Deuteronomy 12:30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’
When I was a kid, I started working for my parents at the Dairy Queen. I worked for them from the summer after 6th grade through the second summer of marriage! My job was in the back. When I showed up for work, Mom would have a list prepared for me. As far as work was concerned, you might say that was a list of what I could and couldn’t do.
Many people are list-makers. When you notice that today’s verse comes from Deuteronomy, you might immediately think of people making lists of all that one cannot do and follow God. Those people certainly exist.
The Israelites are on the doorstep of the Promised Land and are sort of getting their ‘pre-game speech’ from God via Moses. They have known for years that this day would come. Likewise, they have known for years that they were God’s people and He was their God. They have known that the people already there have rejected God utterly and were to be destroyed. Yet here they are told, “be careful not to mess around with their gods.” It was as if He was telling them, “your being My people does not give you free rein to do however you’d like.”
I mentioned the list-makers. I mentioned those that want to make lists of all the ‘don’ts’ inherent in following God. But there is another group of list-makers. These are the people that seemingly want to make a list of all that one doesn’t have to do to follow God. “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian!” “You don’t have to give up ____________ to be a Christian!” Etc., etc.
This is spiritual arrogance. If I am a Christian, I am, by definition, a Christ follower. I am not a Christian merely by self declaration, but by having confessed my sins and accepted His Lordship over my life. If I have done that, then He is Lord and I am not. If I think being a Christian means I still act and do like I did before I was a Christian, but I go to Heaven when I die, I am dangerously wrong.
I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
God’s people are different, or they’re not God’s people.
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
