Betraying the Father
11-Dec-09
A child goes to his father & asks if something is OK to do. The father states that it is most certainly not. The child then goes off & does it anyway. The child’s sibling notices & asks “Did Dad say it was OK to do that?” The guilty child says “Sure. Come on & join me. Dad doesn’t mind.” The 2 children then proceed in disobedience.
Another sibling comes along, sees the first 2 children disobeying & knowing that their father doesn’t approve of their actions say’s “Hey, you guys really shouldn’t be doing that. You know Dad doesn’t want us to do that. You had better stop before you get in trouble.” The incriminated children reply with comments like "Dad doesn’t really care", "He just meant that it's not OK sometimes or for some people" "He won’t find out any how", "Besides, he wouldn’t do anything if he found out", "Stop being holier-than-thou & come join us".
Another sibling comes along, sees the first 2 children disobeying & knowing that their father doesn’t approve of their actions say’s “Hey, you guys really shouldn’t be doing that. You know Dad doesn’t want us to do that. You had better stop before you get in trouble.” The incriminated children reply with comments like "Dad doesn’t really care", "He just meant that it's not OK sometimes or for some people" "He won’t find out any how", "Besides, he wouldn’t do anything if he found out", "Stop being holier-than-thou & come join us".
Many people view God like the first 2 children who violated their father’s commands. Similarly, our Heavenly Father has commanded us by His Word what is right & wrong. He has even ingrained this into our consciences (Rom 2.15).
Some are like the 1st child who directly & knowingly disobeyed. Perhaps like a Christian who knows they shouldn’t do something & does it anyway or that they should do something & doesn’t do it (Jas 4.17). Maybe such a person thinks “God won’t mind” or that “He will forgive me” (Rom 6.1-2). When God’s Word is abundantly clear about certain actions, it would not only be a grave misrepresentation to do so, but would directly betray God the Father as well (Gen 6.5-6, Ps 51.4).
Misrepresenting the God of Truth (Ps 31.5) is a big deal. It is a lie to yourself & a double lie if you convince others to believe it. In essence, this is idolatry – making God to suit your own needs – a god who serves you instead of God who is to be served (Ex 20.4, Isa 2.8, Col 3.5). God spoke through the Prophet Jeremiah about folks who did this:
"Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD. – Jer 23.30-32
Of course, people who don’t know God do this, but unfortunately there are people who call themselves Christians that do this as well. Sadly, there are even so-called Christian churches & religious people that don’t promote God’s truth as was the case in Jeremiah’s day (Jer 23.33-34), but it wasn’t limited to religious leaders as it continues…
This is what each of you keeps on saying to his friend or relative: 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?' But you must not mention 'the oracle of the LORD ' again, because every man's own word becomes his oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God. – Jer 23.35-36
The result of straying from the unchanging Word of God is heresy & relativism (Jer 23.36, Jdg 17.6, Isa 5.20). This is a dangerous step towards apostasy – a total turning away from God (2 Thes 2.10, Heb 3.12, 6.4-6, Rev 3.2). Once you unhitch yourself from God’s truth, you can be deceived by anything that comes your way. Instead of seeking to please God, then one’s own sinful desires reign in His place which is why relativism becomes attractive. Because all people have a sinful nature & are prone to the same types of sins, it’s not hard to find people who have the same wrong beliefs that embrace what God forbids (2 Tim 4.3).
Therefore, God warns “watch your life & doctrine closely” (1 Tim 4.16). Instead of being like the 2nd child who apathetically joined in the sinfulness of the 1st (Rom 1.32), we are to avoid & expose them just as the 3rd child (Eph 5.11, 2 Tim 3.2-5). The 2nd child was lead astray because he didn’t know the father’s word (Mt 22.29) & didn’t care enough to find out (Jn 14.24, Rom 1.21).
The 3rd child not only knew his father’s instruction, but knew his heart & didn’t want to disobey because he loved him. This should be the attitude we have towards God (Jn 14.21-23, 1 Thes 4.1). Not to mention, we should understand that God sees everything we do & will hold us accountable to Himself (Eccl 12.14, Heb 4.13). We persist in obeying God’s Word & doing the right thing because we don’t want to sin against Him who loves us, even at the expense of being ridiculed.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. – 1 Pt 4.1-5
To move away from God’s Truth is to move towards lies & deception (Rom 1.25). It was deception that instigated the Fall (from God’s grace) & hurled us into a corrupted creation (Rom 3.23, 5.12, 8.20-21). It was Satan, the father of lies (Jn 8.44), who sowed the seeds of doubt in the Garden of Eden asking Eve “Did God really say?” & calling into question God’s character & authority (Gen 3.1, 2 Cor 11.3). When we turn from living for & worshiping the God of Truth in the way He instructs, we yield to Satan (Mt 4.8-10, 2 Tim 2.25-26).
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. – Jn 8.42-44
Let us all repent, through off any sin that entangles us & live for the God of Truth! (Rev 3.1-3, Heb 12.1) Let us seek God continually, finding hope, encouragement & life that is truly life in Him! (Mt 6.33, 2 Thes 2.16-17, Jn 10.10) Let us truly love Him by obeying & loving His truth! (Mk 12.30, Jn 14.23-24, 3 Jn 1.3)
Some are like the 1st child who directly & knowingly disobeyed. Perhaps like a Christian who knows they shouldn’t do something & does it anyway or that they should do something & doesn’t do it (Jas 4.17). Maybe such a person thinks “God won’t mind” or that “He will forgive me” (Rom 6.1-2). When God’s Word is abundantly clear about certain actions, it would not only be a grave misrepresentation to do so, but would directly betray God the Father as well (Gen 6.5-6, Ps 51.4).
Misrepresenting the God of Truth (Ps 31.5) is a big deal. It is a lie to yourself & a double lie if you convince others to believe it. In essence, this is idolatry – making God to suit your own needs – a god who serves you instead of God who is to be served (Ex 20.4, Isa 2.8, Col 3.5). God spoke through the Prophet Jeremiah about folks who did this:
"Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD. – Jer 23.30-32
Of course, people who don’t know God do this, but unfortunately there are people who call themselves Christians that do this as well. Sadly, there are even so-called Christian churches & religious people that don’t promote God’s truth as was the case in Jeremiah’s day (Jer 23.33-34), but it wasn’t limited to religious leaders as it continues…
This is what each of you keeps on saying to his friend or relative: 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?' But you must not mention 'the oracle of the LORD ' again, because every man's own word becomes his oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God. – Jer 23.35-36
The result of straying from the unchanging Word of God is heresy & relativism (Jer 23.36, Jdg 17.6, Isa 5.20). This is a dangerous step towards apostasy – a total turning away from God (2 Thes 2.10, Heb 3.12, 6.4-6, Rev 3.2). Once you unhitch yourself from God’s truth, you can be deceived by anything that comes your way. Instead of seeking to please God, then one’s own sinful desires reign in His place which is why relativism becomes attractive. Because all people have a sinful nature & are prone to the same types of sins, it’s not hard to find people who have the same wrong beliefs that embrace what God forbids (2 Tim 4.3).
Therefore, God warns “watch your life & doctrine closely” (1 Tim 4.16). Instead of being like the 2nd child who apathetically joined in the sinfulness of the 1st (Rom 1.32), we are to avoid & expose them just as the 3rd child (Eph 5.11, 2 Tim 3.2-5). The 2nd child was lead astray because he didn’t know the father’s word (Mt 22.29) & didn’t care enough to find out (Jn 14.24, Rom 1.21).
The 3rd child not only knew his father’s instruction, but knew his heart & didn’t want to disobey because he loved him. This should be the attitude we have towards God (Jn 14.21-23, 1 Thes 4.1). Not to mention, we should understand that God sees everything we do & will hold us accountable to Himself (Eccl 12.14, Heb 4.13). We persist in obeying God’s Word & doing the right thing because we don’t want to sin against Him who loves us, even at the expense of being ridiculed.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. – 1 Pt 4.1-5
To move away from God’s Truth is to move towards lies & deception (Rom 1.25). It was deception that instigated the Fall (from God’s grace) & hurled us into a corrupted creation (Rom 3.23, 5.12, 8.20-21). It was Satan, the father of lies (Jn 8.44), who sowed the seeds of doubt in the Garden of Eden asking Eve “Did God really say?” & calling into question God’s character & authority (Gen 3.1, 2 Cor 11.3). When we turn from living for & worshiping the God of Truth in the way He instructs, we yield to Satan (Mt 4.8-10, 2 Tim 2.25-26).
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. – Jn 8.42-44
Let us all repent, through off any sin that entangles us & live for the God of Truth! (Rev 3.1-3, Heb 12.1) Let us seek God continually, finding hope, encouragement & life that is truly life in Him! (Mt 6.33, 2 Thes 2.16-17, Jn 10.10) Let us truly love Him by obeying & loving His truth! (Mk 12.30, Jn 14.23-24, 3 Jn 1.3)