Whose Altar Is Your Altar?
The Bible is replete with altars, here there and everywhere, but whose altar was the altar of the true God, Yahweh, the creator of all things? This is a most important question and a most powerful one, next to what the object of your faith is, or in whom.
The altar in the OT was a symbol of salvation, which would only be brought of course to fruition in Christ at the Cross which we are redeemed. Until Christ came, died, shed his blood and opened up the veil for salvation, redemption, us to be able to enter into his presence, all was a symbol of, a foreshadowing of that actual sacrifice. It is at the altar that we know the heart of the person, as we do, if we understand, with Cain and Abel. God has a specific and orderly way with all things that he likes to see happen and he have those instructions right from the get to to Adam and Eve, who didn't listen and then onward. Abel's altar said "I am a sinner, and I know it. I require redemption, salvation, sanctification, and I can't do it for myself, myself, only Yahweh can." Cain's was total, humanist, "In your face Yahweh, don't need a redeemer, redeem myself with moral evolution, good works, whatever." He was wrong, and if I ever think that I would be very wrong, anyone who thinks that way is wrongly thinking, as that is not what is God's truth, or the truth of Christ or the Holy Spirit. Corrupted of flesh etc... can't redeem like. If the altar one places one's faith in is self-improvement, others corrupted of flesh, vanities of men - humanist psychology and the like, methods created by man, including denominations in that one thinks it is the denomination that saves you, rituals and such for any real, long-term, truly righteous as per Christ's standards (don't even lust in your heart), and especially for Justification/Salvation big trouble ahead for everyone. The only altar that has any true meaning, lasting value that can send the most powerful advocate of change, the Holy Spirit, is the alter of Christ, and him crucified, accepting him as Lord, Redeemer and Savior. Any other doctrine, any other Jesus, is a false doctrine, and a false Jesus. The apostles make it very clear where the faith, the altar is to be and Paul says that even if it's an angel from heaven and he contradicts the Jesus they were taught by him, that angel is accursed. That's pretty big statement to make, an angel be accursed, but he knew that following any other altar could very well bring the soul to eternal damnation. Not because Yahweh sends one there, but because the person has rejected the only means for redemption, has turned back on redemption even though it was there for them.
It is only trough this altar, Christ, that can then give us the Holy Spirit, that true freedom from bondage of all things not of the truth, of the true God, of life and light can come. No bondages, strongholds, oppressions, repressions of SIN, which is the root of all evil, can be broken without this. Anyone who teaches otherwise is not doing themselves or anyone else any favors. There is only one High Priest, Advocate for humanity that God will listen to and one that can keep us from Gehenna, Hell. Jesus tells us clearly there is a hell in Matt 5:29-30, 25: 41, 46, and Matthew 18:8-9, but when he said to cast aside the eye etc... he means the thing, situation, even if it means your entire family, like Abraham had to give up, has to be let go of, walked away from. Best to lose relationships, situations that keep you in bondage of sin or would place you there than risk abandoning God, Christ, and losing one's soul. The Message of the Cross, there is no salvation, redemption except by faith in what Christ did at Calvary must be told, as well as the truth that there is only one power of freedom and sanctification, The Holy Spirit. If it offends, then tough, but we are told we will be refused etc... because dark hates light and truth, but only truth matters with God and can set the captives free.
Shalom and Amen
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