Topical Bible: Forgetting God: Backsliders Guilty of

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Forgetting God is a recurring theme in the Bible, often associated with the spiritual decline and moral failure of individuals and nations. This act of forgetfulness is not merely a lapse in memory but a deliberate turning away from God's commandments, leading to backsliding and apostasy.

Biblical Instances and Warnings

The Bible frequently warns against the dangers of forgetting God, emphasizing the consequences of such actions. In Deuteronomy 8:11-14, Moses cautions the Israelites: "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes which I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."

The Israelites' history is marked by cycles of faithfulness and forgetfulness. Judges 3:7 states, "And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs." This pattern of forgetting God and turning to idolatry led to their oppression by surrounding nations until they cried out for deliverance.

Consequences of Forgetting God

Forgetting God results in spiritual decay and moral corruption. In Hosea 4:6, the prophet declares, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children." This passage highlights the severe consequences of neglecting God's law, leading to destruction and divine rejection.

Jeremiah 2:32 further illustrates the gravity of this forgetfulness: "Can a maiden forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number." The imagery underscores the absurdity and tragedy of God's people abandoning their covenant relationship with Him.

Call to Remember and Return

Despite the tendency to forget, the Bible consistently calls God's people to remember and return to Him. In Isaiah 17:10, the prophet laments, "For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge." This call to remembrance is a call to repentance and restoration.

The New Testament echoes this theme, urging believers to remain steadfast in their faith. Hebrews 2:1 warns, "We must pay closer attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." This admonition serves as a reminder to hold fast to the teachings of Christ and avoid the peril of spiritual neglect.

Encouragement for the Faithful

For those who remain faithful, the Bible offers encouragement and assurance. Psalm 103:2-3 exhorts, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases." Remembering God's goodness and mercy is a safeguard against spiritual decline and a source of strength for the believer.

In conclusion, the Bible presents forgetting God as a serious offense with dire consequences. It calls believers to vigilance, remembrance, and a steadfast commitment to their relationship with the Lord.

Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 2:32
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 3:21
A voice was heard on the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... there, nor yet at any other place, so subdued, but that it would rise again in them
at times to the dishonour of God, and the anew making of them guilty of sin ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

Mercy's Master Motive
... of God; but David and other great backsliders will also ... and he has seen you
treacherously forgetting him. ... in business and you grew very worldly, God could see ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/mercys master motive.htm

Christian Behavior
... With a word of direction to all backsliders. ... thy children; given him the same bread
of God thou givest ... As who should say, Your servants cannot be guilty of so ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/christian behavior.htm