The Bible is clear: “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4, NASB). God’s law was given to us for our good, but throughout history, people have found ways to set aside His commands. Even today, these same patterns of disobedience persist.
Let’s explore four ways people disobey God:
Deliberate Sin
God’s law is straightforward, but some choose to ignore it. Just as the priests of old would sin by deliberately extinguishing the sacred fire (Leviticus 6:12), many today intentionally set aside God’s Word. Jesus said, “The one who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16, NASB), but when we reject baptism or any of God’s commands knowingly, we are deliberately disobeying Him.
Sins of Neglect
Sometimes, sin comes not from action, but from inaction. The fire on the altar was not to go out (Leviticus 6:13), yet neglecting it was just as sinful as extinguishing it deliberately. James reminds us, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17, NASB). Many today know their duty but continue to neglect it. The question is: what are you neglecting that God has called you to?
Sins of Substitution
Substituting our own ideas for God’s commands is dangerous. Nadab and Abihu offered “strange fire” that God had not commanded, and they paid the price with their lives (Leviticus 10:1-2). In the same way, substituting our preferences for God’s instructions in worship, such as adding practices God hasn’t commanded, is sinful. “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19, NASB) is God’s command for worship. Let us not substitute His ways with our own.
Sins of Delusion
Some disobey God, believing they are doing the right thing. The young prophet in 1 Kings 13 was led astray by an older prophet and disobeyed God’s direct command, thinking he was acting faithfully—but he faced punishment for it. Today, many are similarly deluded, believing they are following God while disregarding His commands. Proverbs warns us, “There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12, NASB). Just because something feels right doesn’t mean it aligns with God’s Word.
The Bible says, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4, NASB). These stories were recorded for our learning, and the consequences of disobedience in the past remind us that we, too, cannot disobey God and expect to avoid the consequences.
The Simple Gospel 