8 reasons we fail to follow God's way: Ignoring

September 5, 2016

Worship: Every Promise of Your Word by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

1. From the breaking of the dawn to the setting of the sun
I will stand on every promise of Your Word
Words of power strong to save that will never pass away
I will stand on every promise of Your Word
For Your covenant is sure
And on this I am secure
I can stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

2. When I stumble, and I sin condemnation pressing in
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
You are faithful to forgive that in freedom I might live
So I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
Guilt to innocence restored
You remember sins no more
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of your Word

3. When I’m faced with anguished choice, I will listen for Your voice
And I’ll stand on every promise of Your Word
Through this dark and troubled land
You will guide me with Your hand
As I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
And You’ve promised to complete
Ev’ry work begun in me
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

4. Hope that lifts me from despair, love that casts out ev’ry fear
As I stand on every promise of Your Word
Not forsaken not alone for the Comforter has come
And I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
Grace sufficient grace for me
Grace for all who will believe
We will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

Words and Music by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Lyrics: http://www.chongsworship.com/2013/06/08/i-will-stand-on-every-promise-of-your-word/

Video: https://youtu.be/0DpSIIiWkEM

Witness:

Witness:

My journal entries are now spanning several days and even up to a week now. I will begin an entry and work on it for the rest of the week. I am often tired, and I have to rest more lately. Another reason is that of the format I have chosen for the verses I am studying at this moment. I have branched out, and instead of looking just at the meaning of the verses, I am discussing a question that arises from the text. Why we might fail to follow God’s instruction and guidance. I have listed eight reasons and am expounding on each one. It may take me several days to discuss each reason. Finding worship songs that seem applicable has been enjoyable and a blessing. I have discovered new songs I’ve never heard before, and in joy, I worship my God with a new song.

This song is of particular blessing as it points out the ubiquitous nature of God’s promises. They are found in all of Scripture, available to us at all times of the day, and applicable in every area of our lives. They are the guardrails that line the path of life and the signposts along the way that guide our journey. They are the fueling stations that keep us going, and they are the food that sustains us on our journey to heaven.

Sadly, and I include myself in this camp, most do not know many promises of God and the ones we do know we often forget about in our daily struggles with the world that seeks to throw up roadblocks and detours on our way.

Oh to know

            In order to grow

                        In order to go

                                    In order to sow

                                                In order to show

                                                            In order to know

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge (know) of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life(grow) worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way(go): bearing fruit(sow) in every good work(show), growing in the knowledge of God(know), being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Col 1:9-14 NIV For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Cor 1:20 NIV

                                               

WORD:

Ps 25:8-10  Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. NIV (1984)

Ps 25:8-10 8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. 9 He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. 10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 25:8-10 8 Good and upright is the LORD therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. KJV

Ps 25:8-10 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. ESV

Question: Why would we fail to follow the way that God points out to us?

8 reasons:

1. fear

2. Pride

3. doubt (towards God)

4. ignoring

5. rebellion

6. distractions

7. presumption (of His forgiveness)

8. doubtfulness (in yourself)

What is a verb doing in a sea of nouns? Why not use the word ignorance? Well, for one thing, if God is instructing the humble sinner, then one cannot be ignorant of His ways. In order to fail to follow God’s way, this person must not be humble or even recognize they are a sinner. This person willfully ignores the revealed truth of God. This is a truth that has plagued this world since the Garden of Eden. Fallen humanity has denied the truth revealed in creation and the Word of God.

Paul speaks of that willful ignorance of God’s revelation in nature in his epistle to the Romans.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.                                        
Rom 1:18-23Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture and our experiences are replete with examples of people ignoring the revealed will of God.

The Apostle Peter writes concerning those who live as no judgment was coming says:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Peter 3:3-7 NIV

This phrase “deliberately forget” by the NIV can be translated, according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon as:

escapes them of their own will, i. e. they are purposely, willfully, ignorant, 2 Peter 3:5(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Puritan Richard Sibbes, writing back in the late 1500s and early 1600s, said this concerning the willful ignorance of the worldly person:

This is the difference betwixt a godly wise man and a deluded worldling; that which the one doth now judge to be vain, the other shall hereafter feel to be so when it is too late. But this is the vanity of our natures, that though we shun above all things to be deceived and mistaken in present things, yet in the greatest matters of all we are willingly ignorant and misled.

Sibbes, R., (1862). The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes. (A. B. Grosart, Ed.) (Vol. 1, p. 93). Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson.

There are two types of ignorance as I see it. Active ignorance in which we try to suppress the revealed truth of God with substitutes in the form of idols or ideas that explain away the truth. There is also a passive ignorance as well. This person is too lazy to seek God’s instruction or too complacent to see the need.

This second type of ignorance, unfortunately, is the lot of many professing Christians today. They are too lazy or complacent to seek the instruction of God. They would rather get their truth from the radio talk show host or Twitter than the Omnisapient (All-Wise) God of the universe. They rely solely on the preacher rather than investing time in checking out God’s truth for themselves.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.Acts 17:11 NIV

They have all kinds of lame excuses: I’m too busy, I don’t understand what I am reading, I don’t like to read, I know enough because I hear it in church and Sunday school and that great preacher I see on TV or the internet. These resources we rely on are not bad things. They can be useful things (though the last two can be questionable at times), but they cannot take the place of reading and studying the Word of God as well as researching what God says about various issues that confront us daily. Such excuses reveal a lazy and complacent heart unwilling to seek the instruction of the Lord. 

Proverbs 1:5-7 says:

Let the wise listen and add to their learning,and let the discerning get guidance —
for understanding proverbs and parables,the sayings and riddles of the wise.
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and disciplineNIV

Proverbs 9:9-10 says:

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
NIV

So through all these ways, including most importantly, personal Bible study, we are to seek the instruction of God.  We do not just sit passively in the pew (or chair), but actively engage with what is taught and diligently search the Scripture for truth for our lives. We must heed the command given Timothy by Paul.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Tim 2:15 NIV

That is not to say there is no willful ignorance in a believer’s life. Many do not look for answers nor seek counsel because they are afraid of what they may find or in reality, they know already what God does say about a behavior or lifestyle they have chosen. The one who drinks excessively, or commits fornication, or is addicted to drugs or porn, whose language is foul and a dirty joke is a delight to their ears may not seek the instruction of the Lord. This person needs to ask themselves two critical life-changing questions.

            1. How deep is my love for the Lord?

            2. Am I really a Christian?

The Apostle Paul exhorts us to:

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test?
2 Cor 13:5-6 NIV

One way we know is if we hunger for the Word and seek God’s guidance.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation1 Peter 2:2 NIV

You cannot grow if you do not know and you cannot know unless you go- go to the source of truth, the Word of God