AMOS 3:13-15 RELY NOT ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD

13 “Hear this and testify against the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the LORD God Almighty. 14 “On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. 15 I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished,” declares the LORD.

Any security that is obtained from the things of this world is a temporary security, and therefore a false security. True security is only to be found in the eternal. Our wealth, our status in this world, even our religion will not serve as guarantees of a safe and comfortable voyage through this life. Beyond that, religion, status and wealth are no protection against God’s judgment for our sins.

Our eternal security and significance are only to be found in God, who alone is uncreated and eternal. He is the lasting treasure within whom our hearts are to be hidden (Matthew 6:19-21). Our God-given vehicle for achieving eternal security is a God-centered love; a love that is to be manifested in this life through obedience to his will (John 14:15). Yet we are incapable of perfect obedience, so how can this provide the security we seek? God, in his mercy, has provided the way in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). The requirement is perfect obedience, but God has made that obedience available to us through Jesus Christ (John 3:14-16; Galatians 3:27).

Our security and our significance lie not in our achievements but in our being adopted by God as his children (John 1:12). Furthermore, we are adopted as first-born sons, that is as full inheritors of the kingdom (Romans 8:15-17). This is an eternal gift of God which we can only receive through our faith in Jesus Christ. It follows then that our love of God, our obedience to the Father, is found in our living expression of faith in Jesus, the full and grateful reception of the gift of grace from the Father. In the economy of the kingdom, anything we try to add to that is a subtraction from it. We can rest fully and eternally assured in Jesus, but we must make that choice.

Thank you, Father for the gift of your Son through whom my adoption as your son is made possible. Through your Spirit continue to encourage me to live in obedience to your will, forsaking all other false gods and counterfeit sources of security. When I do err, convict me quickly so that I might repent and rest assured in your promise. Amen.