Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23 continues direction on how the people are to live in the new Promised Land.  Moses gives some hard truth about the long term impact of sin.  He tells people that for some things, “Even to the tenth generation” the sin of ancestors still prevents them from entry into the assembly of the Lord.  We read in scripture about the sins of the father impacting the third and fourth generations – but here we see the impact of some things lasting even longer.  Don’t ever forget that sin has a very long tail.

There is a huge difference between forgiveness of sin, and the lasting effects of sin.  Jesus went to the cross so we could receive forgiveness.  That is offered to us free by grace and we can receive it in an instant.  His blood covers our sin and sets us free from the long term result of sin – separation from God.  But sin can have consequences that are not removed because we receive forgiveness.  Those are two very different things.  We can be completely forgiven and still leave a trail of consequences that impact us, and those who will come behind us, and in some cases that tail lasts for generations.  That is why it is important to “keep yourself from every evil thing”.  Life matters – for you and me – and for those who follow.

Why does it matter?  Because God is in our midst.  He isn’t up there somewhere in the sky totally disconnected from us.  He inhabits our lives and is right there with us.  The Holy Spirit lives within us as Christ Followers – for we are a temple of the Holy Spirit – and we are not living in a vacuum where we don’t have a moment by moment experience with Him.  “Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you”.  God wants our lives to be spotless – living holy and blameless in His sight.  He is paying attention.  He knows how we live.

Moses ends the chapter reminding us of the sanctity of vows.  “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin”.  Vows are not just words.  They are promises that must be fulfilled.  We need to be careful to consider any vow we make.  God has a very high expectation when we take that step.  Remember your marriage vows?  They too are important in God’s eyes.  We need to think carefully about the power and requirement of a vow.  It should never be entered into lightly, as the result of breaking a vow is not a good thing.  God expects us to keep them.  That is not optional!