Faith, obedience, and unintended consequences Last Sunday we talked about how faith brings obedience: If the Lord says something is sin, then by faith I believe it, and that belief will result in my obedience. But what happens if I start thinking that I'm a special case, that a particular sin won't really hurt me, and that I'll be able to skate by? I'll tell you what happens: TROUBLE.
In 2 Chronicles chapter 8 we read the account of King Solomon just after the Temple had been completed and dedicated to the Lord. Nestled in between the dedication prayer, and the description of Solomon's wealth, is a single verse:
Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, "My wife must not live in King David's palace, for the Ark of the Lord has been there, and it is holy ground." 2 Chron 8:11
Why would Solomon think he needed to move his wife out of the Royal Palace? Maybe because of what's found in 1 Kings 11:
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh's daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, "You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods." Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord. 1 Kings 11:1-3 (NLT)
..and let's not forget Deuteronomy 17:17
The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. Deut 17:17 (NLT)
Solomon was said to be the wisest man alive, so I'm thinking that he knew how God felt about these things, yet he did them anyway. I can guess the conversation that might have taken place in his head:
"God said not to take many wives, and no foreign wives… I know, I'll move her to a palace away from the Temple. That should take care of it."
You what to know the scary thing? I can totally relate to that conversation, I've had it with myself on more than one occasion. And you know what the outcome has been every time? Same as Solomon - NOT GOOD. The negative consequences may not be immediate, but they are as certain to come as is the sun coming up tomorrow.
Friend, one piece of wisdom that I've learned over the years: It's always best to take God at His word, believe what He tells us in His word, and align my life with that belief. Otherwise, there are always unintended consequences.
"Lord. help me to embrace your word as life and truth, and help me to be obedient to your word, that it will be a lamp to my way, directing me in the path of righteousness."
Pastor Clay | 
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