# 37 Convenient Christianity Opens the Door To Abuse

Joh 2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"

Jesus had just driven out the animals, poured out the money changers money, and overturned tables. He told the dove sellers to take them away and demanded that they no longer make His Father’s house a house of merchandise. Salvation had become more of a commodity to be bought and sold rather than something freely given and freely received.  

The Jews were more than a little upset by this! This Jesus was putting an end to the way they did church. Where did He get the authority to do such a thing? “Who does He think He is anyway?”

This was the temple! This was the place where animals were to be sacrificed! Why place the burden on people of having to bring animals with them on this required pilgrimage? Through the years, it probably became easier to just buy an animal on site rather than bring one with you.

It was only natural then that the merchants would seize the opportunity and provide this service for the weary pilgrims and make a quick buck. It wasn’t long before this became an accepted practice, even the thievery and price gouging became accepted. But from the beginning it was not so. These were not God’s original instructions regarding animal sacrifice!

Convenient Christianity opens the door to abuse. A classic example in Scripture is found in  1Ki 12:28-33. Solomon had died and Israel became divided. Jeroboam became king of the Northern Kingdom and Rehoboam the king of the Southern Kingdom. Jeroboam was concerned that he would lose the loyalty of the people if they had to travel to Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom for the required feasts, so he came up with a more convenient plan.

“Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!" 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, acrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.

Convenience opens the door to abuse. Be wary of it! For the sake of convenience, Jeroboam sanctioned idolatry, bastardized the priesthood, and even created a religious holiday of his own imagination!

With the corona-virus restrictions in place, corporate worship has become a little inconvenient. Let’s fight through this and seek God-honoring ways to keep in touch. And when this is over, let us purpose in our heart to accept a little inconvenience in our worship practices as we seek to restore our God-given desire for fellowship with Him and other believers.

Who knows? Maybe when this is over, people won’t be taking off from the pew before the benediction!