Rebellion

How many people does it take to cause a rebellion?  It takes only one, just like it takes only one match to start a huge fire.  When one person is rebellious that person will find a following.

Think about Lucifer, he was a perfect, beautiful angel that stood in the presence of God and was perfect in every way.  He didn’t have a sin nature and he never sinned, but one day, and we are not told how, he rebelled against everything that was holy, even against his creator, God, the one who created him.  But that wasn’t the end of the story!  He somehow convinced 1/3 of the other angels to rebel with him and he had a following.  Now that the evil one and his angels have been thrown down to earth, they are still rebelling and their number keeps growing because of the people that they deceive in human form.  Take Eve, for instance, then Adam who chose to sin.  Through them the whole human race, every man, woman and child has rebelled against their Creator in one way or another.

Read what Samuel said to King Saul about rebellion in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, “So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he also has rejected you from being king.’”

King Saul’s main concern seemed to be to please people rather than to obey God and please Him, so he rebelled against God and lost his kingship.  God rejected him as king but not as a person, Saul still had the opportunity to truly repent and get himself right with the Lord.  It is important that we safeguard whatever God has entrusted to us or we will eventually run out of excuses, like Saul did.  

We will all have to give an account of our actions someday before the Lord.  The good news is that even though we have rebelled against the Lord we can repent and ask the Lord to forgive us also.  We all can be thankful to God that we still live in the day of grace and His grace and forgiveness is still extended to us.  We have God’s Word with us today and there are many warnings in it as examples for us to follow.  In this case it is a warning against rebellion but there are many warnings against sin in many forms.

God’s Word says this, “For the wages of sin is death,” which is spiritual and physical death but it also says in that same verse, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” which is found in Romans 6:23.  When you work for a living you receive a wage, when you sin you also receive a wage, death and separation from God which can only be altered through repentance and God’s grace.

God’s Word says, “For all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God,” in Romans 3:23 and it also says this in 3:10, “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one.”

This puts all mankind in the same situation but like I said the good news for all this is God’s grace and forgiveness which comes through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and no other way.  Jesus gave Himself willingly for our sins so that we could have eternal life.  He allowed Himself to be crucified for our sins so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.  This could be the best day of your life if you don’t know the Lord personally.  The Lord loves you and has made Himself available to you, but only you can make the choice to receive Him.  

If you want to ask the Lord to be your Lord and Savior you could repeat this prayer.  “Lord I come to you in need of your amazing grace, I admit I am a sinner in need of your forgiveness and I am sorry for all my sins, please forgive me and be the Lord of my life and fill me with your peace, love and joy, thank you Lord, I pray this in Jesus name, amen!!”  If you were truly sincere, welcome to the family of God!!  Then share with others what the Lord has done in your life and start growing in your new found faith.  

If you are a believer and have been rebellious, repent and tell the Lord you are sorry and ask the Lord to forgive you.  God’s Word says this in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”                 

Then you can rejoice in God’s forgiveness and don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!  Something to think about, may the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!