1 Samuel 15:23 NKJV-
23 For Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
What is Rebellion?
In the Bible, rebellion is defined as disobedience to God, His authority, His Word, and the authorities He has ordained.
What Does Disobedience to God look like?
When we think of rebellion, we often think of a teenager getting into trouble with the law, and going against his parents rules. Do we ever think about the morally good person? They go to work, pay their bills and take care of their family. Maybe they even help others. While that sounds like a perfect upstanding citizen, God is more concerned with your heart. Have you given it to Him? Are you living in the way His word has instructed you to? Repentance is necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. Not everyone goes to Heaven no matter how good of a person they are here on earth.
The ten commandments are a good start to knowing what we should be doing. If you are not studying God’s word then how is it possible to know exactly what He means? That’s why things like Sunday School and Church attendance are important. You learn what He means.
Jesus gave many parables throughout the new testament that were examples on how to apply the Word to our everyday lives. While the settings and traditions may be a little different, so many years later, the point remains the same. When you read and study His word for yourself it allows Him to speak into your spirit and relate everything on a more personal level.
Being the best person you can be does not excuse not doing what God has said to do. Doing only part of what God has asked you to do doesn’t exactly count either.
The Authorities He has ordained
If you have read through some of the accounts in the Bible you will see God has an order to everything. His house of worship is no different. While some may see going to church as just “going to church”. It serves a purpose much greater than having people think you are doing good. To be honest in this day and time you will be judged more harshly depending on which denomination you choose to attend. That’s a whole other deal of its own that touches on judging others.
A church is a family. A body of believers that come together to honor God. To praise and worship Him. To lay at His feet, all the things we hold onto that might get in the way of our relationship with Him. We come to learn how to be disciples so we can go out into a lost and dying world and minister to others. We can’t do that if we spend our time at church fussing and fighting with each other. A lost and dying world doesn’t want anything to do with a church that acts like a highschool lunchroom with the gossip, backbiting and constant offense.
Who is it?
Your Pastors, Your Sunday School teacher, the elders in the church are all authorities that He has ordained, placed over you. That’s not to say that these people won’t make mistakes, and it’s definitely not to say that their positions cover or justify these mistakes, but it does mean that God has given them a special anointing to do what He has called them to do and you are under them spiritually ( that doesn’t mean they are better it just means they are in an authoritative position).
It is your responsibility to be respectful and obedient to what they ask of you. We may not like every comment or decision that is made ,and it’s possible your feelings can even be hurt by them at times. If God has placed them in that position, they will have to answer to Him for their words and actions, just as we will answer for ours.
**Stubbornness- Proud and disobedient resistance to God’s will. Rejection of God’s commands, An attitude of heart, and God’s judgment on sin.
**In the Bible, the word iniquity is used to describe crooked behavior, or sin at its worst.
**In the Bible, idolatry is the act of worshiping something or someone, other than God, as if it were God.
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