that day – my sin
I arose that day – free
Dead to sin
Alive in Him.
Whole, healed, strong
Free!

I Peter 1:18-19

knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”–

I struggle with this one.  I don’t think it means that the Old Testament is irrelevant, although many use these verses as part of their replacement theology.  I think the curse of the law is death.  My failure to be able to truly and perfectly fulfill the law of God is sin, and the Bible states that the curse of that sin is death.  Christ took that on Himself, died, and rose again, overcoming the curse.

Therefore, since I am alive in Christ, since He redeemed me through His blood, I am no longer subject to that curse.  Sure, I’ll die eventually, but it won’t be a total and complete spiritual death.  Either way, and whatever it means, He has given me freedom and loosed my chains!  That’s awesome!

This is the story of Abram and Pharoah.  Well, it’s the story of Sarai, who was very beautiful, so beautiful that she caught the eyes of Pharaoh.  Pharaoh took her to be one of his wives even though she was already married.  The problem was that he didn’t know she was married since she said that Abram was her brother.  It isn’t until Pharaoh’s household is afflicted with plagues that he figures out he’s been duped.

At first it seemed awfully unfair for God to punish Pharaoh for something he didn’t know was wrong.  Obviously, or at least it seems to me, he wouldn’t have taken her if she was married (at least, not without killing Abram first, which is how the whole mess started – twice).  But, I also realized that God could have killed Pharaoh outright from the start (His later rules call for stoning of those caught in adultery).  He didn’t.  Sure He sent plagues and such and eventually Pharaoh figured out what was wrong.  Maybe because Pharaoh didn’t listen to God (he worshiped the gods of Egypt), God had to be more forceful in His delivery.  I don’t know.  But it makes me wonder how often He uses situations in my life to tell me I’ve messed up.  I’m not very good at discerning His voice and I really hope I understand what He’s trying to say!

So caked in grime
It’s become my skin
No matter how hard I try
The stains seem to stay.

A hissing in my ear
Whispers subtly to me
So unworthy, so unworthy
To speak to God today.

It’s been a weird, good, off week.  For some reason I feel like I’m standing in, covered in sewage. I feel filthy.  Yes, I’ve bathed.  It’s just a metaphorical stench.  Yet, it seems that I can’t shake it.  I can’t think of anything major I’ve done that I need to confess.  And, honestly, confession and forgiveness seem so simplistic.  How can that be enough?  How can my heart be contrite for sins I may not even be aware of doing?  I know I’m not perfect, so why does it seem so hard to figure out what I’ve done?  My past has risen up to haunt me this week, too.  Maybe it’s because of Halloween last week.  (Have I mentioned how much I hate Halloween?)  I’m confused by the things I’ve learned on Skip’s site, but there’s no one who is able (or willing) to take the time to help me sort out the jumbled-ness.  So I’ve stopped reading for a while because I feel like the relationship I have/had with God was being crushed under the weight of it all.  Add to that the spiritual battle we’ve been fighting (and that part I mean literally), and it’s a heavy load.

Anyway, Antithesis is the other side of Anthem.

Yom Kippur

Leviticus 16:29-31

This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work,whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.  It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.

Today it’s so easy to forget our need for cleansing.  It’s easy to be casual about the enormity of the sacrifice of Yeshua and the sin He took upon Himself.  It’s easy to overlook our need for repentance in a world that believes sin is all relative and silly.  Yom Kippur is a day of personal reflection and repentance, when all God’s people rest and are humble, recognizing the need for forgiveness.

The forgiveness we have through Yeshua’s sacrifice does not preclude my need to be obedient to the laws of God’s rule and reign.  Yet, so often I am not mindful of these and selfishly do things my own way.  My confession of my stubbornness is a good reminder of my need of a savior.  The forgiveness I receive is a joy, knowing I am again in right relationship with YHWH.

Here are some interesting readings on Yom Kippur that go into greater depth about the origins and practices of the holy day.

Hebrew4Christian’s Yom Kippur page

OU Cyberhome of the Torah’s extensive Yom Kippur resources

The Al-Chet Prayer

On Yom Kippur the Al-Chet prayer is said ten times (once for each commandment).  It is a list of 44 “categories” or areas in which we may need to be forgiven.  It uses the pronoun “we” instead of “I” because we are a community, just as the Hebrew people (the Jewish people) are one.  Here is the prayer:

For the sin which we have committed before You under duress or willingly.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by hard-heartedness.

For the sin which we have committed before You inadvertently.

And for the sin which we have committed before You with an utterance of the lips.

For the sin which we have committed before You with immorality.

And for the sin which we have committed before You openly or secretly.

For the sin which we have committed before You with knowledge and with deceit.

And for the sin which we have committed before You through speech.

For the sin which we have committed before You by deceiving a fellowman.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by improper thoughts.

For the sin which we have committed before You by a gathering of lewdness.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by verbal [insincere] confession.

For the sin which we have committed before You by disrespect for parents and teachers.

And for the sin which we have committed before You intentionally or unintentionally.

For the sin which we have committed before You by using coercion.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by  desecrating the Divine Name.

For the sin which we have committed before You by impurity of  speech.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by foolish  talk.

For the sin which we have committed before You with the evil  inclination.

And for the sin which we have committed before You knowingly or unknowingly.

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

For the sin which we have committed before You by false denial and lying.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a bribe-taking or a bribe-giving hand.

For the sin which we have committed before You by scoffing.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by evil talk  [about another].

For the sin which we have committed before You in business  dealings.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by eating  and drinking.

For the sin which we have committed before You by [taking or  giving] interest and by usury.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a haughty demeanor.

For the sin which we have committed before You by the prattle of our lips.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a glance of the eye.

For the sin which we have committed before You with proud looks.

And for the sin which we have committed before You with impudence.

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

For the sin which we have committed before You by casting off the yoke [of Heaven].

And for the sin which we have committed before You in passing judgment.

For the sin which we have committed before You by scheming against a fellowman.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a begrudging eye.

For the sin which we have committed before You by frivolity.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by obduracy.

For the sin which we have committed before You by running to do evil.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by tale-bearing.

For the sin which we have committed before You by swearing in vain.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by causeless hatred.

For the sin which we have committed before You by embezzlement.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a confused heart.

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a burnt-offering.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a sin-offering.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a varying offering [according to one's means].

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a guilt-offering for a certain or doubtful trespass.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of lashing for rebelliousness.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of forty lashes.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of death by the hand of Heaven.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of excision and childlessness.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of the four forms of capital punishment executed by the Court: stoning, burning, decapitation and strangulation.

For [transgressing] positive and prohibitory mitzvot, whether [the prohibitions] can be rectified by a specifically prescribed act or not, those of which we are aware and those of which we are not aware; those of which we are aware, we have already declared them before You and confessed them to You, and those of which we are not aware — before You they are revealed and known, as it is stated:The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things are for us and for our children forever, that we may carry out all the words of this Torah. ForYou are the Pardoner of Israel and the Forgiver of the tribes of Yeshurun in every generation, and aside from You we have no King who forgives and pardons.

Perhaps we, too, should spend a day searching our hearts for sin in order to confess it and be clean in the new year!

Articles on Al-Chet:

MyJewish Learning’s article on confession

MyJewishLearning’s modern version of the Al-Chet

How easy it is to forget the relief, joy, and amazingness of forgiveness… until one is unforgiven. Then the reality comes crashing in.

How profound the moment when forgiveness is offered, how welcome the moment of reconciliation! What a reminder of the mercy of YHWH, of the relationship reconciled through His love, and of the restoration of a child who wandered away!

Thus the priest shall make expiation for them, and they shall be forgiven. Leviticus 4:20

“Baruch Levine makes the point that the Hebrew verb, k-p-r, is often translated by a phrase such as “to cover or conceal.”  But this isn’t correct.  The idea behind kipper is to wipe clean, to remove defilement, to wipe off.”  (“Cleaning Up the Confusion”)

As a Christ-follower, I have always tended to think of Christ’s blood as a covering.  It covers my sins.  But the word used in the verse above actually means to wipe clean.  It seems like an insignificant thing, right?  Does the blood cover or clean?  Either way, God doesn’t see my sin, I guess.  But then I realized some of the implications of the difference.

If my sins are merely covered, then my sin still clings to me.  Underneath His blood, I am still filthy, disgusting,  and stained with years and years of sin.  (Also, if God does know everything then can’t He see through that blood and see all the yuck underneath?)  If my sins are wiped away, then underneath His blood I am clean and pure.  His blood against my skin, soaking into my soul.

That seems like a pretty significant difference.

Leviticus 16:21

Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send [it] away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man.

This is an interesting verse.  When Aaron lays his hands on the live goat (aka. the scapegoat) the Hebrew text says he cast the punishment for the sins of the children of Israel on it.  It wasn’t just the sin that was transferred, it was the guilt and punishment for those sins.  The goat was then sent into the wilderness (where it was probably eaten by lions or other animals in short order).  The symbolism is that their sins were removed, and they never saw them again.  This is what Jesus did for us on the cross, too.  Our guilt and our punishment for our sins were placed on Him (our scapegoat).  He was killed in the wilderness of our world and our sins were completely removed from the eyes of God.

I once read somewhere that the Israelites would place a scarlet thread outside or inside the temple and that after the scapegoat was removed it would miraculously turn from red to white.  However, once Jesus died, the miracle no longer occurred.  Jesus removed the need to offer continual sacrifices.

I think God has a remarkable imagination and an amazing way of using symbols to help us understand what He does in our lives.  Sometimes this makes it a little tricky, but maybe that makes the search more satisfying.

Leviticus 3:-7

LOTS of sacrifices.

Wow!  The priests were busy!  There are an awful lot of sacrifices that were to be made.  Although, they often pertain to different classes of people, so it may not have been that many to remember.  Most though do focus on unintentional sins.  Only one is for an unintentional sin – lying or stealing.  That one involves restoring what was taken plus extra, and then the person also had to make a sin offering.  Another thing is that if a person is unclean and they participate in or consume any of the sacrifice they would be cut off from Israel – exiled.  They wouldn’t be able to offer sacrifices, and that meant they wouldn’t be forgiven and they wouldn’t have that special relationship with God.  No wonder they tried so hard to keep from being defiled or made unclean!  Same thing if a person ate the fat from an offering or at blood.

What the heck is a wave offering?  And a heave offering?  Other than those two weird things, there was a grain offering, a burnt offering, a sin offering, a trespass offering, the consecrations, and the peace offering.  That’s a lot!  But I suppose that if you’d grown up with that as part of your life it wouldn’t be nearly as complex sounding as it is today when it’s archaic.  Thankfully, we don’t have a Temple anymore, and because of that and because of Jesus, we no longer have to offer sacrifices like this.

The Hebrews always put the most important things at the beginning (they didn’t much care about chronology, like we do today).  So, since the sacrifices are the first thing in this book (which was also the first book the children read and learned to write from), they must have been critical.  They established and enabled the relationship between YHWH and His people.  They didn’t want to do anything to mess that us, so they put it first.  It was the first thing you learned because that relationship was the most important thing in their lives.  Is it the most important thing in my life?  Do I put that relationship first?