Are There Altars For Sacrificing in the Christian Church?

AN ALTAR is a word that is commonly heard from the lips of many Christians. Some claim they stand on altars to pray to God. Others fast and pray to demolish demonic altars.

The sad truth, however, is that many Christians do not know what an altar really is. That is why they refer to a lectern as an altar. Some even refer to an isle and a pulpit as an altar.

But these things are not biblical meanings of altars. The idea that a platform or table used as a center of worship in Christian ceremonies and services is an altar is the understanding some denominations have.

There are two types of altars namely heavenly and earthly altars. The heavenly altar as recorded in Revelation 6:9 and Revelation 8:3-5 is an incense altar, symbolizing the prayers of God’s people offered to him.

An earthly altar, on the other hand, is a raised place on which animals are sacrificed to deities. Many people who walked with God in the Old Testament including Noah built earthly altars and offered sacrifices to Him (Genesis 8:20).

According to the translators of the NIV Bible, “from very early times, altars were used to sacrifice animals to the Lord, though some altars were set up as memories. They became the center of worship in the tabernacle and later on in the temple.”

“On altars either sacrifices were offered for sin (Lev 1:2) or incense was burned (Rev5:8).

Now, are there altars for sacrificing in the Christian Church? Christian Scholars who translated the NIV are of the view that there are no altars for sacrificing in the Church of the New Testament.

This is because, according to them, “the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and the spilling of his blood fulfilled the Old Testament regulations and eliminated the need for animal sacrifices.”

Thus, Christians have only one altar which is the cross on which Christ Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of the world. This is what the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote about.

“We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat…So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood” (Hebrews 13:10-12).

However, Pastor Peter Collins Obeng believes that the New Testament Altar that sactifies our sacrifices or gifts is Jesus. That is why we are commanded to offer our sacrifice by Him or through Him.

By James Quansah