The LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands–‘ Leviticus 4:1-2
One common phrase for many people with young children is asking if what they did was done on purpose or not. The child had done something wrong, such as hitting another sibling, and parents always asked if it was done on purpose or not. Did the child want to hit, or did he hit by accident in the moment?
This question is often asked to determine how the situation is handled. If it was on purpose, the punishment will be more severe and focused differently. If it were an accident, the focus would not be so much on punishment, but upon correction and redirection.
The same type of question is often asked of adults in situations of crimes or injuries caused. There is less mercy for the one who does something wrong on purpose than for the person who does it by accident.
As God is giving Moses the directions of what sacrifices are required and how to do them, one thing He points out is that these are done when someone does something unintentionally. God does not expect His people, His followers, to purposely sin against Him.
Every believer needs to focus his life in a way that when he does sin, and he will, it was done by accident, not on purpose. No believer should be able to be accused of purposely sinning against God.
When a believer truly knows God, he will never want to sin against God. God’s love and mercy in his life will be so great that he will keep a rein on his life to keep from sinning against God. Sinning will happen, but not with a purposeful intention as the world does.
God has provided a sacrifice for every person who has sinned–Jesus Christ. Any time you sin by accident, you have the ability to seek forgiveness from God through the blood of Jesus. This is showing God’s great love and mercy on you.
In light of that great love and mercy, keep your life focused on following Jesus. Do not allow yourself to be caught up in purposefully sinning against God. Do not give God a reason to have to punish you or correct you.
Keep your eyes on God to keep from sinning on purpose.
I pray today that you will know God’s love and mercy for you; that you will love God with all of your life; that you will seek to turn from all sin against God; and that you will never be guilty of intentional sin against God.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
