Raw Meat
The cook laid out the raw meat on the cutting board and cut the portions to
size. Then, he put the meat in the pan and retrieved lettuce and tomatoes from
the fridge for the salad. He placed the veggies ( I know... fruit in the case of
the tomato) on the cutting board to cut and slice.
"Wait a minute! The raw meat juices are still on that board!"
Not to worry… the cleanliness of the tomatoes will certainly purify the cutting
board. A word (actually two words) to the cook: "You're fired!"
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Ask now the priests for a ruling: "If a man
carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold,
or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?'" And the
priests answered, "No." Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse
touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered,
"It will become unclean." Then Haggai said, ""So is this people. And so is this
nation before Me,' declares the LORD, "and so is every work of their hands; and
what they offer there is unclean. (Haggai 2:11-14)
That is why a life of compromise will not work. Our goodness simply cannot make
sin pure. I cannot approach life with the attitude that I will excuse sin in my
life and my goodness will overcome it because I do more good things than I do
bad. Nothing works that way. Not really.
That is why my only hope is to be made pure by the power of Christ through my
faith, and then take my stand, steadfast, living faithfully before Him, and
depending on His forgiveness when I fall short.
“Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE, says the Lord. AND DO NOT
TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me, Says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor
6:17-18)
By Jon W. Quinn
The Front Page
From Expository Files 18.2; January 2011
