Some years back, we published an article called “The Sin List.” About a year later, we published another article – “The Skinny On Sinning.” Recently, we published “When You’re Down.” In that content, we mention two modern sins.

Oddly, people are always curious about “what’s on the serious sin list.” Additionally, folks are interested in how to get “Relief and Hope” in hardships. So, people flux between –

1. Living good lives.
2. Being encouraged.

 

Underneath this flux is the reality of two modern sins.

So, what are these “modern sins?” And, how does a person side-step them? Interestingly, there’s a lot of encouragement exploring these modern sins. Equally, there’s good instruction and warning. In fact, I found fresh perspective as I spent time with this content.

Good To Remember

Contemplate. It’s good to remember times of sweet relationship with God. Those seasons when your commitment to Him is sincere – motivated by love. Days when you make choices to be “holy unto God.”

I’m thinking about some phrases from Jer. 2:2-3. God is talking.

• “I remember the devotion of your youth,
• your love as a bride,
• how you followed Me in the wilderness . . .
• [you were] holy to the Lord.”

 

Those are good words from God! But sometimes those phrases don’t represent your reality.

Consider. What wilderness have you and God pioneered together that brought you closer? Remember His love and faithfulness during difficulties and losses. Remember, too – as you “do life with God,” you are being “holy to the Lord.” Amazingly, doing life with God – trusting and obeying Him – is being holy.

However, God’s faithfulness isn’t the only part. You have a part, too. Let’s consider this.

Sobering To Consider

God promises faithfulness to you – always! But He also addresses “return faithfulness.”

Interestingly, He asks – “What wrong did [you] find in Me that [you] went far from Me, and went after worthlessness . . . ?” [ESV] (Jer. 2:5)

This question addresses brokenness between God and people. Despite seasons when your commitment to God is sincere, motivated by love, being “holy unto God” – there are times you feel as removed from God as Pluto is from the Sun! So, what happened?

Apparently, both God’s faithfulness and your faithfulness are important. That’s why we look at two modern sins.

Two Modern Sins

When I saw these two modern sins, I saw both encouragement and conviction. By the way, they are modern in every century. Jer. 1:16 names them:

1. “. . . their evil for forsaking Me.”
2. “. . . worshipping the works of their own hands.”

 

I can hear first reactions – “But I’d never do that! Forsake God . . . worship the works of my hands!” Well, OK. Perhaps not. But let’s look deeper.

First, Jer. 2:13 lays out the same two modern sins. Interestingly, God is talking to His people – not the lost souls of the world. So, He addresses you and me!

“. . . My people have committed two evils:

1. They have forsaken Me – the Fountain of Living Waters.
2. They have hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

 

So, why is there both encouragement and conviction in these modern sins?

Small Deviances Of Modern Sins

For starters, are you one of God’s people? Now, consider details of your daily life – fears, concerns, cares of the heart. In the middle of these issues, do you remember your Fountain of Living Waters? Or do you tend to be anxious about problems? Said another way – “create cisterns that hold no water.”

Refreshingly, Scripture urges to immediately turn to God – the Fountain of Living Waters – to get your bearings, be refreshed, gain assurance, and find answers.

• Do you ever worry or “stew?”
• How much time/energy do you invest in problems before turning to your Fountain of Living Waters?
• Have you wondered how barriers grow up between you and God?

 

Interestingly, people don’t just choose one day to put up a wall or barrier. Rather, walls are built stone by stone. Barriers are erected in steps. They deviate from healthy relationship. As a result, small deviances add up and become a wall or barrier.

That’s the convicting part.

However, God intends for you to live with enjoyment. Eccl. 11:8 says, “How ever many years you may live, enjoy them all.” So, it’s good to remember –

• “. . . the devotion of your youth,
• your love as a bride,
• how you followed Me in the wilderness . . .
• [you were] holy to the Lord.”

 

Here are some question to measure if you are enjoying life:

1. Where is your joy? Incidentally, circumstances don’t bring true joy.
2. Also, have you picked up the peace Christ promises?
3. Further, what did you enjoy today with a thankful heart?
4. How often do you turn to Christ in loneliness, discouragement, or disappointment?
5. Finally, do you drink from your Fountain of Living Waters – or do you construct cisterns that hold no water?

 

God wants you to remember how faithful He is to you during difficulties and losses. He wants you to remember to “do life” with Him. 

 

Forgetting Is A Choice

Why do people forget? Incidentally, forgetting is a choice – even if a passive one. Equally, forgetting is the state that takes you into the two modern sins.

1. Forgetting to turn to God in all circumstances.
2. Pursuing your own provisions rather than God’s provisions.

 

Before you know it, you’re putting bricks onto a wall. Blocking off pain. Pursuing relief outside of Jesus.

God designed people to turn to Him in all situations. To share life with Him. Remarkably, to be good friends in a holy relationship. Subsequently, it’s God who has answers you look for. He is the one who heals pain. Amazingly, He restores pleasantness in life even in dire circumstances. And He knows best what you need each moment.

That’s the encouraging part.

 

Paul and Silas were jailed after being whipped. Wounded. Mistreated. Perhaps lonely. Maybe hungry, cold, aching. What did they do? They started singing praises to God. Why would they do that? Because they –

1. Came close to God by faith in their difficulty.
2. Focused on His faithful promises and loving provisions in their difficulty.

 

In other words, they didn’t commit the two modern sins. They were faithful.

Changing Your Glory

Jer. 2:11b says it’s possible to “change your glory.”

“My people have changed their glory [Me] for that which does not profit.”

Essentially, to trade out the glory God designed you with – for something less. What an insult to yourself! Your glory is intimately connected with God. Afterall, you are created in His image. Now, that’s something!

Your glory is kept intact by:

1. Pursuing Jesus as your “First-Most-Best.” (link to articles about this)
2. Living each day in the provisions of His refreshing Fountain of Living Waters.

 

The choice to forget God and His ways is serious. It leads to critical losses.

Scripture About Modern Holiness

2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

In other words, you have all you need. So, to tap into this supply:

1. Come close to God by faith in all life details.
2. Refuse to conjure up your own resources. Instead, prefer God’s resources – even though things don’t make sense at the time.

 

So, remember. God is faithful and good. Plus, He made you in His image – with glory.

For more details on 2 Peter 1:3, check out – Dissect Something Meaningful for practical action steps in daily life.

Application Thoughts And Questions

1. When was your walk with God at its best? Fresh and alive. Personal and intimate.
2. If God were to ask you – “What wrong did [you] find in Me that [you] went far from Me, and went after worthlessness?” – what would you say to Him?
3. Identify small deviances that create barriers or walls between you and God.
4. What will you do today to enjoy your Fountain of Living Waters? Remember – God is always faithful to those who trust and obey Him.
5. What needs to change in your life to side-step the two modern sins?
6. How resolved are you to live a godly life?
7. In what ways are you convicted with this content?
8. How are you encouraged as you remember God’s faithfulness?
9. What can you do to be faithful back to God?

 

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