“And walked in the statutes of the heathen…”

2 Kings 17:8

Why did they do this?  Why did they go along with the customs and religion of the heathen people who lived around them?  They were the children of Israel, they knew the Lord.  So why do that rather than obey the Word of God?

Because it was easier, and they liked that lifestyle better!

It was easier.  Well, it was easier, for a while…

Of course, it’s easier to just do whatever we want to do.  Or find things we agree with and go along with them…  Sort of an attitude of “everybody else is doing it”, so it must be okay.

But what does God say?

Many people don’t care what God says, because people have their own rules, their own “faith” and that is enough to sooth their conscience.  It’s easier.

But it doesn’t make it right, and our sin nature will lead us astray!  At first, it’s just the “customs”, “the way we do it here”.  But then there are the unspoken rules, “the way we want you to change”.

That’s exactly what happened to these people.  They went away from God because they thought it was too hard to serve God, but then they became slaves to sin.  Beware of choosing man’s rules without God.

Jesus also warned of this false man-made “faith”, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  Matthew 15:9

Sure  just going along seems easier, for a while… but it always turns out bad!  May we be very careful of WHAT is influencing us and our family and our church!