Is there a proper way to approach God? I believe so. The scripture teaches us the right way to approach God.
We are told in Hebrew 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. During this period of the pandemic isn’t it the best time to learn how to come to God?
The scripture mirrored our lives similar to that of the Israelites. They were slaves in Egypt and we were slaves to our sinful nature. They were delivered from Egypt and we were delivered from sin. They were instructed to be a certain kind of community so that they can be a blessing to the nations. We were instructed to be the kind of community so that we can reflect Christ to the world. The law and tabernacle were given to them as a form of Jewish wedding to maintain a husband and wife relationship. We, the church, is called the Bride of Christ. Both the Holy Spirit and the Word of God were given to us as the preparation of the wedding when Christ comes back for His Bride.
After God reached down to deliver the Israelites, He gave them the Book of Leviticus for the Israelites (Priest) to instruct them of how they can approach God. In 1 Peter 2:9 we are told that Christ-followers are royal priests. Hence there are similarities we can draw and learn from the book of Leviticus.
The first 7 chapters gave details about offerings but mainly for 2 purposes. First, gratitude (or thanksgiving) offering and the other guilt offering. We can see from a broad perspective we have to approach God with these two attitudes. On one hand, we must have gratitude because of the mercy and grace we received and experienced in our daily lives. On the other hand, we need to remember the guilt we have because in our daily lives we may have sinned against God knowingly or unknowingly.
Thanksgiving of gratitude is the most basic form of approaching God. It is an attitude fitted for a good God. A good God who knows that His creature fails again and again regarding the observation of His statutes, and yet relentlessly provide ways of atonement and forgiveness. A God who sent His son, Jesus Christ, to not just understand but experience the life in a sinful world even to the point of death. His death God wisely planned for the atonement for sin that we sinners may have hope and also that Jesus can judge the world because He tasted every suffering and yet sinned not. This is our Lord.
Guilt is the second important attitude in approaching God. We are all guilty not of being bad, but of being sinful - breaking the law (1 John 3:4). The scripture did not say we are all born bad but all born sinners. That means in our attempt to be a good person, we transgress God’s law. Hence judgement is the most appropriate thing to come. The seriousness of sinning against different people have different results. Punishment for attacking a fellow worker is different from attacking a public servant. It must then be unthinkable if someone sin against a Holy God. Punishment is sure to be severe. Hence Christian should always be thankful because we understood the degree of guilt we were pardoned. Because our sin is against the Holy God. The feeling of guilt should not drown us in continual sorrow but should cause us to be full of joy because of the degree of forgiveness we received in Christ. A proper look at guilt will eventually lead to gratitude.
May we start to approach God differently today. May thanksgiving and guilt grip our hearts so fast that we cannot but praise the work of Christ daily. May the joy then fill our hearts to continue in fellowship with Jesus because we experience not condemnation but forgiveness.