Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. Exodus 34:12
Covenants, contracts, or agreements are made all the time between people, businesses, and countries. Sometimes, they are made to keep peace, while often they are made to have an agreement about what can and cannot be done by both parties. They are what hold both parties accountable. Sometimes, contracts are made which force the weaker to give in to the stronger, allowing the stronger to take control in the wrong way.
God tells Moses and the people that they are not to make any covenants with the people of the place where they are going, or it could become a snare to them.
Although businesses have many written contracts or agreements, among people, there are often very few written ones. Agreements are made by what is spoken. They are unwritten covenants. It is automatically agreed that both parties will abide by certain unwritten rules.
The world wants everyone to abide by its rules of not having any rules. Complete freedom with no boundaries is embraced by the world. Lying, stealing, cheating, and more are acceptable unless one gets caught. It comes down to doing anything that is against God and His standards.
People in the church often make a covenant with the world to compromise their standards and share in the ways of the world. Doing this becomes a snare in their lives, holding them in sin and against God. It keeps them from growing in the Lord.
Believers are to make their covenant with God alone. They are to live by His standards and commands and not be divided between the world and Him, refusing to live in sin any longer.
There are many agreements you make between yourself and others that are acceptable. Yet, the world will try to get you to agree to their terms of living in sin and promoting sin. Do not allow yourself to be deceived into accepting living by the ways of this world all around you. Do not get caught up in sinful activities that look and appear good but will only trap you in death. Live for God and make a covenant with God to live only by His standards and have abundant and eternal life.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the standards God wants you to live by; that God will open your eyes to the covenant the world is trying to get you to agree to; that you will live only for God; and that God will give you strength to stand against the ways of the world.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
