WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SACROSANCT - Sadell Bradley 9/9/2020

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD

SACROSANCT

Sadell Bradley

09/9/2020

 

"Once we understand that all human values are the results of fictions and myths, we don't consider them sacrosanct. We are then able to question many beliefs that are believed to be irrefutable. We then move from the darkness of ignorance to the light of wisdom. " - Awdhesh Singh - Indian Ethics Professor

WAREHOUSE T-SHIRT FUN-RAISER

Even our grands are excited about our new T-Shirts! in partnership with Home State Threads. For every T-Shirt sold, $10 will go to the Warehouse for Missions. Click here to purchase one of the many styles available. Our goal is to sell 500 T-Shirts to raise $5,000 for AV/Sound renovations in the lower level of our church, and to assist parents of CPS students. Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

The word SACROSANCT means that a principle, place, or routine is regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with; it is immune from criticism or violation. The Latin roots are sacro 'by a sacred rite' and sanctus 'holy.' People hold all kinds of things sacrosanct from their phones, morning coffee, or exercise routines... to higher ideals in the US like the freedom of religion or speech, or the right to protest or bear arms. Here, what is held sacrosanct is individualized and often reveals our biases. People cited family, friendships, all of Shakespeare's writings, Social Security, military veterans, the free market economy, individual liberties, and off-the-record interview comments as being sacrosanct. Others refuted these arguments. We can touch the military, they rebutted. Social Security is not off-limits. Professor Awdesh Singh, in his quote above, makes the case that what we hold sacrosanct is subjective - based on or influenced by our personal feelings, tastes, and opinions. Some focus on the value of life inside the womb, others the worth of life outside of it. Each seems to value life, but cannot agree that life is sacrosanct from the womb to the tomb. Who really gets to decide what is sacred and holy?

GOD IS HOLY. We used to sing, "Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the LORD our God, His name is Holy." (Psalm 99:9) When God is named it reveals His identity, character, and reputation. After Hannah's prayer for a son was answered, she said, "No one is holy like the LORD, for there is none beside You, nor is there any rock like our God." (2 Sam 2:2) Only Jehovah is able to command his people both in the Old and New Testaments to, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God." (Lev. 20:7) "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:15-16) Our God is both the definition and the determiner of what and who is holy and should be set apart. Despite what the world thinks, Christ followers know we don't get to decide that. The Scriptures inform us that our bodies are God's temple. (1 Cor. 3:17) We belong to Him and are to live pure, set apart, and sacred lifestyles. (1 Cor. 6:19-20) God's commands tell us what is sacrosanct.

FACT CHECK

In political debates, after a candidate speaks, researchers immediately do a fact check to tell us whether or not what's been said is true. Wouldn't it be great if Christ followers fact checked all these various opinions with the Word? Paul preached to the Jews at Berea. The Bible says, "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." The Bereans searched the Word of God to discover and apply the perspective of God's Kingdom - the only perspective that is sacrosanct. Shouldn't we?