Guilt Offerings

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Leviticus 5:14-15

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: When any of you commit a trespass and sin unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, you shall bring, as your guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering.

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If you feel that it's real I'm on trial
And I'm here in your prison
Like a coin in your mint
I am dented and I'm spent with high treason

"Take Me to the Pilot" by Elton John

Dented and spent with high treason, let's face it, Elton's music is beautiful but the lyrics of Bernie Taupin take us to places we would have never gone. Dented and spent with high treason, our punishment could just as easily be "a guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel." If you're guilty then that's a guilt offering.

What's special about the guilt offering is that it is made on behalf of the sinner when the sin is unintentional. How's that for the truth about sin, it doesn't have to be intentional. "Whoops, I didn't mean to do that, can I get a do-over?" is not an acceptable offering.

Sin hurts others. Even when we don't mean it, sin hurts others. Just as bad, it hurts us too. It is up to us to make an offering to be absolved. These days my neighbor doesn't want a ram without blemish from my flock. Their back yard is only so big and it would freak out the dog.

No, instead we have to confess, first to God and then to those whom we have sinned against. No, it wasn't intentional, but it was still harmful. We didn't mean to do it, but we did it. If we think that puts us on trial, then yes, it's real I'm on trial.

Beside God, none of us are innocent, that too is the nature of sin. In Christ, we are not flawless, but we are forgiven. So take me, pilot of my soul.