Selfishly enabled. These are those who do not believe stop signs or speed limits are for them, who think being at the front of the line is their proper place, who in their mind deserve the place of honor. Until some form of authority is present.
“Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” (Psalm 50:22)
I mean this in no disrespectful way, but the exhibiting of the authority of the Almighty, especially when in comparison to the times of Moses to the last of the apostles, is all but invisible. Violent upheavals of nature, catastrophic occurrences are about as close to what many might call “acts of God,” and because of this for almost two thousand years now, this verse when spoken to most people is indeed as foolishness to them.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31)
They are fearful of ghosts, spirits, things that go bump in the night, but not of the Living God, He has been silent for too many generations to be taken seriously anymore.
And so, they live their lives without a single thought about Him, unless of course that natural disaster is close to home, or perhaps the diagnosis from the physician is terminal.
Many who profess to serve Him, but only do so with their lips, can be counted in similitude with these spoken of here. As long as they “toe the line,” attempting good works and abstaining from bad ones, they will remain, they believe, in His good graces. A works-based personal theology that is just as disrespectful, if not actually evil, as those who rarely ever give Him a thought.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
There are few things worse in this area than those who use this grace as an advantage for personal irresponsibility. Christians in word only who believe because they are loved, special favors are due them, they are not accountable, they get to go to the front of the line. The Word of God calls them hypocrites, and rightly so. Smug. Pretentious. Better than you. Closer to God and so He is more lenient towards them, winking at their faults, turning a blind eye to their iniquities.
If you have been hid in Christ for any length of time, you have met them, and they will inevitably inform you of just how good of a Christian they are.
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” (Luke 18:11)
And you my friends, what are your words to be?
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
Unworthy in our own eyes continuously, but worthy beyond measure in the sight of the Most High because of His Son.
Now, when you meet them, what will you say? Will you speak the words of our Savior?
“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” (Matt. 23:13)
Would that seem loving to you?
That last sentence can be a trap in itself, because if you want to emulate Christ in every facet, could you speak those words to them in love? They are selfishly enabled, deceived, and our natural inclination is to bring them down a few notches.
I have done this, trust these words, in most cases it does not work. What I have found to work with them is this though.
“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:14)
Smile, nod your head, and leave them to their blindness.
The pearls of God have been offered to them, let them believe they deserve them.
