To obey is better than sacrifice: Is 66:3-6

“But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine's blood; he who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isaiah 66:3-4)

It is possible to hold to religion traditions and laws while at the same time letting go of God. The Israelites continued to practice their religious traditions even though, in their hearts, they had grown apostate. Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” While he was wrong in terms of religion’s influence on society, religion can become the opiate of the religious. Religion can comfort our sinful hearts and lull us to sleep with a false sense of security. We believe that we are acceptable to God because we are doing religious things, even though our hearts are far from Him.

Religion is no substitute for obedience. Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) It is not enough to be a Christian; we must live as Christians. We can go to church, we can pray and read our Bible, we can even tell other about Jesus but unless we learn to obey His voice, these things are nothing but dead works. Samuel rebuked King Saul when he ignored the word if the Lord and offered sacrifices on his own. Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) Religion is easy, we just have to do what others say we should do, following God can be hard, we have to listen and obey what He tells us to do. There is a price to following God. It often involves some level of personal sacrifice and it always requires the surrender of our will to His.

God is calling us to obedience. Paul, writing of his own ministry said he had “received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake.” (Romans 1:5) Paul’s ministry was more than just getting people saved; he was to bring them into obedience to the Gospel. In the great commission, Jesus said to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Our churches can be full of people, but unless those who fill it are willing to surrender all and follow Christ, they are nothing more than the holding pens of the condemned. Obedience stars with us; we cannot teach what we do not do. We cannot preach obedience unless we are willing to embrace it ourselves. When it comes to obedience, we need to remember what God said, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7) Don’t harden your heart, choose to obey Him!

David Robison