While at the Exton Study, Chad Lynn (Huntington church of Christ) asked me to summarize my material on the book of
"Jeremiah" (which we are currently studying in our Wednesday evening
Bible class here in Montana). My joking response was: "Repent or
die." While this was a quip, it is essentially true; God's message to
Judah was that their wickedness had reached new levels of degeneration and
their departure from God was obvious.
Throughout "Jeremiah", there is evidence that the
people of Judah were attempting to keep the law (ex. - offering sacrifices to
God) while pursuing their own desires (ex. - offering human sacrifices to idols
[2 Chron. 33:6]). How should we apply the principles expressed throughout
"Jeremiah" to our lives today?
There are (at least) two ways that we can read through
"Jeremiah", and both are applicable. One method is to pull out the
principles and apply them to the world at large, which means that when Jeremiah
discusses the murder of children (Jeremiah 32:35), we can apply that to
abortion in our own culture. This is a fair comparison, and both show a lack of
natural affection in each respective society.
However, we must ask to whom the prophecies of Jeremiah were
directed; while the prophecies did impact cultures other than the Israelites,
they were primarily FOR the Israelites in Judah. The Israelites, according to
the Law of Moses (given by God), were the chosen people of God (Deuteronomy
7:6); likewise, Christians are the chosen people of God under the new kingdom
(1 Peter 2). Therefore, perhaps we should make application of the principles
within Jeremiah to ourselves, which is infinitely more difficult to do (which is the second method of looking at "Jeremiah").
In the last few days, there have been numerous posts concerning
the transgender bathroom debate that have elicited responses from both sides.
It is to be expected that those of the world will advocate such
"progressiveness" since there is no objective truth that guides their
lives, but the real concern comes when purported Christians (some that are even
"preachers" or "preacher's wives") argue that these things
are "real" now and therefore we, as Christians, must accept them
without comment or objection. Such comments show more faith in the
"science" of men who claim that these perversions are "natural"
or are somehow "genetic" than it does in the Scriptures.
How do these two topics tie together? In the book of Jeremiah,
there were numerous false prophets and rulers that advocated a false peace,
thereby deceiving the people by giving them a false sense of salvation. In our
society, very similar things happen; we have "evangelists" who claim
that God's grace covers all sin and that He requires no obedience. We also have
many who claim that sin is natural, and therefore we should not oppose it. If
we have the natural disposition towards sin, then it must be natural, and
therefore acceptable.
Jeremiah 6:13-15 states, "Because from the least of them
even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the
prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the
hurt of My people [FALSE HOPE] slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is
no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! they were
not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall
among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,' says
the Lord."
It is sad when there are many Christians who support the world's
view of "tolerance" rather than objecting to sin as it is (note:
there is a difference between objecting to sin and mistreating a person,
although the world, for sinful gain, does not acknowledge this difference).
Christians too often declare "Peace, peace!" in order to placate the
feelings of those in sin. Is this fair to the person in sin? Is it an
acceptable stance before God above? Our job as Christians is to live acceptably
before God and to declare the truth of HIS will, not our own subjective
opinion. If we declare "Peace, peace!" when there is no such peace,
does that alter the eternal outcome of those living in sin? No, but it WILL
impact our own salvation. In "Jeremiah", the false prophets
continually placated the people, but did they alter the outcome? Did they save
the people by simply declaring peace?
As Christians, we need to cease accepting sin and allowing the
humanistic/"scientific" views of the world alter what the truth of the
Bible clearly states. While the world constantly argues that sins such as
homosexuality and transgenderism are a genetic predisposition and therefore are
not wrong (amazingly enough, they do not accept that a pedophile is genetically
predisposed), we need to view sin as God sees sin. When the people of Judah had
forsaken Him, God said: "For My people have committed two evils: They have
forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns -
broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). Do we dare
forsake God for that which has no profit? Consider Jeremiah 2:8, "The
priests did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' and those who handle the law did not
know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me; the prophets prophesied by
Baal, and walked after things that do not profit."
If we place our faith in the "progressive"
"reasonings" of men, then we believe in that which has no profit.
God, through Jeremiah, stated to the people of Judah: "Behold, you trust
in lying words that cannot profit" (Jeremiah 7:8). If we support sin,
degrade those who oppose it, and yet call ourselves Christians, then we are
certainly backsliding as those in Judah had done. In Jeremiah 2:19, God told
the people of Judah this: "'Your own wickedness will correct you, and your
backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and
bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the fear of Me is
not in you,' Says the Lord God of hosts."
Further references:
2 Peter 2:18-22
Romans 1 & 2
Jude
1 Corinthians 6:9-11