Last week we began our study of the four avenues in which we can set aside God's law. We seen that the payment for lawlessness is death, and how that we can be lost through stubbornness and rebellion. This week I want us to look at the sin of neglect.

Moses, being God's prophet to Israel, relayed the word of God concerning the functions of the priesthood. In this word, we read, “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.” (Leviticus 6:12 , 13)

Notice that God wanted the fire on the altar to continually burn. To put out this fire deliberately would in no doubt be transgression to God's law and sinful, but it should be further examined that if the priest would had allowed this fire to simply burn out, because of neglect, it also would have been sinful.

Neglecting our duties and the commands of God is just as sinful as deliberate rebellion. James says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17 ) I'm convinced that this is the sin of the majority. The majority are not blatantly and openly rebellious to God's law. They are not contemptuous criminals or stains in society, but most, from my observations, are negligent to God's commands for one reason or another. We tend to justify ourselves by thinking that we have not done any real sin, when in fact the sin of omission is just as bad as the sin of commission. Breaking God's law is breaking God's law.

What opportunities have we passed up and neglected? What commands are we putting in the background? What need are we hording from others? Paul says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” And again, he says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb 13:2 , 16)

What about our own souls? Are we neglecting to properly feed our soul by studying God's word (2 Tim 2:15 ) and attending worship for exhortation. Paul says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Heb 10:24-25 )

What about our teaching, evangelism, and other works in the vineyard of God? Are we neglecting to use our abilities for these things? Paul exhorted Timothy, “Do not neglect the gift you have...” (1 Tim 4:14 ) We may not have the same type of gift that Timothy had. But, we all have abilities, and we must not neglect them.

An example of the horrible effects of neglect is found in the book of Hebrews. Paul exhorted the Hebrews by saying, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Heb 2:1-3 )

The question of Paul is one that we must think about. How can we escape, if we neglect this great salvation? The answer, of course, is that there is no escape. There is no other salvation. In neglecting this salvation, we perform the greatest insult to God and the greatest injustice to ourselves.

If you have been neglecting God, why not step up to your duties, and be completely and faithfully obedient to every command of God?