Deuteronomy 30:15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.”
Within the spectrum of life are a series of decisions we face each day. The opportunities that come are often tests of character, revelations of integrity, and ultimately reveal the foundation of belief.
There is conundrum that arises when considering the sovereignty of God in light of man’s moral responsibility. How much does God allow people to choose a path or decide between right and wrong? Does the Lord dictate every element of Creation or does He give allowance to people to choose their own way?
Questions such as these have been debated for centuries and I am not under the illusion that I have all the answers. But what I know is that God is in control, sin has been present from the beginning, and yet God’s plans never fail. When we look at God’s response and comparative to God’s character, we witness depth of insight that brings our world into focus.
Psalm 45:6-7 “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions”
First thing we see is how much God hates wickedness which is revealed in sin and rebellion. The Lord demands holiness and when people deviate from His ordained order, the wrath of God is expected.
When the people of Israel spied out the land, 10 of the 12 spies brought back a bad report. Only two, Caleb and Joshua believed that God would lead the people into the promised land and bless them, the other 10 created fear and anxiety and the people revolted. Do you think the Lord didn’t know how they would respond? Do you think it was a surprise to Him when the 10 leaders lacked trust and caused such an uproar the people wanted to return to Egypt–back to the place of slavery?
The Lord knew the hearts of those He lead and He knew they would never have the faith to conquer the promised land. But He still showed mercy, He still allowed them know His power and faithfulness, He still lead them in sanctification and blessed them in many ways. Sure, the 10 spies who brought back a bad report died from plague shortly thereafter. The Lord was about to wipe the nation out, but allowed Moses to stand and plead their case, and He relented from His anger. Their lack of faith wasn’t without consequences, they had missed their opportunity and now they would live out their days in the desert, never to see the promised land prepared for His people. Only their children would know His promises, and so we see many such examples today.
God is sovereign, He is willing to wait until the right people are found faithful. He allows sin and rebellion, but that doesn’t change His plans, it just affects who gets to experience His faithfulness and who won’t. We all have a moral responsibility in how we respond to God. This is a choice that God gives in regard to whether we will trust Him and believe, or reject His promises in fear and doubt.
Numbers 14:18-19 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”
As Moses stood on behalf of the people, so Jesus stands today on behalf of the church. Families suffer for the unfaithfulness of parents, and yet each person is responsible for their own sin. The Lord is patient, He continually calls out to those who would trust in Him and remain faithful. When we stumble, He lifts us up, cleanses us, and leads on.
Sin will always be an offense to God’s laws, but there are greater consequences to some sins than others. There is a difference between unintentional sin and intentional sin.
Spiritual Ignorance
Right after the massive failure of rejecting the promised the land, the Lord instructed the people in holiness.
Numbers 15:29 “You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them.”
Some will relate unintentional sin to a sin of omission. In other words, a person may lack the knowledge of God’s laws or holiness and in ignorance offend God unintentionally. There is still consequences for such sin, and repentance is the expectation when the sin is brought to light. There is no excuse for ignorance, but there is a greater measure of mercy that God gives through the lesson.
It is important for God’s people to seek and find all that God requires. He doesn’t leave us in the dark, waiting to bring down His wrath but rather leads and instructs that we might dwell with Him. But for those who intentionally choose to rebel, the response is different.
Spiritual Rebellion
Numbers 15:30-31 “But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”
For the person who claims to be among the faithful and yet intentionally offends God, they demonstrate a pattern that lacks any desire to trust Him. There are many charlatans of the faith that dwell among God’s people. These are the hypocrites who give the world confidence to mock Christ and the proof that faith is worthless. The rebel justifies sin without remorse and in doing so reveals their heart. God is not in it. They are the wolves among the sheep, who stir up trouble, who reject God’s leaders, and want to return to slavery….the slavery of sin.
The intentional sinner will be cut off, they will not dwell among God’s people.
We each have a moral responsibility, a standard that God established from the beginning and does not deviate. Repentance is key to recovery, for the one who loves the Lord, they return in humility and with a contrite spirit. For those who do not know Jesus, they strive to justify their sin and gladly lead others into rebellion.
A day of reckoning is coming, a day of great judgement when all will give account for their lives.
Will you be found faithful when that day comes? It’s not long in coming, turn to the Lord while you can and know His mercy and grace.
He waits….
U.T. 