Unchanging Holiness

Josh. 24:19-20  Then Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God.  He will not forgive your rebellion and sins.  If you forsake the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

Has the Lord changed?  Is He any less holy or jealous than He was when Joshua penned these words?  Is He more tolerant of sin today than He was in the past?  He either is the same as He always has been or He isn’t God. 

When we live in sin, we disqualify ourselves from serving the Lord.  When we give little regard for living holy lives, we are not able to serve the Lord.  What we do becomes a stench in God’s nostrils.  God is not sin tolerant.  He blesses and uses those who are pure in heart, those who desire not to sin and refuse to let sin remain in the heart when they do sin.

It is sobering, but it is true.  God will not forgive those who rebel against Him and live in sin.  If we forsake Him and give our hearts to other things, we have nothing to look forward to but His wrath.  When we spite the Lord by treating lightly His kindness and goodness to us, we can expect nothing less.  God loves us and freely gives grace to all who would receive it, but He does not force feed it to us.

There can be no forgiveness or acceptance for those who refuse to acknowledge and deal with the sin in their lives.  Are you able to serve the Lord today?  Do you take the holiness of God seriously?  Are you committed to Him, and Him alone?