08/06/2022 - HAVE CONSCIOUSLY SINNED

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Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations.  Nehemiah 1:8

Almost every sin is committed consciously. In some cases, the person has fallen into the deception without being aware. Regarding the Israelites, the Lord said in a clear way what would happen to their nation if they sinned (Isaiah 1:19,20). It is sad to say that God’s people sinned consciously, knowing that the Most High would not change His decision, which, by the way, was made by the One who knows what He does. They endured 70 years of servitude in Babylon.

Today, many Christians allow themselves to be convinced by the enemy and twist the Word of God, assuring them that once a person is saved, they are saved forever. As a result, many people indulge in horrible sins, thinking they will never perish. Where is the message of Christ, who stated: And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24:12,13)? The detail is: those who persevere!

With the multiplication of iniquity – seen in newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, and social media – the love of many for the Lord, righteousness, and good morals has grown cold. It is common to see so-called sex therapists teaching all sorts of filth that contradict the Word of God. Because they show off with degrees in medicine, psychology, and other courses, the unwary come to believe that everything is permitted. Be vigilant!

Even in groups considered to be evangelical, this mistake is common. It is almost certain that we will see one of these segments despising the biblical recommendations and supporting “modernist” movements. Some traditional Christians are astonished at what they see, but the remedy is to stick to the scriptural guidelines, for all tares will be burned! (Matthew 13:24-30).

The Israelites knew that God had warned them using several examples, lest they fall for the lies of the wicked one. But unfortunately, with the wealth they received (Proverbs 10:22), the promise of the Most High was not seen for what it is – a blessing – but rather as something given by strange gods. Jeremiah desperately tried to show them that they would go into captivity, as happened with the kingdom of Samaria, which, almost a century earlier, was scattered among the nations (Jeremiah 23:13,14).

They closed their ears to the truth, and rapidly encountered the punishment for their mistakes. Now, not believing in the word sent by God is the same as calling Him a liar. The people did not believe, but the word did not return to the Lord, but stayed with them, to fulfill what the Father had determined (Isaiah 55:10,11). Nehemiah’s prayer explains that they did not resent for what happened to them, because they knew that the Most High was just – in turning them over to the enemy. Pray!

Some, like Nehemiah, also remembered that God is the Friend of those who have His commandments and keeps them, and many promises guaranteed their return to the Land of Promise, provided they repented. Those who believed rightly began to search for the Lord, and in a short time, they were able to return. God is a True Father!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares