The offering or the Altar?

…which is greater, the gold or the Temple that sanctifies the gold? 

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…which is greater, the gift or the Altar that sanctifies the gift? Matthew 23.17-19

Apparently, the choice between the gold and the Sanctuary or the offering and the Altar is simple and obvious; however, it reflects the choice between eternal life and eternal death.

These questions require a true and sincere answer. Whether you like it or not, they unveil all the secrets of the human soul, Christian or not.

Any decision about any matter in this world, directly or indirectly, has to do with the questions asked by the Lord Jesus, because they have to do with the principles of eternal life or death.

There is no hiding the answers when the Spirit of God asks. Who can keep the intentions and goals of the heart hidden when the Spirit of God asks? The truth is that what man considers greatest and most important in his life becomes his greatest goal.

Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the Altar partake of the offerings of the Altar? I Corinthians 9.13
It’s useless to pretend or hide any bad intentions from the Almighty. When you opt for the gold and the offering, you disregard the Sanctuary and the Altar.

The wise man sacrifices gold and offerings on the Altar as a way of protecting himself from the corruption the love for them causes. Serving the Altar gives him the right to receive provisions, just like those who serve the LORD receive benefits from the Lord.

The Sanctuary sanctifies gold like the Altar sanctifies the offering. The Sanctuary and the Altar would not have the authority to sanctify if they did not represent the Eternal God Himself.

To consider the gold and offerings to be more important in Christianity, at the very least, is living proof of standing against the Most High.

The Sanctuary symbolizes the dwelling place of God, and the Altar symbolizes the Seat of His Throne. The gold objects of the Sanctuary, as a whole, symbolize the process of redemption of a sinner, just like the offering symbolizes the dedication of the offering giver on the Altar.

The Sanctuary, the gold of the Sanctuary, the Altar and the offering are holy because they belong to the Lord. If the Altar is the Holy of Holies, imagine the Sanctuary that shelters Him along with the other sacred elements!

Therefore, when asking what was more important: the gold or the Sanctuary that sanctifies the gold, the offering or the Altar that sanctifies the offering, the LORD makes it clear that the gold and offering are only valuable because the Sanctuary and the Altar sanctify them. This is, they make them spiritual and sacred. Otherwise, they are simply metal material and, therefore, without any value to the Spirit of God.

Those who are of the flesh do not understand spiritual values, because,

the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. I Corinthians 2.14