Word of Encouragement (05/31/2023)
And they answered Joshua, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous." (Josh. 1:16-18)
In v. 18, we sense the solemnity of this occasion. Nothing less than the death penalty is prescribed for disobedience to Joshua. It makes sense when we remember the setting: Israel was about to enter the promised land and commence its military campaign against the Canaanites in a holy war (to execute them for their sin as an instrument of God’s judgment). In such a life-and-death situation, no insubordination can be allowed: by breaking the chain of command, it can put everyone in mortal danger.
But in the case of Israel, it was more than just about military efficiency. The war setting brought out the serious implications of insubordination, for sure. But it was not the martial context, which made insubordination unacceptable; the martial context only highlighted the evil of insubordination in Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Paul pointed this out when he said, “For the wages of sin is death...” (Rom. 6:23). We may affirm this in theological discussions, but do not take it seriously in practice because we are not struck dead the moment we sin. But just because God does not respond to our sin with immediate retribution doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve the death penalty. It is only a matter of time before the punishment catches up to the sinner.
Why does God not strike us dead the moment we sin? Paul’s words are instructive: “...do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4)? If there is any doubt as to why God doesn’t punish us right away, these words provide a clear answer: God extends His grace to us so that we may voluntarily turn away from our sin and rebellion toward Him in faith and repentance. We should not mistake His grace for His indifference to our sins. As a holy God, He is greatly offended by our sins far beyond our imagination. Also, as a loving God, He is deeply grieved by our sins because He knows the full extent of the destructive power of sin in our lives.
More than anything, sin is a personal offense to God, who gave us life, abilities, opportunities, possessions—all that we have. Is sin not a personal offense to God when we use the faculties and talents and resources God has given to us to use for His glory to do the very opposite? With the minds God has given to us to reflect on the glory of God and His creation and redemption, we think of the reasons and ways to deny God’s existence and invent our own gods. We make idols of the gracious gifts God has given to us rather than give thanks to Him as the Fount of every blessing. Instead of stewarding the blessings God has given to us to advance His kingdom and serve others, we hoard them and use them for our carnal pleasures. We call God’s truth a lie, and we reject God’s law as evil. We even make a mockery of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of His sacrificial love for our salvation, as foolishness and a scandal. Can we say to God, “Why are You so upset with our sins and angry with us?” Do we not deserve God’s wrath and eternal damnation?
If we have forgiveness in Jesus Christ, it is because He bore the guilt of our sins completely and fully. His free forgiveness does not make our sins less hideous; it makes our sins even worse because, when we sin, we not only sin against God’s law but also against His grace. May the Lord convict us of the true gravity of our sins so that we may understand the depth of His grace for us and commit ourselves to a life of faith and obedience to our gracious Savior!