How Sin Destroys in the Present and Affects the Future
Before we get into the Bible here, let’s talk a little about sin – it’s such a “churchy” word. What exactly does the word “sin” mean to each of us? It’s much talked about – but do we really understand it? Words are useless to us, if we don’t fully understand. Simply, sin is willful or passive disobedience to God. When we sin, we go against God’s best plan for our life. Each time we sin, it places a barrier between us and God. The more we go down the path of sin, the more we separate ourselves from God. And the other thing about sin is we see it so easily in others, but are blind to ourselves. Preventing sin requires active vigilance.
And when we sin and we will because we are human and imperfect, we need to repent – another “churchy” word. 🙂 Repentance is when we do an about face on sin and turn back to God’s open armed embrace. Real repentance means we confess and admit our sin and turn from it and into the waiting arms of Jesus, our Savior, who is quick to forgive and restore our relationship.
As Jesus followers, or Christians, we should be very concerned with sin as it damages our relationship with God, clouds our vision, and hardens our hearts. The lessons from Jeroboam’s mistakes are many.
Dearest LORD, give us hearts to hear and quickly obey.
Read with me here : 1 Kings 12:25-33 or Listen Here
Mistake #1 – Let Fear Reign in Your Heart
Jeroboam gives us a step by step instruction guide in how to let sin ruin your life and the lives of others. First, he lets the fear he has carry him down a path of increasingly bad choices. Jeroboam’s fear of losing his northern kingdom makes him hatch his own selfish plan. How often to we give into to fear instead of bringing it immediately to God? We risk a whole lot of trouble in our attempt to solve it ourself. We have so much to learn from Jeroboam’s mistakes and from the tragedy that resulted from not turning to God.
Mistake #2 – Rely on Your Own Wisdom
Jeroboam’s second mistake is instead of going to God or seeking His wisdom, he “thinks to himself” (verse 26) This is dangerous territory – when we think to ourselves. What does that mean? It means relying on our own wisdom to navigate our issues. And you ask, what is the danger of that? Doesn’t God give us wisdom? Isn’t that good to rely on yourself? No and No. We are human and are extremely limited in our wisdom. We are by nature self-serving, desiring the easiest path. God encourages us repeatedly in his word to seek Him and ask Him for wisdom. When rely only on ourselves, we can really run into trouble.
Following God and seeking Him first demonstrates our faith as we act out in obedience as God leads us. The truth is following God’s way doesn’t always make sense to our limited human minds, but we must continue to seek Him as we walk out in faith, trusting our good, good Father’s leading no matter what. Jeroboam’s heart motive here is purely self-seeking and self-protecting. He fears losing his kingdom. He thinks to himself that if the people go south to worship at the annual Passover celebration, he will lose them. He lets his fear win and picks a sinful and selfish path to “save his kingdom.”
Mistake #3 – Rely only on your friends’ advice
Jereboam seeks advice to keep the people loyal to his kingdom. If we only go to people who will just affirm our plan, we can run into a world of trouble. As Scripture says, “fear of man will prove to be a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be kept safe.” We need to seek God first and ask advice from others who are serving God as well. Jeroboam’s self-serving ideas result in a sinful plan turning the hearts of generations of people to idol worship,
He sets up two calves and lies to the people by saying that they saved the people from Egypt. Unfortunately, the people follow him like sheep and start to worship the fake gods. It is a huge turning point of the kingdom of Israel and affects generations of Israelites who will worship idols here. It is truly heart-breaking to see how one king’s influence can negatively manipulate and turn the people’s hearts away from the one and only true God.
Mistake #4 – One sin leads to more sin
Jeroboam furthers his sin by setting up priests who aren’t Levites, instituting a fake Passover celebration, and adding high places to worship idols. The people continue to follow his bad example. Unchecked sin is progressive and results in deeper and deeper separation from God. It compounds as a result of more and more bad choices. There are 25 references in the Bible to the sin of Jeroboam. What a tragic legacy!!! And one that could have been avoided if Jeroboam had turned to God instead,
What are some lessons that can be learned here? 1. Don’t give into fear and believe the lie that God isn’t working good in all things. 2. Seek the LORD first and foremost and continually. 3. Pray for wisdom and discernment and don’t surround yourself with “yes” friends. Find friends that really love you and tell you the truth. 4. Repent early and often. Ask the LORD to open your eyes to the places you need to repent.
Finally, praise the God in heaven that He is a loving Father who is quick to forgive and restore each and every one of us!!