Psalm 36:1 says:
1TRANSGRESSION [like an oracle] speaks to the wicked deep in his heart. There is no fear or dread of God before his eyes.
The "wicked" is referring to those who are without God. It is the Hebrew word, "rasha`", which means: wicked, hostile to God, guilty of sin against God or man. Remember that when you accept Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour, you are no longer a sinner (wicked) but you become a saint! You are forever more a saint who sometimes sins, but you are no longer a sinner! This verse is saying that those who have never received Jesus as Lord and Saviour will have their sin nature (their unregenerate inner man) speaking continually to them of sin! They have no fear or dread of God and don't believe that there will ever be a consequence for their sin! This word "fear" is not the reverential fear and awe of the Lord that we have spoken about frequently here. This is saying that these people have no respect for or concern about the just nature of the One, True, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! If I was not saved, I would be AFRAID of God, very afraid! But because I lined up with his Word by receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour, I am no longer a "stranger in danger"! A stranger to the things of God and in danger of spending eternity in Hell and the Lake of Fire! Verses 5-6 show the promise of God to those who seek Him and His will!
5Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds. 6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgments are like the great deep. O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
He IS the ANSWER! AMEN! The rest of Psalm 36 is praise from David to the Lord!
2 Thessalonians 3:6 is a serious charge to believers!
6Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have received from us.
This is NOT speaking of staying away from sinners! We are told to avoid the company of unbelieving believers! Those are believers that are saved, but have no working knowledge of the Word of God, therefore they cannot obey it! Notice that this verse says to withdraw and keep away from these believers. It does NOT say to scorn them or hate them or revile them or talk bad about them! We are just to avoid being in their company so that we can maintain a high level of faith! We are no good to anyone if don't have a level of faith that will change circumstances in the lives of the people we come in contact with!
We begin the book of Amos today! Amos ministered in trying times like the ones that we are experiencing right now! He addressed sin when speaking to the 6 Gentile nations AND the nations of Israel and Judah. Eight times Amos used the term "for three transgressions and for four", which is a Jewish idiom that means "an indefinite number that has finally come to an end"! Our God is VERY long-suffering, but there IS an end to His patience! That end usually comes after many, many, many attempts on His part to get the attention of those He is dealing with! Let's NOT try the patience of our wonderful God! Let's be quick to obey the Word of God AND the leading of the Holy Spirit! THAT is pleasing to God because everything He instructs us to do is to get us into position to receive all that He has provided for us!
Shalom in Him!
