We are to be moral disciples for more than just being good people. Through our morals, we honor God. This daily devotional, the first in a two-part miniseries, looks at how we dishonor God.
Nuggets
- Disciples are to honor God’s name by acknowledging His nature.
- Dishonoring the Lord brings severe consequences.
- We dishonor God when we let go of Jesus.
To read devotions in the Redo for Godliness series, click the appropriate button below.
Devotions in the Moralities Lead to Godliness series
Manton concluded his sermon entitled The Moralities of Christianity by telling us that religion should have honor. He wrote, “The credit of religion depends much on the credit of its professors …” This went long, so I am going to have to split it.
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When I first pulled the verses, my thought was, “Well, this is how not to honor God.” We learn that way, too. Let’s check it out.
Let's Put It into Context
The definition of moral, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” Morality, then, is “a doctrine or system of moral conduct.” When it is the plural form — moralities — it is a “particular moral principles or rules of conduct.”
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Our morals determine our character. Character, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation.”
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Honor means to esteem and respect another because of a good reputation.
How Do We Honor God’s Name?
“But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’ But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came” (Ezek. 36: 20-21 CSB)
Disciples are to honor God’s name by acknowledging His nature.
Every version but the New Living Translation translates the word profane. “But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name …” (Ezek. 36: 20 NLT).
Davidson said that we do not bring shame on God when we “… recognise (sic) that which He is, or ascribe to Him His true nature.” We honor God by recognizing that He is Sovereign God.
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Oh, I have to process this. Davidson wrote, “Only the other hand, when the iniquities of His people constrain Him to act in such a way as to disguise any of His great attributes, such as His power, in the eyes of the nations, so that they misinterpret His being, His holy name is ‘profaned’ …” When we sin, God cannot interact with us the way He wants. “But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil …” (Hab. 1: 13 NLT).
I get it. God interacts with us on an if…then basis. “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (II Chron. 7: 14).
- If we acknowledge Him as Sovereign God
- If we accept the gift of salvation
- If we obey His laws and commandments
God doesn’t have anything to do with entitlement. Just because He created us doesn’t mean we can disobey Him and still expect that He is supposed to bless us right and left.
God has expectations of us that we must fulfill. If we don’t, we, like the Israelites, bring the disasters upon ourselves.
It is our choice, not a handout.
Davidson brought up a good point. Our refusing to make the right choices can lead others to believe God is weak. He wrote, “Naturally, the idea of a god exercising a moral rule over his own people would not yet occur to them.”
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The Scriptures talk a lot about honoring God’s name. We only know God’s name because He has chosen to reveal it to us. It solidifies His relationship with us.
By knowing His name, we learn of God’s power, authority, and holiness. In essence, we learn of God Himself.
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Disciples are told we are to live in His name. “Though all the peoples walk in the name of their own gods, we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever” (Mal. 4: 5 CSB). Walking is the term used to describe how we ulive our lives.
Guthrie translated that to mean we are to obey God’s laws and commandments. We also are to obey His ordinances. We are to honor however God makes Himself known to us.
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Our focus should be on God, not ourselves.
What Happens When We Dishonor God’s Name?
“Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die” (II Sam. 12: 14 CSB)
Dishonoring the Lord brings severe consequences.
God knows we are sinful creatures, right? He is going to give us a pass when we dishonor His name. Otherwise, He won’t have anyone praising His name because no one can meet His high standard? WRONG!
Paul made it very clear that God will correct us when we sin. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6: 7 ESV).
Look at Second Samuel. This was David being talked about. David — the man after God’s own heart. Yes, he is to be one of our role models.
David still paid the consequences of his sins of adultery and murder. Cox said that we get forgiveness from God, not immunity. If He doesn’t punish our sins, don’t we start convincing ourselves that means they really aren’t sins?
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We can’t soften the effects — or the consequences — of sin. We can’t work to clear ourselves of the stain of sin. The “… whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6: 7 ESV) part will come to fruition — either now or at judgment day.
Lewis addressed whether our inability to stop sinning negates that salvation can come from a holy God. He said no because — even though we are still sinful creatures — we should not condone sin. He wrote, “Their sins are held up to our abhorrence, and as proceeding from the want of more of the power of godliness.”
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We have got to see the flaws of the saints. If we don’t, we won’t identify with them. We wouldn’t be able to see ourselves receiving God’s forgiveness if they didn’t.
Instead, we see much about God’s character. He is loving. He forgives when we ask. He has provided the way in which our sins can be forgiven.
Okay. I have to process what Lewis said. He wrote, “Will it be objected that religion has but little power, if it leaves men to fall into such sins, and that unassisted reason can produce as pure a morality as in the Bible?”
Elaine-speak. People will accuse God of having little power if He lets people fall into sin. He must assist us in producing the morality He requires.
Lewis argued that God isn’t going to judge us just on our failures. He is going to look at the whole picture.
I can see that. David loved God with all of his heart. He strived to follow God’s laws and commandments. His goal was to provide for His people.
That is very comforting! God isn’t into once-and-done. He forgives us multiple times for the same sin — as long as we are ultimately trying to honor His name.
God also forgives us for a variety of sins — all of them, in fact. The only sin He won’t forgive us for is the unpardonable sin, which I believe is unbelief.
Glossary
We have to show God that we are following His will, as the Essex Remembrancer put it, “… in the combined and duly regulated exercise of the whole range of moral perfections.” Remember, a couple of devotions ago we said that “… all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5: 9 CSB) is a packaged deal. We don’t get to choose the goodness and pass on the righteousness part because they are interwoven.
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To read a related devotion, click the button below.
That tells me God is interested in the motivation more than the execution. He is interested in the long haul. He is looking for order, commitment, and compassion.
- Justice is order in creation.
- Holiness is more than a character trait; it is purity, dedication, and commitment that lead to being set apart.
- Disciples’ mercy is a characteristic of compassion for the needs of others, especially those who are in distress.
When we genuinely repent, God will forgive us. Repentance is acknowledging our separation from God and expressing sorrow for breaking God’s laws and commandments by making the commitment to changing ourselves through obedience so that we no longer do the wrong things. Forgiveness is, when we ask, God pardons us because we have broken His laws and commandments and restores our relationship with Him.
What Happens When We Choose the Path of Sin?
“Even so, many will follow their immoral ways; and because of what they do, others will speak evil of the Way of truth” (II Pet. 2: 2 GNT)
We dishonor God when we let go of Jesus.
Adam’s contended that there are, many times, instigators who lead us to let go of Jesus. Paul describes these as those who “… [don’t] hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God” (Col. 2: 19 CSB).
We dishonor God when we do not accept or choose to follow His Son. Jesus is the only way in which we can gain access to God (Jn. 14: 6).
We have to acknowledge that we are sinful creatures separated from God. It is only through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we can be restored to a relationship with Sovereign God.
Making the Connections
We have to be very careful. God is Sovereign God.
We can’t try to bring Him down to our level. When we try to understand the concepts of the gospel, we have to keep God on His throne.
How Do We Apply This?
- We have to evaluate our lives to determine where we are honoring God and where we aren’t.
- Take extra caution in areas we know will be tempted.
- Be disciples with integrity.
- Witness to others.
- Seek God’s blessings.
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This devotion looked at aspects of dishonoring God. In the next devotion, we will look into honoring Him.
Father God, we want to give You all the praise and honor that You are due. There are things we cannot understand. Help us to understand what we can. Guide us to live in step with Your Will. Amen.
What do you think?
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