No Hewn Stones in the Altar

No Hewn Stones in the Altar

In Romans 12, we see how Jesus tended to the altar in the new covenant. All those who are united in Him, in His body, present their own bodies as a sacrifice, acceptable to God. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” V. 1-2.

This was the service of God that Jesus established through the blood of an eternal covenant. Heb. 13:20-21. It was the new covenant with His Father. There had to be an inner cleansing, a death to the sin in the flesh. And here Jesus offered Himself in the power of an eternal Spirit. Ch. 9:11-20. It is the blood that came forth from this sacrifice that is the blood of the covenant. This blood testified that Jesus had never done His own will. He kept His covenant with His Father. And Jesus delighted in this because He loved His Father. Ps. 40:8.

If we are also to live according to the perfect law of liberty, we must do what we do out of love for Jesus, and not out of compulsion. For we know that all who are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. We did not receive a spirit of bondage again to fear, but we received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out: “Abba, Father!” Rom. 8:14-15. Therefore, I delight in this service of God. I delight in offering myself so that Jesus can occupy a greater place in my life. If there is more to be sacrificed, I am also willing to do that, God! Then I have the faith of Abraham and I am a child of Abraham. I am heir of the promises. This is incredibly great! “And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.” Ex. 20:25-26. In other words, in the church of the living God, everything should be simple and natural, as God works in each individual. 1 Pet. 4:10-11. Things should not be according to the manner of the world, when it comes to speaking, singing, playing music, or clothing. Such things are hewn according to the spirit of this time. And who is behind the spirit of the times? Of course it is Satan who is behind all these things. And if you hew and fashion things in this way, to promote yourself and your ego, then you profane the altar of God. People believe they are serving God and want to sacrifice something on God’s altar, but what they are doing is dishonoring the altar.

Jesus said, for example: “I do not receive honor from men.” John 5:41. And then He said: “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” Ch. 7:18. Therefore, it is unrighteous to seek your own glory and honor. The fire of the Lord can never fall on such sacrifices, no matter how much you sacrifice. As long as you seek your own, the fire of the Lord can never set you free so that you come to a spiritual growth in God.

Therefore, the church must be kept pure from all that is artificially contrived when it comes to speaking, songs, music, clothing, and everything else that is hewn and crafted to fit into the religious world and into the spirit of the times of worldly people. Both Peter and Paul wrote about outward adornment and jewelry. 1 Pet. 3:3-4 and 1 Tim. 2:8-10. For example, you can put on jewelry made of gold, silver, or other things to satisfy your vanity, or you can adorn yourself with your knowledge, education, financial wealth, or try to dazzle people with your artistic sense, your learning, or your intelligence. We see this in both women and men, young and old, but such vanity is extremely foolish. That is not being a Christian. In this way you dishonor the altar. Instead, we should be an example to the believers in speech, conduct, and purity. Ch. 4:12. And further, Paul exhorted young Timothy in his second letter, Ch. 3:14-15, to continue in the things he had learned, because he knew from whom he had learned them, so that he might become wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. This is the exact opposite of believing in your own superiority and in all that is great in the eyes of people, the things they can wear and adorn themselves with, in order to be seen by others. No, but rather make sure that you sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart! 1 Pet. 3:15.

We are not to go up by steps to the altar. You want to go up in order to be seen, to be significant in a human way. You use your own chisels and tools. I am the one who has done this—I have accomplished this—this is my domain. In other words, you would like to climb up a few steps and attach your own name to your gifts and ministries. But then you profane the altar by exposing the shame of your own nakedness. If you are some sort of leader in the church and you regard this as something great from a human perspective, then you are dishonoring the altar! If God is to bless our ministry, we must be preserved in self-abasement and humility! And we must give all glory to God! Then we can give a defense for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear, and the blessing of the Lord comes over the church. V. 15.

Using stones, Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down; he rebuilt it stone by stone. 1 Kings 18. And then he poured water over the bull and the altar and over everything. Do it again, he said! Then it was impossible for Elijah to be the one who could light fire on that altar! But at that altar with the whole burnt offering, he prayed to God, and then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the altar, the bull, the water, and everything. V. 38.

You must have an altar within yourself, where you sacrifice everything that arises from your flesh and that wants to enter your heart. The fire of the Lord must burn there, night and day. Heb. 13:10. May God powerfully strengthen us to understand this, so that we keep this altar in our hearts, where a mighty fire from God burns! Because it is only with this zeal that we can be well-pleasing to God, so that He can bless us and our ministry! V. 20-22.