The ease with which some dismiss God’s commands is breathtaking. I just watched a well-known televangelist toss the Sabbath based on the oft abused, “let no man judge you,” of Colossians 2. (Col 2:16) How does one get from resisting judgmental opinion to free to sin? His confidence in error was impressive, almost admirable.
Yet Almighty God will tread down, trample underfoot, all who err from His statutes: He says it like it’s already done. (Ps 119:118) He’s already out there in eternity, destroying His enemies. (Is 63:3) For those committed to breaking God’s law, there’s no escaping Him.
Confidence and boldness is merely presumption, unless we’ve humbly allowed others to test our views with their strongest arguments, and searched the Word for any hint that we’re missing something. Let’s be especially careful when we want to believe something, when the alternative inconveniences or displeases us. We must be loving the truth, no matter what it is.
Perhaps we live in a generation as prophesied in Proverbs: “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” (Pr 30:12) Souls who claim to be washed in the blood of Christ, who have no fear of God, who live lives of open rebellion against His ways, have no ground for hope that grace will cover them. Let no one deceive us: children of disobedience (Eph 5:6) are of the devil. (1Jn 3:7-8)
As God washes He also sanctifies (1Co 6:11), working His righteousness within unto obedience. (1Pe 1:2) His children obey Him, as well as they know how. (1Jn 3:10)
There are those who break God’s laws ignorantly, in unbelief. Paul was such an one, yet he obtained mercy of God because of his ignorance. (1Ti 1:13)
But those who live in willful, open contempt for God’s Law have no grounds for confidence that they’re safe in Messiah’s atonement (Mt 7:22-23); even their prayer is an abomination to God. (Pr 28:9) The Lord knows those who are His; let all who name His name depart from iniquity and lawlessness. (2Ti 2:19)