Is God Ashamed of You?
In this Article we will explore something that caught my attention the other day, and it all started out with Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” This is talking about Father Abraham, but the wee bit in the middle of the sentence was the interesting bit that captured ones attention, “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.”
Add to this the verse found in Luke 13:27 “But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” Matthew has this one in Matthew 25:12 “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” We are only quoting the “Punch Line” of two very interesting situations, where Humans are claiming to have known God, so they should have been included in the saved and redeemed; but our interesting quote by Paul in Hebrews “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,” springs to mind; God is most ashamed to be remotely connected to this group, as they do not live a God connected Life, or their god is certainly not the Living Creator God.
There are “Bad Eternal Consequences” to ever be one of those hearing these words spoken to them; God is embarrassed to be remotely connected with this group of people. John 3:16 tells us that God has done everything for everybody, so everybody has the rights to the kingdom, but their rejection of this gracious offer of Grace and Forgiveness, has the consequences of God accepting their terms and conditions and runs the exact same set of rules, and therefore rejects them. This is the “Golden Rule” once more in action, and as there are good consequences of the Golden Rule, bad behaviour and neglect can also have a very negative consequence.
Idolatrous and Adulterous Israel was “Divorced” by God, her sister Judah who ended up doing far worse sins, even murdering God’s Only Son, was later also “Divorced” by God after he had pleaded and cried over her for many, many, years; God just had to finally walk away as there was definitely no “Relationship” at all, for Israel and Judah had totally turned their backs on God. Repentance in Hebrew, is in our understanding, 180 degrees, or “About Turn, Quick March.” King David often cried, “Turn not thy countenance from me oh Lord, Hide not thy face from me,” and other such things, as sin had turned him completely about and God was actually behind him and he could not see God, and the solution is a simple, “About Turn;” or Repentance.
James has this to say in James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.” This is at the end of an interesting list James gives us of the brevity of our life, a vapour, here it is and then it has disappeared and gone in an instant. We all know what Sin is measured by, as quoted in 1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law,” but James takes it even further by telling us that passively failing to do right, or God’s will, is just as bad as actively doing sin and evil.
On this theme we have this partial list from Scripture. Looking/Lusting=Adultery (Matt 5:28), or Rebellion=Witchcraft and Stubbornness=Idolatry (1 Sam 15:23) or Hate=Murder 1 John 3:15, Friendship with the World =Adultery Jas 4:4; and there is probably many more in Scripture all on the same theme of an expansion of the Commandments. Romans 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.” And John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
If we develop this theme, then “Love” is actually the ultimate goal for a Christian, 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, expounds on this theme, so it is well worth another in-depth reading and contemplation. Let’s get back to our opening theme, “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;” and James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.” Here we are reminded that we have no problem doing what is in Scripture and what God impresses us to do, because we are drawn and wooed by a vibrant intimate Love and a buoyant blossoming Relationship.
We have this in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” Well in an active and vibrant relationship; just try and stop an engaged couple from talking to each other, face-to-face, by phones, text, twitter and whatever else is available, you may somehow stop the words, but the thoughts are ever flooding through the mind. In our concept here, God will most certainly know who you are because there is ceaseless communication going on between you both. So how about you and me? Are we chattering away with God 24/7? “Pray without ceasing.”
I regularly come across people who invariably awaken at about 1-2am in the morning and the God chatter starts and runs for 30-60 minutes or so, and then they drift back into peaceful sleep once more, cradled and embraced in the passionate and warm embrace of the arms of the Almighty. Dear Reader, please draw close to God as he is like the Father in the Prodigal Son Story, he is still looking down the road and longing for you to turn your face towards Home, so come on Home; Back to God. John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Let us not embarrass God any more, and make him ashamed with us; let us resolve to be always representing him as dedicated and committed children of the Living God.
