THE SIN OF UNBELIEF

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin is the act of disobedience or rebellious from the truth, commandments, statutes and laws of God. God created humanity perfectly, but our first parents, Adam and Eve in pride and rebellion disobeyed the command God gave them. This sin of Adam is passed down to the whole race, and the root of sin is present in us already at conception (Jer. 17:9), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?” This “original sin” leads to actual sins, whereby we follow through on our natural inclination to do wrong (Gen. 6:5), “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” We are held personally responsible for our sins and will have to account for them to God (Job 34:11), “For He repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his ways.” The wages that sin pays beloved is actually death (Gen. 2:16-17), “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  Christ however, who did not sin, paid the penalty for our sin by His death on the cross. If we confess our sins, God will forgive us, give us the gift of life over death and consider us as righteous in His sight.

HOW DO WE SIN IN UNBELIEF?

It is very unfortunate that even the remnant of Judah and Jerusalem after  God preserved them , engrace them and found favor in the sight of God not to be taken captives as the rest of the people , they still rebelled and could not listen to the warnings of the Lord not to go down to Egypt.  As stiff-necked as their fathers, they despised the word of God and followed their own ways and left the land of Judah and Jerusalem desolate and went down to the land of Egypt (Jer. 43: 4-7), “So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captain of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where they had been driven – men, women , children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah. So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they went as far as Tahpanhes.”  The Lord God did not cease sending them His word and warning in the land of Egypt, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘You have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of Judah; and behold this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense and to serve other  gods whom they did not know, they nor your fathers. However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!” But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods” (Jer. 44:2-5). The experiences of the Old Testament peoples serve us stern warnings. If God’s ancient people would not listen to His warnings, there is always the present danger that we too will ignore what He has written for us. Because He is God, and because He is worthy of our trust and worship, therefore unbelief is the decisive point of departure from Him. After unbelief in the true God, next comes trusting and worshiping some other object. All of us live by believing in something, and if the Lord does not receive our worship, then something else will be worshiped instead of Him. The Jews departed from bowing before the Lord, ignoring His pleas, and trusted in pieces of wood they called gods. We can do the same thing in effect. It is a long journey which may take some time, but always the danger of infidelity is there. The journey to unbelief begins with one step. Beloved brethren, take care to nourish daily our love for God and our belief in His love for us. The word assures us in (Deut. 7:9), “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenants and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

TOWARD SPIRITUAL SPUNK

The Psalmist wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever” (Ps. 111:10). And Jesus to His disciples who had excuse following Him, He said, “No one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). One of the saddest aspects in the Christian community involves those spiritual leaders who, perhaps years of effective service for God allow sin to drive them from their ministries. It may be a pastor, an elder, a deacon, a Sunday school worker or a missionary. The sad results are the same. Testimonies are ruined, the faith of others may be weakened, and the cause of Christ suffers. Beloved, what causes some to “look  back” after once putting their hand to the plow? Several reasons can be given. First, the sin of unbelief; the individual usually becomes careless, forgetting that his sinful nature can destroy his testimony, apart from the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even the apostle Paul expressed his awareness of this potential danger (1 Cor. 9:26, 27), “Therefore I run thus; not with uncertainty. Thus I fight; not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself will become disqualified.”  Very sad indeed, my beloved and fellow ministers, while that day, the Lord will say, “Depart to eternal condemnation; because I do not know you! Second, carelessness usually leads to prayerlessness. When we do not pray, we do not receive (James 4:2), “You lust and do not have. You murder and covert and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.” Third, daily Bible study is neglected by the erring one. If these three tragic situations are allowed to develop, then a spiritual fall is inevitable. However, it must be remembered that God is the God of the second chance. Both Jonah (Jon.3:1), “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, and John, Mark (compare Acts13:13 with 2 Tim. 4:11), “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John departing from them, returned to Jerusalem,”: “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” They experienced God’s forgiveness and restoration.

A PICTURE OF CONTRASTS

In (Duet. 32:15) talks about Jeshurun thus, “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the rock of his salvation.” Jeshurun here is used as a description of honor for Israel. The word means “upright,” and is clearly an ideal picture of a nation that is living according to divine holiness. But Moses saw that the “upright one” had evidently accepted the outpouring divine blessing as a right rather than as a privilege consequent upon obedience. Familiarity with prosperity had bred contempt, and like an ox gorged with food, Israel had become lazy, stubborn, and unwilling to work in the service of her Master. To unwillingness was added disobedience of God’s covenantal precepts, and Israel ultimately treated them with contempt. This was outright rejection of the covenantal relationship, of which dire punishments were promised in Deuteronomy (28:15-68) fifty eight good calamities. Israel’s rejection of God’s contrasts sharply with the covenantal love and beneficent provision of the Lord, and shows the nation’s rebelliousness toward the One to whom Israel owed its liberty and salvation. Paul the apostle admits that, “All have sinned and fall sort of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).But if seek God and return back to Him and believe in Him, He will embrace us back for He is a merciful God.  

TURNING FROM OUR SET WAYS

“Jehoahaz the son Jehu king of Samaria pleaded with the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel because of the king of Syria oppressed them. Then the Lord gave Israel a deliverer so that they escaped under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before. Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria” (2 Kings 13:4-6). What a profoundly significant and hope-filled fact:  we can change; we can stop and take a new direction. Israel however, chose to continue taking the well-worn paths formed by Jeroboam and not to turn from them. They kept their idols and continued to worship them. The tendency to maintain things as they are and have been, to resist change no matter how urgently needed or how right it may be, or how much good it promises, is powerful. We cling to the known, the familiar, no matter how unsatisfying and ineffective it may be or how unhappy it may make us. Even if the old ways cause others to sin or contribute to their downfall, most of us persist. Great effort is required brethren to change direction. It is not that it is impossible or that it requires strength we do not have, but rather that everything around us exerts pressure on us not to do something different. If our past behavior has left God out beloved, if we have perished in not believing Him and going our own way, bringing only confusion and missteps for us and others- let us stop and begin to believe God brethren.

In Peter the Apostle’s epistle he wrote, “For we were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our soul” (1 Pet. 2:25). Beloved brethren, I Grace, together with Apostle Paul and Peter the Apostle, pleads with you today, that may we return to the Author and Finisher of our faith; in Jesus Christ Mighty name. Amen.

“Grace to you and Favor from God our Father and the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen and Amen and Amen.”