WHO WILL THEY TURN TO?

For those who know God, believe in Him, and live their lives in the light of His Word, He promises to be with them in tough times, when it all seems to fall apart.   He promises to turn their mourning into dancing and bring them to a place of joy once again.  But what of those who reject and deny God?  When their dancing turns to mourning, when the music stops and the good times turn sour, who will they turn to?  Life is not a fairy tale where people live happily after.  When God’s commands are flaunted, disregarded, and denied there will be eternal consequences.  God would not be a righteous, just, or fair God if there weren’t.  Who do those who don’t believe in or honor God turn to?

God warned from the very beginning that sin crouches at the door, waiting to devour those who disregard God’s commandments.  Those who flaunt God’s words of warning will suffer the consequences of that choice.  In one way they have themselves to blame.  But God also levels blame to those who cause others into the temptation to sin.  These are sobering words.

          “Whoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better

            for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were

            drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of

            offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom

            these offenses come” (Matthew 18: 6,7).

Isn’t this the result of clouding the distinction between right and wrong, between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who don’t?  Isn’t this the result of the established representatives of God in the church, those who are called to teach and shepherd God’s people, breaking the covenant God made with Levi and the priesthood, spoken of in Malachi 2:4-10?  “True instruction was to be in his mouth but he has turned aside from the way, from the fear and awe of God and speaks lies, causing many to stumble.”

Those who sin by disregarding God and His Word and those who opened the pathway to sin must repent or they will suffer the consequences and have no one to turn their mourning into dancing. Sadly they will not experience the true joy that flows from forgiveness from God and obedience to God.