“DISOBEDIENCE DISHONORS GOD REGARDLESS OF THE INTENT”

I worked in education for twenty years. I watched many students go through our school doors, some 950 per year. I sat through many faculty meetings and assemblies where rules and regulations were explained. There were consequences assigned to every rule broken, but guess what? Many times those punishments were never handed down.

I’m sure that doesn’t surprise anyone. That has become the norm for our society—make a rule, break a rule, make an excuse, no punishment applied!

One day, one of the teachers said, “Rules are made to obey, not to break. If there are no consequences, why make the rule?”

She was right. If there is no consequence, why have a rule? But give that some thought. What if people could break any rule and there were no consequences? What kind of world would we have?

Whether we are talking about relationships between husband/wife, parent/child, teacher/student, employer/employee, friend/friend, government/citizen, or whomever, there are rules of conduct. The problem in any of these relationships is when there is disobedience and disrespect for authority.

Paul understood this concept. He wrote to Timothy, “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted” (First Timothy 1:8-11).

According to Paul, law is established for the lawless and disobedient. From the beginning of time, God laid down His law. First Satan and a group of angels revolted against God and had to be punished. The first woman, Eve, disobeyed the laws set forth by God concerning what she could and could not eat in the Garden of Eden. She offered excuses, but the truth is she broke God’s law.

Obedience was not her primary goal. She obeyed as long as it suited her; but when she longed for what she could not have, she broke the rule.

Aubrey Johnson in his book, “Music Matters In The Lord’s Church,” makes the statement that titles this article. It occurred to me that this statement fits our lives in every aspect. When we disobey God, we dishonor Him; and it doesn’t matter what our intent was or is. Disobedience dishonors God because His commands are clear. They are not subject to our opinion or our wishes.

What about the second part of this statement, “Regardless of the intent”? Sometimes we have good intentions when we make a decision, but it is still the wrong thing to do.

We see this in Moses and Aaron in Numbers 20. The Children of Israel were begging for water. God spoke to Moses and Aaron and told them to“Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle” (Number 20:9).

Moses was obviously angry with the people, and verse 11 tells us he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded. Because of their disobedience, neither Moses nor Aaron was allowed to enter the Promise Land.

This was such a little thing, at least in our minds. God told them, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them” (Verse 12). 

Their intent was to get water for the people. God provided a way to make this happen, but they disobeyed God by not following His instructions. God told them they had dishonored Him.

We can also see this in the New Testament with Ananias and Sapphira. The church was young, and there were those that needed financial help. Many were selling property and possessions to help the apostles.

Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and gave a portion of the money from the sale. Unfortunately, the couple indicated to the apostles that they had brought the full amount they received from the property. Both of them were struck dead for their actions.

Their intent was good—to help those in need, but they were disobedient in their dishonesty. Peter told Ananias, “You have not lied to man but to God” (Acts 5:4). They dishonored God.

We have opportunities every day to honor God. We honor Him by simply obeying His commandments. Let us not be guilty of dishonoring the Father by intending to do good but disobeying a direct command.

Sandra Oliver