24and if this is done unintentionally without the community being aware of it, then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, along with its prescribed grain offering and drink offering, and a male goat for a sin offering.
25The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering and a sin offering.
26The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.
- P134
27"‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.
28The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.
29One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.
- P135
30"‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel.
31Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’" - P135
We often think of sin as something that applies only to the individual and only when it is intentional. But God, being perfectly righteous, holds us accountable for all sin because any sin falls short of the glory of God. - P136
For the Israelites, these sins included improper worship practices due to ignorance or accidentally incurring ceremonial uncleanness. Everyone is tied to a community, which means individual sins also concern the community. This is why God provides a way for the community to confess and seek forgiveness together. - P136
Even as the church today, we fall into collective sin when we fail to uphold justice and mercy in our society. - P136
God commands us to confess not only our personal sins but also the sins of our community. - P136
When someone wrongs the community, it is easy to ostracize them immediately, but God calls His people to offer opportunities for restoration andreconciliation. This protection extends even to foreigners, as all people areequal before God. - P136
However, this grace does not excuse blatant sin. Godmakes it clear that those who reject and defy His laws will ultimately becut off from the community. - P136
A person cannot enjoy the privileges of acommunity without respecting the laws and authority that govern it. Likewise, being a God-fearing community means living under God‘s rule andfollowing His commands. - P136
The church is a place of grace, but this grace is
never an endorsement of sin. - P136
Dear God, thank you for the community that is the church. You have called me to this body of Christ, to love and care for my fellow brothers and sisters. - P136
Give me the courage and humility to allow them to hold me accountable in Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P136
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