Isaiah 30:1-5 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“Woe to the rebellious children,”
declares the LORD,
“to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine,
who form an alliance, but against My will,
heaping up sin upon sin.
2They set out to go down to Egypt
without asking My advice,
to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection
and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.

3But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame,
and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.
4For though their princes are at Zoan
and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5everyone will be put to shame
because of a people useless to them.
They bring neither help nor benefit,
but only shame and disgrace.”

Woe to The Rebellious Children

Who are the “rebellious children” today? They are all people who make professions of faith in Jesus Christ with their lips but whose lifestyles speak the opposite. They are those who call themselves “Christians,” but in reality are not followers of Jesus Christ, for they are still living according to the sinful passions of the flesh, and not according to the commands of God. And they are not followers of Christ because they are followers of the teachings of humans who twist and distort the Scriptures to excuse away their sins.

They prefer the teachings of humans who dilute and alter the gospel message to make it less offensive and more acceptable to human flesh. They prefer a “Christianity” which allows them to live however they want to live without regard for what God requires of them in the way of thought and word and deed. They prefer “gospel light” because it makes no requirements of them that they must forsake their sinful practices and now live holy lives, pleasing to God, in surrender to the Lord Jesus and to His commands.

Alliances Against God’s Will

So, what kind of alliances are professing Christians making today which are against the will of God and are against His plans and purposes for our lives? Many of them have to do with joining institutional market-driven businesses of human making which are called “churches,” but which are being led by cult leaders and marketeers who are following business models for how to conduct their “churches,” rather than following the model of Christ written down for us in the Scriptures which teaches us the ways of our Lord.

And so many of these alliances are teaching a false grace gospel which gives the sinners permission to keep on in their sin after they have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ. So many of them are teaching that we do not have to put sin to death in our lives (repent of our sins), and we do not have to obey God and His commands, for they call that “works salvation.” So, for those who are still making sin their practice, these kinds of alliances are attractive to them, because they don’t make them feel guilty for sinning.

False Alliances, the People’s Shame

These are people who do not seek the counsel of God, because they don’t truly want His counsel, because they know what His Word teaches about sin and sinful addiction and repentance and obedience to our Lord’s commands. So they seek out other humans who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear. And they will follow them instead of following God. Because then they can live however they want, and do whatever pleases them, while they still claim to be Christians and to be followers of Jesus Christ.

But this will be to their shame, for it is contrary to the will and purpose of God written down for us in the Scriptures for us to follow. It will be to their disgrace that they put their trust in other humans over and above putting their trust solely in God. For one day we are all going to stand before God on the day of judgment, and we will have to give an account as to what we did with Christ and with His gospel and with the teachings of the Scriptures on what it looks like to be true followers of Christ who obey God’s commands.

Believe The Truth

For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. For Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And we learn in 1 John 1-3 that if we claim that we have fellowship with God, but yet we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. If we claim that we know God, but we do not obey His commandments, in practice, we are liars. For it is not the one who claims He is “in Christ” who is “in Christ,” but it is the one who has denied self, died with Christ to sin, and who is now walking in obedience to our Lord and to His commands, in practice, and no longer in sin. We have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

An Alliance Against God’s Will
An Original Work / August 11, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Only in Him

Based off Isaiah 30
An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.

Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.

Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.

Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.

Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.

Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.