“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
—Luke 6:48
...as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct... And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
—1 Peter 1:15, 17-19
It doesn't work to be called the Lord's people while refusing to show the family resemblance.
It doesn't work to look down, worshiping the work of human hands, but then look up expecting deliverance from a Lord who has been ignored.
It doesn't work to ignore the repeated call of the Lord and then call on Him for a bail-out.
Psalm 116 praises the grace and righteousness and mercy of the Lord, who hears the singer's call. But that singer is calling as a servant and as one who is thankful. Not as one who treats sacrifice as a "get out of jail free" card.
So, the word of the Lord through Jeremiah challenges those who praised sticks and stones, who didn't just ignore the Lord, but actively turned away from Him: "How come when things go wrong you suddenly call out expecting me to fix things? Why aren't you calling on those sticks and stones you're so fond of?"
He kept calling, but they never called Him back. Until they needed something.
Peter built on the theme that has been echoing since the Israelites were in the wilderness: "Be holy, because I am holy." Because people bought with the blood of the Son have been ransomed with something far more valuable than the silver and gold (or sticks and stones) of all the idols in human history.
Calling His name while rejecting Him and His teaching is taking His name in vain.
Call
O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
—Psalm 116:16-17
“For they have turned their back to me,
and not their face.
But in the time of their trouble they say,
‘Arise and save us!’
But where are your gods
that you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can save you,
in your time of trouble;
for as many as your cities
are your gods, O Judah.”
—Jeremiah 2:27b-28
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
—Luke 6:48
...as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct... And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
—1 Peter 1:15, 17-19
It doesn't work to be called the Lord's people while refusing to show the family resemblance.
It doesn't work to look down, worshiping the work of human hands, but then look up expecting deliverance from a Lord who has been ignored.
It doesn't work to ignore the repeated call of the Lord and then call on Him for a bail-out.
Psalm 116 praises the grace and righteousness and mercy of the Lord, who hears the singer's call. But that singer is calling as a servant and as one who is thankful. Not as one who treats sacrifice as a "get out of jail free" card.
So, the word of the Lord through Jeremiah challenges those who praised sticks and stones, who didn't just ignore the Lord, but actively turned away from Him: "How come when things go wrong you suddenly call out expecting me to fix things? Why aren't you calling on those sticks and stones you're so fond of?"
He kept calling, but they never called Him back. Until they needed something.
Peter built on the theme that has been echoing since the Israelites were in the wilderness: "Be holy, because I am holy." Because people bought with the blood of the Son have been ransomed with something far more valuable than the silver and gold (or sticks and stones) of all the idols in human history.
Calling His name while rejecting Him and His teaching is taking His name in vain.