This morning, there are many things that the religious world does not understand about the word of God. They have a difficult time rightly dividing the difference between temporal and eternal blessings and actions. Everything in the written word of God is profitable and true. However, Paul here puts added emphasis on what he says. Jesus emphasized His statements as well when He began them with "Verily, verily" to show the great importance of what follows. Therefore, how does one rightly divide what Paul wrote (by Divine inspiration) in the passage above? 

On one hand, God will do something if we do something. On the other hand, He will not do something no matter what our course may be. In things of a temporal nature, God may or may not take action. In II Chronicles 7:14, God makes some conditions for His people that it would behoove them to follow, and the result of these actions would be blessings by the Almighty. Many times, our wayward steps and decisions incur chastisement and judgment from Him. Sometimes, the Lord leaves us to feed hogs husks of corn for our foolish decisions. (Luke 15:16) If we deny Him, He will deny us. This denial clearly speaks of things in the temporal realm, and the Bible is replete with examples of those that the Almighty left to their own folly. There are times when He even sends "evil spirits" to plague us for forsaking Him like He did with King Saul.  

However, these things do not apply to things of an eternal nature. While we may deny Him on earth numerous times, thanks be unto Him that He is still faithful and cannot deny Himself. When it comes to our sonship, our God will never leave us or forsake us. Because of the perfect work of His only Begotten Son, He secured our eternal destination forever. Consider a child that is born into the world: natural man may at times deny that the child is his. However, it can be proven who the father is. Our God, on the other hand, is not a natural, fallen man. He cannot deny us, for our new birth bears the image of Christ. He cannot deny those to whom He is related.  

There are times that I probably made my parents grieve over the transgressions and folly that I engaged in. However, that never changed the fact that I was and still am their son. Our wicked decisions bring displeasure to our Heavenly Father, but the fact that we are His children never changes. The foundation of God is always sure, for the Lord knoweth them that are His. Therefore, if we name the name of Christ, may we seek to depart from iniquity.

In Hope,

Bro Philip