A New Covenant: A Study in JeremiahSample

What does it say?

The Lord sent Jeremiah to the temple with a message: if God’s people would obey Him, they could live in the land. Otherwise, He would remove them from His presence.

What does it mean?

Despite their outward show of religious activity, the people of Judah were not fooling God. They deceived themselves by assuming that their sacrifices and offerings at the temple appeased God and offered them protection and security. In reality, they had disobeyed His instructions and had drifted far away from Him. God desired a genuine commitment to Him rather than to their traditions. God continued to deliver a clear message: if they continued to disregard His correction, He would allow the destruction of the temple, His dwelling place, and would remove them from their land.

How should I respond?

You can’t fool God. Neither can you impress the Lord with religiosity while allowing sin to go unchecked. He desires a whole-hearted commitment to Him alone. We can become distracted from that sole devotion by trying to keep up appearances at church or in our community. Authentic Christianity requires an honest evaluation of whether you are truly committed to the Lord or simply going through religious motions. In what area of your life have you drifted away from Him? God already knows everything, so why not be truthful before the Lord right now? Choosing to do otherwise is just self-deception.