Right or Wrong God

BIBLE BITES

www.heaven4sure.com

 THE RIGHT OR WRONG GOD

God took things pretty seriously back in the days of the Old Testament. He often quickly rewarded what was right and swiftly punished the wrong. Back then He had definite standards and expectations. He wasn't an easy-come-easy-go God who took things in a stride, shrugging His shoulders and saying: "Oh well, my people on the planet see things a little differently than I do - but I'm not going to stress over that. There are bigger things for Me to worry about." He didn't seem to be very relaxed about sin and wrong. He had no margins for error. He saw in black and white with no grey anywhere.

In 2011 has God allowed some blurring of the boundaries between what is right and wrong? Does He see more grey today and less black and white? Has He added a new column to His ledger for neutral, discretionary items, the will of the majority or personal preferences? Or does He still maintain the two ledger system - recording in one column what 'pleases Him' and in the other 'what displeases Him'?

Nadab and Abihu, along with their dad and other brothers had just listened to Moses review God's standards and procedures for worship. The ceremony to make them priests in the Tabernacle system had already taken place. For whatever reason, Nadab and Abihu decided to do their own thing. Maybe they presumed God wouldn't really care all that much. Exactly what they did, we don't know.

 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron,

each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it

and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD,

which he had not commanded them.

(Leviticus 10:1)

Did they take to the altar burning coals of fire from the wrong source? Did they have a few drinks that impaired their judgment? Did they come at the wrong time? Did they attempt to go into the Most Holy Place? Were they proud of their big position and, in their arrogance, thought they could be sloppy and careless about approaching God? Whatever they did, we know that God was offended by their sin. In God's two column system, their actions were recorded in the 'displeasing to God' or 'wrong' column.

God judged Nadab and Abihu immediately for their sin. As leaders in privileged positions they must bear special responsibility to model God's standards and to exemplify His holiness before the rest of the people. They died that day.

Is God more tolerant of sin today? Does He still see in black and white or has He taken a more relaxed approach to the choices we make in our lives? Are black and white only on the opposite tips of the monochrome scale but everything in between a shade of grey?

Paul said to the believers in Ephesus: "See then that you walk circumspectly." (Ephesians 5:15) What does circumspectly mean? It means God expects me to live my life accurately not sloppily. God wants me to live exactly not carelessly. Ever watch a cat walk a picket fence? There's a right place for its paw and a wrong place - it's called walking circumspectly. God wants me to walk rightly - not wrongly. He expects me to walk carefully and if that means dotting i's and crossing t's - then so be it. Why is it we value precision and focus in business, sports and music but we think we can afford a lackadaisical approach to our Christian life and God will be okay with that?

The God who clearly distinguished between right and wrong in the Old Testament still sees in black and white today. There are no grey zones with God. He may display grace between right and wrong but never any grey. Today I will either please Him or displease Him in the choices I make. God didn't downgrade His holy character between the Old and New Testament. He still maintains the two column system - right and wrong. With God's help, may we please Him today.

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today,

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay