LET HIM ALONE (newly revised)

[tomdurst]

LET HIM ALONE

by Thomas E Durst

Exodus 20:3 Common English Bible (CEB)

3 You must have no other gods before me.

Nehemiah 9:30 Amplified Bible (AMP)

30 Yet You bore with them many years more and reproved and warned them by Your Spirit through Your prophets; still they would not listen. Therefore You gave them into the power of the peoples of the lands.

Hosea 4:17 Amplified Bible (AMP)

17 Ephraim is joined [fast] to idols, [so] let him alone [to take the consequences].

Matthew 6:33 New King James Version (NKJV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Hebrews 2:3 English Standard Version (ESV)

3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard.

I believe these verses speak to the great danger of being caught up in the cares of this present life and either rejecting or just neglecting to listen to the Voice of God. This Voice speaks to everyone at some point but if we keep failing to listen and allow other things to occupy our primary attention we are inviting endless suffering, disappointment, and emptiness. "You gave them into the power of the peoples of the lands." God is saying that if we persist in worshipping all of the popular idols around us that at some point He will say "let him alone [to take the consequences]." Whatever occupies our main attention is that which we worship. The commandment to "have no other gods before me" is very demanding. I see a great need to be ever watchful lest other gods creep into my life. The ways the enemy works are often subtle and deceptive. We must continually watch and pray.

There are many people who seem to be following ways of living that are very destructive and which lead them into a lot of suffering. I'm learning that it is best not to try to persuade them otherwise if they are clearly committed to their chosen path and are not really wanting to change. Also I need to avoid being judgmental of them as that blocks the flow of good. I may need to withdraw from much contact but yet continue to send thoughts of love and goodwill. This is not always easy to do for sure.  To protect ourselves we must at times apply the "let him alone" principle to others and allow them to experience whatever they may need to learn. We are not required to let those who make decisions to live in ways that are contrary to our own good drag us down with them.  

Perhaps this is what the Apostle John is talking about in 1 John 5:16-17. Compare these with Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11. I've often pondered these verses and just what they might mean. When we are interpreting any Bible passage it is very important to take "audience relevance" into consideration.  This simply means that we need to consider who wrote it, to whom, and what was the situation, circumstance or historical/cultural context in which it was written.  In all cases we need to seek the God's wisdom as we are faced with how best to relate to others. It will surely be given (see James 1:5).

The following verses need to be studied with much prayer and heart searching: Exodus 20:3; Nehemiah 9:30; Jeremiah 8:20; Ezekiel 18:31; 33:11; Hosea 4:17; Matthew 12:31-32; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:3; 3:8-15; 1 John 5:16-17; Revelation 2:7; 9:6; 22:11.

I invite you to read IS THERE EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT? which is on the link below:

IS THERE EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT?