Yesterday we saw those who ignore God’s will. Today we will look at those who disobey God’s will.
James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
When speaking of those who disobey God’s will we are talking about deliberately doing the opposite of what they know God would desire for them. They know to do good but don’t! They are not ignorant of God’s will but they are full of pride. It is a serious condition.
Have you ever had someone ask you a question about a situation in their life? They ask you what would you do in a specific situation, as if they really want to know how you would react. When you explained to them what the Bible had to say about the issue they continued to argue about how bad the situation was getting. You again tell them what they need to do according to God’s word, but they still try to skirt around the biblical way to solve the problem. Finally, you get to a resolution. You go through the steps to fix the problem the biblical way. You part with high hopes and prayers that they will obey the Bible. The next week you meet. You are excited to hear what God has done. Unfortunately, the conversation is a rehash of the week before. Nothing has changed because they didn’t obey the word! You cannot do things your way and expect to get godly results.
Why do people deliberately disobey God’s will? There are three reasons for this response to the word.
- Pride: this is the sin of thinking we are in control and we know best. It is the sin that Satan committed against God. Satan fell because of pride. He did not like being “second best.” He wanted to be God: Isaiah 14:13“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain” I believe the sin of pride is at the heart of our deliberate disobedience.
- There is also deliberate disobedience because of the ignorance of the nature of God’s will. We often think that the will of God is something we can accept or reject. In reality, it is not an option, it is an obligation. He is the creator we are the creature. He is the Father we are the children. He is Lord, Master of all creation, we are his servants. When we do not recognize God for who he is we are tempted to look at all he has commanded and second guess it. We try to rationalize our behavior and think God approves. When we do this, we are inviting the chastening of God. Many times, our children do wrong, they know there will be negative consequences for their actions. Most of the time we follow through, but sometimes we forget, and it seems they got away with their disobedience. However, God does not forget. He may be long-suffering, but the consequences will come in hopes to turn us back to him. Chastening is always for our own good. Many people think that if they follow God’s will they will be miserable but just the opposite is true. A Christian cannot be at peace and fully satisfied outside the will of God.
- Lastly, many continue do not obey God’s will for their lives because they don’t understand the chastening of God. They fail to believe it will happen or they fail to understand its purpose. If a believer is not living in the will of God they will be chastened. If they do not adhere to this correction they are in grave danger of becoming an apostate. Hebrews 12:5-12 gives us the method God uses to try to turn us back to him and Hebrews chapters 6 and 10 further explain what will happen to the person who refuses to obey.
Hebrews 12:5-12 “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;”
