We have the Temple

Many years ago a people claimed to love God. They were God’s chosen people. Through confessing a desire to belong to these chosen people one would then go through a process of outward signs that would join them to the covenant. This gave them access to the temple. Many of the people saw this access as a sign that they were in good standing with God. The priests at the time assured them that their confessions and compliance with the required regulations were a guaranty of their acceptance by God. It became so common that to claim the temple was proclaiming a confidence in your position before God. Then came the prophet Jeremiah…

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, "Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house and proclaim there this word and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the LORD!'" Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.' For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

"Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," declares the LORD.

In a similar way there are people today who trust in a profession of faith that has not changed their hearts towards alien, orphan, or widow. They claim to have a faith in God that they claim will allow them forgiveness of their sins. The “priests” of today gives them confidence that their participation in religious rituals is enough to get the acceptance of God. The Lord does not change. What was true in Jeremiah’s day is true today. There were many people in the first century AD that witnessed the coming of Christ and the destruction of the temple. Those that rejected Jesus’ call to repent and held instead to their confidence in the temple lost much. As Jesus cleansed the temple He quoted the end of this passage.

If you place your confidence in anything other than a growing, obedient, and active relationship with God you stand the chance of missing something that you may now be confident that you possess. How do your actions represent your concern and care for the alien, orphans, and widows? Are you trusting in deceptive words to no avail?