Complacency needs to stop

Zephaniah 1:12-13    “And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’ 13 Therefore their goods shall become booty, And their houses a desolation; They shall build houses, but not inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.”

The prophet Zephaniah was warning those in Judah of the coming judgement of God for their sinful lifestyles. They had again fell into lives of great sins under the last two evil rulers, Manasseh and his son Amon. Now under a good ruler Josiah, it looked like Judah was possibly beginning to repent of her sin. Zephaniah and Jeremiah were both ministering in Jerusalem about the same time; both calling for repentance, turning from idols, and turning back to God. This prophecies tell of God’s coming judgement on all the world; God will seek out those who think he will do nothing. God is going to use another nation to punish Judah, and the picture is clear of how they will be sought out above. There is not any escaping the judgement day of the Lord, either in the past, or in the future; all will stand before Him that day.

It worries me that as a world we too have become complacent. We have religions teaching that God blesses those that have great faith; we have religions coming together, blending to the point of no absolute truth; we have lost our spine in Christianity for absolute truth. We are showing evidences of no reverent fear of God; we are watering down and weakening the truths of God to appeal to all, and not offend to any. Are we becoming like the church of Laodecia in the book of Revelation? Are we becoming neither cold or hot in Christianity? The strong words that Christ uses as warning for that church should put us in fear of the Lord. Revelation 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Would the term complacency not fit into the description of the Laodecian church also? Lukewarm is a term that indicates laziness, bending to conform as not to take action; conforming as not to offend; taking a stand for your faith would indicate your either hot or cold. Lukewarm would mean you don’t care enough to believe it matters, to you, or possibly even to God. That surely would mean that you don’t fear Him, or truly know him. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.