Is Your All On The Altar?

Is Your All On The Altar?

copyright Millie Plastaras 6/5/2006

Blessed -- happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable -- is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly (following their advice, their plans and purposes), nor stands (submissive and active) in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down (to relax and rest) where the scornful (and the mockers) Gather.
Psalm 1:1

Over time the concepts like the verse above have become lost upon the church. The followers of Jesus have lost the concept of how to be in the world, but not of the world.

Come out from among them, and be separate says the Lord, do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

So how much should we separate ourselves from unbelievers? Do we need to avoid them? Do we act better than them? Are we better?

In truth, the Bible says, all are sinners, so we are not better, we are just forgiven. We are never perfect, we are all still growing and learning and changing. Only Jesus was perfect. There are no holier-than-thou people.

If we avoid the world, who will witness to them, in love

and prayerfully, and be a light?

There is a line, where we should not cross, if we really have been born again. We must not let the worldly thoughts, and ways, and teachings corrupt our thinking and our walk with God. Make no mistake ... we are accountable even more now that we have asked Jesus to be LORD and Savior of our lives.

Remember He saved us ... from what? Spiritual death, and the sin that so easily besets us.

Knowing this, remembering it daily, should cause our hearts to cry out in thanks, and our minds to seek to please Him above all else.

So how much should we separate ourselves?

Here is a verse that really helps us decide.
Do not be deceived, Evil company corrupts good habits.

1 Corinthians 15:33

So, while we may not call our neighbor or acquaintances

an evil person, their habits are not leading us to spiritual things ... they are drawing us away. We tend to compromise just to get along with them. We tend to be ashamed to take stands on things we really know are right, according to God's word and concepts. We make it more of a priority to be liked by them than to be right before God.

Remember, it will not be popular to separate yourself.You will be called many things, and people will feel rejected, and hurt. But that is not our intent. Our intent is to love everyone, forgive easily, and keep ourselves holy before God.

This means we are accountable for

Our words

Our deeds

Our lifestyle

Who we hang out with

Who we confide in

Who we take advice from

Even how we spend our money and time.

All this changes us. Corrupt company corrupts.

I can guarantee you if you spend time with someone who is doing things that are not right, and perhaps even really questionable, sooner or later you will compromise your principles in the name of getting along.

Little by little it will change you and pull you away from God, without you recognizing it.. until soon you will find you are seeking the world's ways and approval.

In one of the chat rooms I sometimes frequent, there are people who have probably been a Christian for a while. I see them lecturing other Christians and patting sinners on the back. They do this, because they think it makes them able to witness better, and to be a friend. But I don't see that. I see them, slowly afraid to say things, that might correct someone, and say, you know what ... the Bible teaches otherwise. They are afraid of being mocked or rejected.

They just "want to get along".

But instead, we should say: I love you brother or sister, but I love you enough to tell you what God's word says. I have to be honest, these verses are very challenging to all of us ... but I believe in the depths of my spirit they are important for today's Christian to be reminded:

So, since Christ suffered in the flesh (for us, for you) arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose (patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God). For whoever has suffered in the flesh (havingthe mind of Christ) has done with (intentional) sin -- has stopped pleasing himself and the world and pleases God. So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by (his) human appetites and desires, but(he lives) for what God wills!

1 Peter 4:1-2

If Christ died for us, and suffered so utterly and sacrificially upon the cross, and we repent and leave our sins behind, how can we compromise our principles, and seek the world's ways and the world's advice, and expect to grow spiritually or please God?

We are either pleasing God or the world.

There is just no middle ground.

We must love others fervently, forgive easily, we must tell everyone we meet the gospel of Christ, his good news, that He loved them, and died for them, and longs to cleanse them from sin and the past and give them a new life in Christ.

A new life in Christ, the old has passed away, behold all has become new.

Are you new in Christ? Have you compromised your Christianity to be popular? Have you been sifted and found wanting?

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
You have longed for sweet peace,

And for faith to increase,

And have earnestly, fervently prayed;

But you cannot have rest,

Or be perfectly blest,

Until all on the altar is laid.

RefrainIs your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest,

And have peace and sweet rest,

As you yield Him your body and soul.

Would you walk with the Lord,

In the light of His Word,

And have peace and contentment alway?

You must do His sweet will,

To be free from all ill,

On the altar your all you must lay.

Refrain

O we never can know

What the Lord will bestow

Of the blessings for which we have prayed,

Till our body and soul He doth fully control,

And our all on the altar is laid.

Refrain

Who can tell all the love

He will send from above,

And how happy our hearts will be made,

Of the fellowship sweet

We shall share at His feet,

When our all on the altar is laid.

Words & Music by Elisha Hoffman 1905

I remember hearing this hymn sung when I was a child and a teen, and it used to convict me so much, because I knewI was living wrong, and I would go to the altar and talk to God, and tell him what I had done wrong, and ask him to cleanse me and give me a new start.
And He did.

He will abundantly pardon my friend.

Make yourself right with Him tonight.

Do not compromise your walk with Christ and let the world's ways creep back in. It is like you are crucifying Christ all over again. How that must break his heart.

Remember

Only one life,will soon be past

Only what is done For Christ will last