Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2:1-4
Five Ways to Disobey God
Intro.
1. Faithful Christian never looks for ways to disobey God, 2 Cor. 5:9; Mk. 12:30.
2. Bible warns against disobedience, Acts 3:22-23; Heb. 2:2-3. Bible teaches different ways that God can be disobeyed.
3. To know these ways helps us avoid the pitfalls of apostasy, 1 Cor. 10:12.
I. BY DOING WHAT GOD FORBIDS, Gen. 2:16-17; 3:6.
A. Sins of Commission: Committing an act that God prohibits.
B. The Unnamed Prophet, 1 Kgs. 13:7-10.
1. After condemning innovations of Jeroboam (13:1-9), he was commanded not to tarry and to go home a different way.
2. Old prophet looked for him, convinced him with a lie to return with him, 1 Kgs. 13:11-19. (Compromiser)
3. Disobedience is punished, 1 Kgs. 13:20-21, 26.
4. Lesson: Can know God's command and still become guilty of violating it, 13:16-17. (Can’t blame others for our sin.)
a. This is rebellion, 13:21, 26.
b. Men often do what God has forbidden, cf. Acts 7:53 [Gal. 5:19-21, 22-23].
II. BY NOT DOING WHAT GOD COMMANDS, Jas. 4:17; Lk. 7:30.
A. Sins of Omission: Not doing what God has commanded.
1. God's definition of good, Jas. 4:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17 (Eph. 2:10).
2. Rejecting the counsel of God, Lk. 7:30 (“...not...”).
B. King Saul and the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15:3, 9.
1. Saul convinced he had obeyed, 1 Sam. 15:13.
2. Samuel assures Saul he had disobeyed, 1 Sam. 15:17-19, 20.
3. Lessons:
a. Partial obedience is disobedience.
b. God views disobedience as rebellion, 1 Sam. 15:11, 22-23.
c. One can do nothing and be lost for doing nothing, because God has made demands of us. (Plan of salvation, true worship, kindness, love, forgiveness, godly examples, etc.] Rom. 2:8-10
III. BY ADDING TO THE WORD OF GOD, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18.
A. Doing what has not been Authorized is Sin, 1 Jno. 3:4.
-Lawlessness is sin and brings divine wrath (plagues).
B. Moses and the Rock, Num. 20:7-12.
1. Spoke unadvisedly, 20:10; Psa. 106:32-33.
2. Moses struck rock, 20:11.
3. Lesson: "Where is the scripture against it?" (“It doesn’t say ‘not to’”) (Silence is not consent....it is restraint. Be content with what God has said and wants.)
a. Presumptuous, presuming to know God's will aside from His expressed will. (Psa. 19:13)
b. Amounts to unbelief, Num. 20:12.
4. Forfeits fellowship with God, 2 Jno. 9; 1 Cor. 4:6.
IV. BY TAKING FROM THE WORD OF GOD, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:19.
A. Some Speak of "Non-Essential" Commands (cf. baptism).
-This prepares the heart to commit the sin of taking from God's word.
B. The Pharisees, Mark 7:6-13.
1. They had, in effect, eliminated honoring parents (Exo. 20:12) with their tradition of Corban, Mk. 7:10-13.
2. Became a "non-essential" command.
3. Lesson: No command from God is "non-essential", and we are held accountable, 2 Cor. 5:10. (Baptism, L.S., Music in worship, MDR, fellowship...)
V. BY SUBSTITUTING SOMETHING ELSE FOR WHAT GOD COMMANDS.
A. God will not Accept a Substitute for Obedience, 1 Sam. 15:22.
B. Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10:1-3.
-Lesson: "Accept no substitute." (Church, worship, morality)
a. God is not honored by it, 10:3.
b. God will punish it, 10:2.
Conclusion
1. Realizing where we can fail to obey, we must use great caution not to fall (1 Cor. 10:12).
2. Not once did we find that sincerity inoculates the disobedient from its penalty, Rom. 6:23.
3. Obedient enter the kingdom of heaven, Matt. 7:21 (Heb. 5:9).
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: October 3, 2015