They are Utterly Estranged

Isaiah 1:2-3 ESV

 

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;

    for the Lord has spoken:

‘Children have I reared and brought up,

    but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows its owner,

    and the donkey its master's crib,

but Israel does not know,

    my people do not understand’.”

 

I live in the USA, so I can only speak of what I know of what is going on within my own nation, so if you live in another nation, I pray the Lord will apply these truths wherever they apply in your nation.

 

We live in a day and time when the truths of the Scriptures are being severely altered to appease and to appeal to human flesh. Scripture verses are being taken out of their context and applied in ways not meant to be applied. And the gospel of Jesus Christ has been reduced to make it more acceptable to the world and to human flesh.

 

Therefore, the fear of the Lord is rarely being taught and is even being discouraged with modern-day gospel presentations. Repenting of our sins and following our Lord Jesus in obedience to his ways is being mischaracterized as works-based salvation which we are to avoid. And so many are professing faith in Jesus, but they are still in bondage to sin.

 

But even many who were believing in Jesus, and who were following him in obedience to his ways, have now adopted this new “cheap grace” gospel which is telling them that they don’t have to feel guilty about sinning against God, and that God can’t even see when they sin, and that a profession of faith alone guarantees them eternal life with God.

 

So, they have lost the fear of God. And they have rejected holy living in favor of a gospel message which coddles them in their sins, and which tells them that God is okay with them sinning against him. So, they have rebelled against the Lord Jesus, and they no longer are living as though they are in intimate relationship with Jesus, for now they are lacking in understanding.

 

And this is because they have listened to liars and deceivers and have believed what they are telling them over believing the Scriptures and what they teach. And this is because they want to continue living in sin.

 

Isaiah 1:4-8 ESV

 

“Ah, sinful nation,

    a people laden with iniquity,

offspring of evildoers,

    children who deal corruptly!

They have forsaken the Lord,

    they have despised the Holy One of Israel,

    they are utterly estranged.

 

“Why will you still be struck down?

    Why will you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

    and the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foot even to the head,

    there is no soundness in it,

but bruises and sores

    and raw wounds;

they are not pressed out or bound up

    or softened with oil.

 

“Your country lies desolate;

    your cities are burned with fire;

in your very presence

    foreigners devour your land;

    it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

And the daughter of Zion is left

    like a booth in a vineyard,

like a lodge in a cucumber field,

    like a besieged city.”

 

The “sinful nation” being spoken of here is Israel, and today Israel is comprised of both Jew and Gentile who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives, who have died with Christ to sin, and who are, or who were living to Christ and to his righteousness.

 

Israel then was a physical nation by physical descendance from Abraham, but Israel today is comprised of those who are spiritual descendants of Abraham, whether Jew or Gentile by physical birth. But not everyone born as a Jew or into a Christian family are spiritual descendants of Abraham.

 

The church is the body of Christ, comprised of those who believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith in him, who have been crucified with him in death to sin and who are to be living to him and to his righteousness. But not every Christian is following the Lord in obedience, and not everyone who gathers with the church are genuine followers of Jesus Christ.

 

The nation being spoken of here is not a physical nation today, but it is a spiritual nation, a spiritual building, not constructed of brick and mortar, but of living stones with Jesus Christ as our chief cornerstone. It is called “the church.” But not everyone who professes faith in Jesus truly believes, and not everyone who believed is now walking in obedience to our Lord.

 

So, the “sinful nation,” as applied to today, is the adulterous church, those who believed in Jesus but who have strayed from their pure devotion to the Lord. For, they are following after “pied pipers” and after “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” mere charlatans who are feeding the people with lies.

 

And these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” can include pastors, elders, respected people in the community, sports figures, government leaders, news media, and world leaders or people in the world or in our nations who are held in high honor and whose words are generally trusted by the majority of the people. They are lying to the people, and they are leading many astray.

 

So, God is judging his adulterous church. This is why our world and our nations are in such disarray, and why we are in such chaos and turmoil, and why we don’t know from day to day if we are going to live or survive, or if we are going to be forced into this or that, etc. For, we are seeing much evidence that we are moving much closer to the rule of the beast (Rev 13).

 

And too many Christians are looking to their government to rescue them, or they are looking to other humans to rescue them from what ails them, rather than turning their lives over to the Lord in submission to his will for our lives. And so they are walking right into the traps of the enemy.

 

Isaiah 1:9 ESV

 

“If the Lord of hosts

    had not left us a few survivors,

we should have been like Sodom,

    and become like Gomorrah.”

 

The “survivors” here are those who have not compromised their faith in Jesus Christ, who are not following after the lies, but who are standing strong on the truth of God’s holy word, and who are walking in obedience to their Lord, and whose lives are surrendered to him. They love the Lord their God, and they want to obey him because they love him.

 

But what happens to those who professed faith in Jesus Christ, but who never died with him to sin, and never lived to him and to his righteousness? And what happens to those who maybe followed him in obedience at one time but have since turned away from the Lord to follow after the lies and who are now denying their Lord and walking in disobedience to him?

 

According to the teachings in the New Testament, if we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk (in practice, in conduct) in darkness (sin, wickedness), we are liars. And if we walk according to the flesh, and if we make sin our practice (habit, addiction), we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life.

 

So, don’t think that you can be a follower of Jesus Christ and have heaven guaranteed you if you are walking in sin and if you are not walking in obedience to the Lord and in his righteousness. For those who are considered righteous by God are those who make righteousness their practice and who do not make sin their practice.

 

So, don’t believe the liars who are telling you otherwise. Know the truth and believe the truth, for the truth is what will set you free from your sin.

 

[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:9-10, 19-20; 2 Co 5:10, 15; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

 

For Our Nation  

 

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

 

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

 

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

 

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

 

Men deceiving: we’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

 

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