BEWARE— GOD JUDGES AND DISCIPLINES
BEWARE— GOD JUDGES AND DISCIPLINES
But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death…. What he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, so He put Onan to death as well. —Genesis 38:7, 10
On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened… At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events. —Acts 5:5, 10-11
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep…. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. —I Corinthians 11:30, 32
…for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure. —Genesis 15:16
Rebellion against the Lord, whether a follower of Jesus or not, is very serious. Do we realize the gravity of disobedience toward Him? In the above verses in context those mentioned were in disobedience toward the Lord. Some mentioned above are believers and others unbelievers, but God took action in their lives because of the wickedness of sin.
Let us ponder the seriousness of sin and what God has done to open up opportunity for people to know Him now, worship Him now, serve Him now and be with Him forever in heaven. The cross shows how enormous the sin issue is. It took God’s own Son to resolve the dilemma. One sin is an eternal issue. One sin outside the saving blood of the cross would keep a person from knowing God now, from worshipping God now, from serving him now and from being with Him forever. Yet Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2) and so “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6). Yes the Creator and Sustainer of all things was willing to leave the glory of heaven, the glory He knew with Him Father (John 17:5) to come to this sin infested world because He wants us with Him. But He had to open up a way so we could be cleansed from our sin to know Him now, worship Him now, serve Him now and be with Him forever in heaven. He did so at the cross!
Let us not take Him for granted nor the seriousness of sin against Him. For the wicked there is a line that will be crossed and then His wrath will fall. But let us not think as believers that He will not discipline us by sickness or death because of our sin against Him. It is obvious form God’s Word that this is the case and so “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). There are only two types of people on this planet— “the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not” (Malachi 3:18). May we be faithful servants of His. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsYyuK1w3q0
Dear Father that I would be a faithful servant for You. And may this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus. So be it!