Quoting the Bible and Looking Good - Wicked People

But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. [Psalm 50.16-17]

I am really going to bother some folks here...

First, who are these wicked people?

Well, first of all, they are NOT outwardly wicked idolaters murderers and God-haters. 

They are, in fact, Bible-quoting, righteous-acting people.

Does that make them wicked? No! What makes them wicked is what follows: "For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash."

These religious folks refuse God's discipline! How can that be?

How does one refuse God's discipline? Can a person simply tell God, "No, You're not going to discipline me!"? That's absurd! Of course a person cannot stop God's discipline! BUT! All the discipline in the world accomplishes nothing if the one being disciplined is ignorant of what is going on and misinterprets the discipline!

Here's the deal: there are folks who interpret discipline from God as God's way of telling them He loves them. They refuse to acknowledge sin (that leads to punishment - read the curses for disobedience starting in Deuteronomy 28.15) as the reason for discipline. The 'pain,' designed to stop their foolishness and sin, is interpreted as God's way of saying "I love you" instead of "Stop doing what you are doing!"

Yes, these same folks quote Scripture and outwardly look righteous. They have a twisted idea that their suffering is some sort of honor. But, according to the Psalmist, they refuse to accept God's discipline in a self-righteous, self-proclamation of sinlessness. In other words, they treat God's Word as trash. They ignore the fact that sin has defined consequences and that those defined consequences therefore identify the presence of sin! So, instead of repenting, they adopt a pious, man-made doctrine of suffering that soothes their guilty conscience. Furthermore, if they don't know what they did wrong, they proudly think they must know everything because they misconstrue God's discipline as some unknown thing He is doing - with no consideration whatsoever that they might have sinned and been completely ignorant of it... (I'm thinking Job here).

Oh, to be sure, we wind up in some terrible situations. Those situations can play havoc on our emotions too - especially when the situations involve children or seemingly innocent people. We all have to choose whether we will honor those people above God and His Word or honor God and His Word above and beyond all else (including seemingly righteous people).

The Bible is not unclear that the wages of sin is death. Furthermore, the Bible is not unclear that every sort of sickness, disease, tragedy and loss is resultant to sin (again, Deuteronomy 28).

It is a lie from the enemy, just as he twisted God's Word in the Garden of Eden, when he plants a seed of doubt, "Has God really said...?" So he plants that seed of doubt, "Has God really said that sickness, disease, tragedy and loss are the result of sin?"

It is pride that presents such a mockery of God and His Word, and pride that accepts such a mockery of God and His Word!

Let me be clear, this is not simple answer to an age-old problem. But it is a place to start. And, it can't be far from wrong because it starts with repentance! I would much rather repent and not need to, than not repent and need to!

Father, I believe I have something to work with here - repentance. And, as I repent, seeking first Your Kingdom, I know You have taken care of every affliction or curse I am experiencing.