Accountable

Sometimes we make the error of assuming that because we know God that we can pretty much do whatever we want. Not only is that pretty arrogant, it's also wrong.

King Manasseh of Judah may have thought that because his father Hezekiah followed Yahweh that that pretty much gave him a free pass. Manasseh was an evil guy through and through. For other kings that turned away from God the Scriptures often describe them as following the ways of Jeroboam, but Manasseh followed the ways of the kings around them. He burned his son in the fire and did worse sins than the Amorites that God wiped out when he brought Israel into the land.

But God did not let Manasseh lead the nation into utter abhorrent sin without cost. Just because they were the Chosen People did not mean that God would not deal with them severely.

In 2 Kings 21:11 "I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle."

If we sin without the blood of Jesus Christ covering us, we will be encounter just such a disaster: separation from God, not for 70 years like Israel, but for eternity. If we continue to sin as believers God will deal with us with severe discipline. His aim is to bring us back to Him, the source of all goodness. All we must do is repent - change our minds about our sin and agree with God.

We are accountable to God. Though He disciplines us, it is a good thing. Peter tells us that God disciplines every son whom He loves.

Pastor Tom