
The Cost of Carelessness in Our Walk With God
If we're honest with ourselves, we've all been careless at one time or another.
1) If careless and not paying attention, a man may cut his face while shaving.
2) A person not paying attention, may overdose with a medication if carelessly fails to read the instructions affixed to the medication bottle.
3) When purchasing an item valued at $5.00, we may carelessly reach into our wallet and take a $10 dollar bill we thought to be a $5. If the cashier is dishonest, he or she may pocket the difference without our knowledge.
There are so many instances where being careless can cost us.
--But, what about carelessness in our walk with God, regardless of whether the carelessness is accidental or deliberate? Accidental carelessness says: 'Lord, I'm sorry, I didn't know.' Deliberate carelessness says: 'Lord, I knew, but didn't care.'
--Do we think our carelessness will be overlooked by Him? That, God will excuse us because He knows we're made of flesh, replete with faults and weaknesses?
--Do we think God won't eventually hold us accountable for our 'spiritual carelessness?
To answer these questions, I've chosen five examples from scripture and one contemporary account where faithful men became careless in their walk with God - and the consequence incurred for their carelessness.
Example 1: Carelessness with our promises made before God.
In Acts chapter 5, we read of Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who were land owners and active members of the new, first century church.
This biblical account does not describe the couple as being evil, or mean-spirited, manipulative or conniving. They 'made a promise' to the disciples before God, that they would give to the church all proceeds from a land sale they were about to make. But then, Ananias decided to keep back a portion for the couple's personal use. And the bible tells us his wife, Sapphira, had knowledge of Ananias' intent to withhold a portion for themselves.
Acts 5:1-4 tells us: "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he (Ananias) kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostle's feet. But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?' "
I can only imagine the conversation the couple had before deciding to withhold some of the proceeds:
'Sapphira, I know we promised the apostles all the money from the sale of our land. But, I forgot about the new chariot I want to purchase. And I know how much you want to remodel the kitchen. I mean, it's our money. So, why not keep back a portion for our use? I mean, we're still giving the apostles the greater portion of the proceeds from the sale."
But, then in Acts 5:4, Peter said this to Ananias: "While it (the land) remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
And verse 5: "Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last.
Then, in verses 7-11, "Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, 'Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?' She said, 'Yes', for so much. Then Peter said to her, 'How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?' 'Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.' Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."
Though Ananias and Sapphira were 'careless' with their promise to the apostles, they might have said something like this to Peter to 'justify' their behavior:
'Peter, God is all loving and all forgiving. He'll overlook this because He knows we always help the church. But, now we need some of that cash for ourselves.'
Perhaps the couple didn't read Ps 15:4 where it says: "a righteous person keeps their oath even when it hurts." Or, Eccl 5:4-5 that says: "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. (God hears our vows!)
"Ananias and Sapphira remembered the love of God. But, they forgot about the severity of God. That, He doesn't look away from sin. He deals with it. And God used Ananias and Sapphira as an example to the church; that He is Holy and will not let sin go unpunished.
"So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."
Example 2. Carelessness resulting from our anger.
In the Book of Numbers chapter 20, we read of the children of Israel coming into the Wilderness of Zin, and discovering there was no water for them to drink.
So, being their habit to complain rather than pray when they had a need, the Israelites came to Moses complaining about the lack of water. Num 20:1-6 tells us:
"Then the children of Israel ... came into the Wilderness of Zin ... Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: 'If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!' Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink."
Moses and Aaron were angered by the people's lack of trust in God to help them, even after the miracles they witnessed. So, Moses sought God for advice.
In Num 20:7-11, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. 'Speak' to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals."
"So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he (Moses) said to them, 'Hear now, you rebels! 'Must we bring water for you out of this rock?' Then Moses lifted his hand and 'struck' the rock twice with his rod (out of anger); and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank."
FYI: The Rod is used for correction. The Staff is used to lovingly lead. Ps 23, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."
So, what just happened here? Water came out of the rock as expected. But, didn't God specifically instruct Moses to 'Speak' to the rock, rather than to 'Strike' it?
Out of anger, Moses became careless with God's command to 'speak' to the rock rather than 'strike' it. But, how bad did God consider Moses' carelessness due to his anger toward the brethren?
First, understanding the symbolism:
Q: Why did God choose water to flow from a rock, rather than from dry ground, or the side of a mountain, or some other inanimate object? Why a rock?
A: Who, in God's word, is called 'the Rock' on which we stand? Who is called our 'Rock and Fortress?' And what flows out of that 'Rock'? Rivers of living water.
In Jn 4:14, Jesus says: "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
So, in Num 20:12, we read: "Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."
An aside: What does it mean to 'hallow God?' We hallow God and hallow His name when we tell Him in prayer: How much we love Him. How we consider His name Holy. How great and righteous is He. How majestic is His name. This is what we're telling God when we pray, 'Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name.'
God told Moses that if Moses would have spoken to the rock rather than striking it as he was commanded, Moses would have hallowed God in the eyes of the Israelites. But, anger caused Moses to disobey God.
Q: Was God telling Moses and Aaron their punishment would be that someone else would complete their mission to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land?
Or, was God telling them something more ominous when He told them,
'Therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.'
In Num 20:23-26, we read of their punishment:
"And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron ... saying: 'Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Mer'ibah. Take Aaron and Elea'zar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; and strip Aaron of his (priestly) garments and put them on Elea'zar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there."
Aaron's part in his carelessness toward God caused him to, not only be stripped of his priesthood, but also brought an end to his earthly existence.
Regarding Moses' punishment, God commanded Moses in Deut 34 to climb Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah. And, it was from there, God showed Moses all the land He was about to give to Israel.
God said to Moses in Deut 34: 4-5,
"This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ... I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Mo'ab, according to the word of the Lord. And He (God) buried him in a valley in the land of Mo'ab, opposite Beth Pe'or; but no one knows his grave to this day."
I've always wondered why God chastened Aaron and Moses so severely just because Moses 'struck' the rock with his rod rather than 'speak' to it as God commanded?
The bible tells us Moses was a friend of God; a man who spoke to God face to face. Exo 33:11 tells us, "So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."
Q: So, why did God punish Aaron and Moses so severely for a seemingly minor act of carelessness by striking the rock, as opposed to speaking to it?
Remember in Exo 17:6, God did command Moses to 'strike' the rock to produce water for the people to drink in Ho'reb:
"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall 'strike' the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel."
Q: So, if God commanded Moses to strike the rock to produce water in Exo 17, why would He punish Moses for striking the rock in Num 20?
I came across this explanation from, 'Verse By Verse Ministry International':
"When the Lord instructed Moses to strike the rock in Exodus 17, He intended to establish a picture of Christ as our Redeemer. The Bible says ... that Christ is our Rock and Cornerstone struck ( killed) for our sake, and He will bring forth streams of living water (salvation)... Moreover, ... Christ died once for all and no further sacrifice for sin is required. Christ was beaten once with the rod, for all."
So the Lord intended Moses (to) strike the rock in the desert only once in ... Exodus 17, thus picturing Jesus sacrificed once to bring us salvation. Later in Numbers 20, the Lord instructed Moses to only speak to the rock .... When Moses chose to strike the rock ... he disrupted the picture created in Exodus 17. Had God allowed Moses' (careless) mistake to go unchallenged, we would likely be confused by the distorted picture, concluding it was necessary for Christ to be sacrificed ... repeatedly for our salvation. Therefore, God rebuked Moses to assure our proper understanding of the picture of the Rock, barring (Moses) from entering the Promised Land .. to support a proper understanding of salvation..."
Carelessness in our walk with God can be costly. Sometimes, the Lord may show us mercy and grace. But, at other times, if God considers our carelessness egregious, the consequence may be severe, perhaps even death, as what happened to Aaron and Moses.
Example 3: Carelessness by complaining against God.
In Num 2:5-6, it tells us that while on their journey to the Promised Land, "And the people spoke against God and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread (manna from God)."
They were essentially telling God they considered His daily provision of manna for them was, 'worthless bread.'
Q: How many of us have openly complained against God? How many of us have said to Him: 'Why have You allowed this to happen to me.' "I didn't deserve this!'
And this was the consequence of careless complaints levied against God and Moses:
Verse 6: "So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and many of the people of Israel died."
Verse 7: "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.' "
So, after repenting,God in His mercy made a way for them to escape death. How?
Verses 8-9: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery (bronze) serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."
The bronze serpent God commanded Moses to erect represented 'salvation' for the Israelites. They were saved from death due to the venomous snakebites by 'looking' at the bronze serpent in obedience to God. Then, believing the LORD would heal them, as He promised.
For us, as believers, it's not looking at a bronze serpent that saves us. Our salvation comes from looking to the cross of Jesus Christ, His shed blood, and His redemptive work on that cross.
Look at how 'careless complaints against God' nearly destroyed all of Israel through serpent bites. But, after repenting, God made a way of escape because He is merciful and loving towards His people.
And isn't this a good illustration of what the word tells us in Rom 11:22, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God.'
Believers must consider both sides of God's character; that He is loving, but also severe when it comes to sinning against Him.
Example 4: Carelessness through our 'words and actions.'
In the Book of Judges, chapters 13-16, we read of Samson and how mightily God's Spirit was upon him.
Samson's mother vowed to God before Samson's birth, he would be raised and live as a Nazirite his entire life. This was his mother's vow to God and He takes our vows seriously.
Some of the requirements to live as a Nazirite were that a Nazirite:
1. Was not to consume any wine, grapes, or anything derived from grapes, even vinegar.
2. A Nazirite cannot come into contact with a dead body, even of a close family member.
3. Their hair was not to be cut while living as a Nazirite, which for Samson, was for life.
--Samson was used by God to be a defender of Israel, slaying all their Philistine enemies, and also to act as a judge of Israel, which he was for twenty years.
--There was no one alive who could defeat Samson because of his super-human, God-given strength. The Philistines both hated and feared Samson. And they sought to kill him.
--Samson understood he was to live as a Nazirite until his death because of his mother's vow to God, which remained in effect.
-- Samson understood the requirements as to how a Nazirite should live.
-- Samson understood what would happen to his strength if his locks of hair
were 'cut off.'
I came across this from the website, 'Reformed Free Publishing Association.'
"They (the Philistines) had oppressed Israel for many years, but God had raised up Samson against them ... they call(ed) Samson “Our enemy and the destroyer of many of us.” Samson was unlike anyone whom they had encountered before. He worked alone without an army; yet, he had the strength of many men. He was too strong for them, and he had humiliated them time and time again." "But Samson had a weakness, not a physical but a moral weakness. His weakness was women, Philistine women. He had married a Philistine against the protests of his parents (Judges 14:2-3). He had been with a harlot in Gaza (Judges 16:1). And now he was involved with Delilah." "... The Philistines discovered Samson’s relationship with Delilah and they decided to exploit it ...".
Judges 16:4-5 says, "Afterward it happened that he (Samson) loved a woman in the Valley of So'rek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, 'Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver."
Scholars tell us there was a lord over each of the five major Philistine cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath. Each lord offered Delilah 1100 pieces of silver totaling 5500 pieces.
We're not told the weight of each piece of silver. But, if each piece weighed one ounce, an ounce of silver today is valued at nearly $30. Multiplied by 5500 oz., Delilah would have been given today's equivalent of $165,000 to betray Samson. I believe Delilah could taste that huge amount of silver, even if she was required to sell out her boyfriend, Samson, to obtain it. | |
Con't. quote from Reformed Free Publishing Association:
"At issue is Samson’s office, his position of authority as Israel’s judge and deliverer. Samson destroyed the Philistines because God put him into a position to do so... By means of Samson’s strength he performed the duties of his office. By means of Samson’s strength he protected and delivered Israel. Without that strength, which was a gift from God, Samson would be as weak as any other man. Samson himself confesses this multiple times to Delilah."
But, Samson became careless with his words and actions toward Delilah.
"He (Samson) viewed (his) gifts as something to be used for his own enjoyment. He enjoyed being the strongman; he enjoyed humiliating the Philistines in battle. Samson did what a faithful office bearer must never do: he separated his office and the gifts of his office from his personal life. He thought he could be a good office bearer without being personally holy."
--A Nazirite was required to be holy before God. And as Christians, we're also required to be holy. 1Pet 1:15-16 says: "...but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' "
And even moreso, if we receive a gift from God to be used for the edification of the church, as opposed to using it to feed our pride, like Samson.
So throughout Judges ch. 16, Samson carelessly mocked Delilah as to what gave him his great strength and how it could be neutralized. He told Delilah:
1. By binding him with seven fresh bowstrings.
2. By binding him with new ropes never having been used.
3. By weaving the seven locks of his hair into the web of the loom.
So, finally, Delilah said to Samson in verse 15:
"How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies."
Then, after Delilah's constant nagging, Samson carelessly revealed to her the true source of his strength. Delilah wanted that silver!
In verse 19: "Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him."
And then in verses 20-21: "... So he awoke from his sleep, and said, 'I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!' But he did not know the Lord had departed from him." "Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes ...
They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison."
Samson's carelessness caused not only his strength to depart, but also God's Holy Spirit left him.
-- The Philistines then took Samson to the temple of their god, Dagan, demanding
that Samson perform for them feats of strength. But, his strength left him.
So, in verses 28-30: "Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them ... Then Samson said, 'Let me die with the Philistines!' And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life."
Samson's demise -- his loss of office, loss of strength, and loss of the Holy Spirit -- was the result of being carelessness with his words and actions.
--Careless with his mother's vow to God that he would live a life as a Nazirite.
--Careless with sinful actions by fornicating with multiple Philistine women.
--Careless by allowing pride to get the better of him due to his strength.
--Careless with his mocking words to Delilah, all ultimately leading to great loss.
Was Samson's carelessness worth so much loss? And how many believers today are careless in their walk with God? Such as supporting certain organizations and lifestyles God's word says He disapproves.
Example 5: Carelessness through disregard of God's commands and demands.
In 2Sam 6:2-3, we read of a man named Uzzah who was struck dead by God for touching the Ark of God during its transport:
"And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba'a-le Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God ... So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abin'adab .. and Uzzah and Ahi-o, the sons of Abin'adab, drove the new cart."
Verses 6-8: "And when they came to Na'chon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled." "Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him for his error (carelessness); and he died there by the ark of God." "And David became angry because of the Lord's outbreak against Uzzah ..."
Q: Why would God exact such severe punishment on Uzzah for a seemingly good deed? Uzzah grabbed hold of the ark because he thought it was going to fall from the ox cart.
Uzzah's punishment, to us, may appear extreme. But, through carelessness, he disobeyed God by touching the Ark. And David became angry at God for striking Uzzah.
But, why did David become angry? God instructed the Israelites in Num ch. 4, the manner in which the ark was to be transported, and by whom. David and the people moving the ark did it 'their way' rather than 'God's way.' And this act of carelessness resulted in Uzzah's death.
As a reminder, God instructed the people in Num 4:15 as to how the Ark was to be transported: "And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Ko'hath (part of the Levites) shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die ..."
Q: But God is a God of compassion. Why didn't He cut Uzzah some slack?"
I found this commentary on the website, Got Questions titled: "Why Did God Strike Uzzah Dead for Touching the Ark of the Covenant?"
"There are reasons why God took such severe action (against Uzzah). God had given Moses and Aaron specific instructions about the Tent of Meeting and the movement of the Ark of the Covenant ... they must not touch the holy things or they will die ... No matter how innocently it was done, touching the ark was in direct violation of God's law and was to result in death. This was a means of preserving the sense of holiness and the fear of drawing near to Him (God) without appropriate preparation."
As part of the preparation, the priests were to dress in linen and put on the ephod while ministering to God in the Holy of Holies. Today, the equivalent might be to dress respectfully when standing behind God's pulpit.
Con't: "Notice how David took men with him to collect the ark, rather than allowing the Levites to bring it to him. That was a great mistake (careless), since it ought never to have been put upon a cart, old or new." "It was to be borne upon men's shoulders and carried by Levites only, and those of the family of Ko'hath using the poles prescribed ..." "We need to listen carefully to what God has to say to us, and in obedience strive to do all He commands." "Yes, God is loving and merciful, but He is also holy and He defends His holiness with His power, and affronts to His holiness sometimes bring about His holy wrath ..."
Uzzah (and David) forgot this truth, and the consequence was tragic."
Some questions I had, and still have, after studying this account:
(1) Did David forget God's instructions as to how to transport the Ark?
(2) Was David in such a hurry to transport the Ark, he didn't feel he had time to wait for the Levites to arrive and transport it, as God commanded? Or,
(3) Did David believe since he was a man after God's own heart, God would give him 'a pass' for not following God's instructions as to how to transport the Ark?
Example 6. Contemporary example of carelessness by not heeding God's voice.
There is a Christian man who knows he heard God's voice on several occasions telling him, 'You will fight with My sword.'
This man is, at many times, self-willed. He decided when society breaks down, he was ready and willing to fight 'the bad guys' with his firearms and bullets.
Proficient in their use, he believes he would have no problem pulling the trigger. He's well-trained, having been in the military and once an active member of a sheriff's department SWAT team.
But, he ignored God's voice speaking to his heart, telling him he was to fight with the Sword rather than man's weapons of war. And fighting with the Sword means to fight with the authority we're given through prayer and the spoken word. That, we don't win spiritual battles with fists, firearms and lead.
So, one day, this man developed shingles on his forehead and scalp. The shingles virus eventually entered his eye, affecting both the cornea and optic nerve. He eventually lost vision in the affected eye so, ironically, he wasn't able to see well enough to shoot with his 'weapons of war.'
He believes he lost vision because he carelessly disobeyed God's voice telling him when society breaks down, he must fight by quoting the word. And as a believer, he understands we can't fight the spiritual with the flesh.
But his desire to overrule God's will with his will, he believes, resulted in the partial blindness with which he now suffers.
And the valuable lesson he learned lends credence to Rom 8:28 which says, "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
The 'good' is in understanding God speaks to us for a reason. He teaches us, warns us, and chastens us when we need correction ... for our own good ... to stay on the path He wants us to walk and not deviate to the left or to the right.
This man's desire to 'pull the trigger' could have met with grave consequences, by defying God.
So, when the enemy puts 'thoughts' into our mind, we fight back with God's sword by quoting scripture. This man quotes not only Rom 8:28, but also Rom 13:14 which says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
This man fully believes God, in His mercy and in His timing, will restore his eyesight.
I'd like to end this message by stressing there is a cost, sometimes a very heavy cost, for being careless in our walk with God. Aaron, Moses, Samson, David and Uzzah all learned this lesson. And I hope we learn before we're required to pay a price for walking carelessly. The Lord recently spoke through a Romanian prophet telling us two storms are coming this year. Now is not the time to walk carelessly.
1Sam 15:22-23 tells us, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed (God) than (sacrificing) the fat of rams." "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."
God considers disobedience the same as rebellion against Him. And He considers rebellion equally as bad as engaging in witchcraft.
We must strive to be careful in our walk with God, putting away self-will if it comes against God's will: "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice ..." Being
careless in our walk with God, as seen in these preceding examples, can be very costly.
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