In the last devotion, we started looking at the fact that we will suffer consequences when we set our affections on earthly things below. This daily devotional completes the discussion by looking at how our self-centered lip service steals the worship we should be giving God.
Nuggets
- A consequence of setting our affections below is being self-centered, instead of focusing on God.
- People who give lip service devotion will suffer consequences.
- There will be consequences for sins that steal our worship from the One true God.
To read devotions in the Redo for Godliness series, click the appropriate button below.
Devotions in the On Things Above series
When I set up my draft of what devotions were going to be in this series, this one looked like it would be a continuation of the last. It was in the same section. It was on the same level as the consequences discussed in the last devotion.
Then I started writing it.
Yes, it was kind of touching on consequences. It was talking more about why we suffer the consequences of our actions.
So, we are going to tweak the focus a little and see what God has to tell us.
Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Let's Put It into Context #2
When we look up the definition of affection in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it says, “the state of being affected.” Affect means “to act on and cause a change in (someone or something).”
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They Will Divert Your Thoughts From Heaven
“For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the LORD. In all his scheming, the wicked person arrogantly thinks, ‘There’s no accountability, since there’s no God’” (Ps. 10: 3-4 CSB)
A consequence of setting our affections below is being self-centered, instead of focusing on God.
Satan tries convinces worldview people that they do not need to follow God’s laws and commandments. They can choose their own morals and actions. Their self-centeredness is elevated to arrogance when they feel they should not be held accountable for their actions and thoughts.
Payson contended that the root of the unwillingness to seek God is pride. He wrote, “The pride of the wicked prevents them from seeking the knowledge of God, by rendering them unwilling to be taught.”
If we look at the King James Version, it is a little different than the Christian Standard Bible version. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Ps. 10: 3-4 KJV).
It starts out the same. The sinful person wants what he wants.
Then it starts going down a different path. The Christian Standard Bible keeps the focus on the sinner. “… the one who is greedy curses and despises the LORD” (Ps. 10: 3 CSB).
The King James Version, instead, says God despises the one who is covetous. “… and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth” (Ps. 10: 3 KJV). Covetousness is an inordinate greed for wealth and possessions.
The end of the fourth verse veers, also. While the King James Version says the worldview people don’t think about God, the Christian Standard Bible version says they don’t believe there is a God.
I don’t know what the original says. I can see truth in both of these.
- Worldview people can despise God.
- God despises all sin, including covetousness.
- Some worldview people are so wrapped up in their own lives, they do not consider God.
- There are some who deny there is a Sovereign God.
Any way — don’t think of, despise, or deny — the outcome is still the same. They are not obeying the Sovereign God. They will have to reap the consequences.
God does hold us accountable.
This year, we are trying to be accountable and make the changes needed to be more godly. Scott noted these verses show what ungodliness is.
Scott also expanded on what is meant by “… God is not in all his thoughts” (Ps. 10: 4 KJV). He felt that this was not mirroring the “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thess. 5: 16-18 ESV) instructions.
Instead, Scott contends that we should always be mindful that we will be held accountable. We, as His creations, are obligated to follow His laws and commandments. If we don’t, we will pay the consequences.
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Hamilton felt that we do not think of God because we do not understand his character. We don’t fully understand justice and holiness.
I can get that. If the disciples — who interacted with Jesus every day for three years – had trouble understanding who he was, how can we by reading a book?
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I think we do have trouble understanding God’s character because we evaluate it based on our understanding — not worldview understanding, but worldly understanding. We know what we think it should be.
Instead, the standard is supposed to be “… Be holy, because I am holy” (I Pet. 1: 16 CSB). Holy means to be set apart, perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues.
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Thomas brought up an interesting point. We just got done with a series where we said that one of God’s attributes is that He is all-present.
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How can God be all places but not in the thoughts of wicked men????
Thomas said that it was because sinners are excluding God from their thoughts. The Christian Observer said it this way: “The heart of the wicked is the only place in the creation of God whence, if we may so speak, the Creator is banished.”
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That makes sense to me. This is part of mankind’s free will. Free will is the ability within us to make decisions, which determine actions that produce character.
The Christian Observer argued that this banishment is part of our sinful nature. Still, they felt it was a conscious choice to drive God away from our thoughts.
And So Disturb You in Duty
“So my people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit” (Ezek. 33: 31 CSB)
People who give lip service devotion will suffer consequences.
Okay. I am running into a term that I haven’t heard before. It is formalist. A formalist is a person who gives the appearance of being a disciple, but in reality isn’t.
Hmmm. I have called that giving lip service. You talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.
Lyth felt the formalists respected God’s messenger and may follow God’s laws and commandments. Punshon said that they give the right, devoted responses.
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The problem is their salvation was not genuine. They have not been regenerated. They haven’t gotten God’s teachings down to the heart level.
Let’s take a look at the King James Version. “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness” (Ezek. 33: 31 KJV).
What got me was the last part. They talk about love.
We hear so much about how disciples are supposed to love people more. To worldview people, that means we are not supposed to judge: i.e., not point out their sins.
What does this verse say? “… they hear thy words, but they will not do them …” (Ezek. 33: 31 KJV).
Worldview people want us to hear what God calls sins — and ignore them. They want us to hear “… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16: 15 KJV) — and not do it.
We have to do what God tells us to do, not what worldview people tell us. We can’t water down the gospel in order to get their stamp of approval.
Lyth talked about what happens if we give God’s gospel lip service. He wrote, “The publication of the Gospel, with its riches of promise, implies the sad alternative, which must overtake all who do not heartily receive and obey its doctrines. No one can seriously imagine a religion of hollow compliments and specious disguises to be acceptable in the sight of God: to offer it in the place of a loving heart is to superadd mockery to rebellion.”
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God is looking for a genuine confession. He is looking for obedience to His way.
It Is Gross Idolatry
“Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry” (Col. 3: 5 CSB)
There will be consequences for sins that steal our worship from the One true God.
We just looked at this verse when we did How Do We Switch Our Affections in Our Redo for Godliness? We said we need to switch our focus away from desiring worldly possession to focus on God.
We said it was a sin because we are loving the world and its things more than we should. We are trying to find our satisfaction through things that are not of God.
We are loving them more than we love God. That makes it an object of worship that is below God and is taking from God the worship that is His due.
Enter consequences.
We encounter some of the consequences now and don’t have to wait for judgment day for sentencing. Robinson wrote, “There are some sins which seem to be considered by the Almighty as sufficient for their own punishment, such as pride and anger; passion means suffering.”
God will not share worship with anything we make into a god.
Making the Connections
Scott reminded us that our happiness comes from God. He gives us our allotment.
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How Do We Apply This?
- Ditch the pride and self satisfaction.
- Rejoice, pray, and give thanks continuously.
- Continuously remember we will be held accountable for our actions.
- Don’t focus on this world.
- Worship every chance we get.
- Let go of the guilt and self-reproach.
- Submit to God, seek Him, and obey His laws and commandments.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
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We need to take David’s advice — all of the below. Priestley called it habitual devotion.
- “I keep my eyes always on the LORD …” (Ps. 16: 8 NIV).
- “I know the LORD is always with me …” (Ps. 16: 8 NLT).
- “I have set the LORD always before me …” (Ps. 16: 8 ESV, KJV).
- “I always let the LORD guide me …” (Ps. 16: 8 CSB).
- “I keep the LORD in mind always …” (Ps. 16: 8 HCSB).
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Don’t we have to make devotion a habit? The consistently makes doing it easier.
God is a jealous and a wrathful God. He will not accept us dividing our worship with something else.
Father God. We choose to worship You. Help us to do so. Amen.
What do you think?
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