Topical Bible: Character of the Wicked: Forgetting God

Bible > Topical > Character of the Wicked

◄ Character of the Wicked: Forgetting God ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the wicked forgetting God is a recurring theme in the Bible, illustrating a fundamental aspect of their character. This forgetfulness is not merely a lapse in memory but a deliberate neglect and rejection of God's presence, commandments, and sovereignty. The wicked's forgetfulness of God is often portrayed as the root of their moral and spiritual corruption, leading to a life of sin and rebellion against divine authority.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 9:17 : "The wicked will return to Sheol—all the nations who forget God." This verse underscores the ultimate fate of those who forget God, equating their destiny with Sheol, a place of death and separation from God. It highlights the seriousness of forgetting God, not just as an individual act but as a national sin that leads to collective judgment.

2. Deuteronomy 8:11-14 : "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." This passage warns against the danger of prosperity leading to pride and forgetfulness of God. It serves as a reminder that forgetting God often begins with neglecting His commandments and results in a false sense of self-sufficiency.

3. Job 8:13-14 : "Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish. His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web." Here, Bildad describes the precarious state of those who forget God, likening their hope and security to a fragile spider's web. This metaphor emphasizes the futility and instability of a life lived apart from God.

4. Jeremiah 3:21 : "A voice is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the children of Israel, because they have perverted their way and forgotten the LORD their God." This verse captures the sorrow and regret of Israel as they realize the consequences of forgetting God. It reflects the deep spiritual loss and the need for repentance and return to God.

5. Hosea 4:6 : "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children." This passage connects the forgetfulness of God with a rejection of His law and knowledge, leading to destruction and divine rejection. It highlights the generational impact of forgetting God, affecting not only the current generation but also their descendants.

Theological Implications:

Forgetting God is not a passive state but an active choice that reflects a heart turned away from Him. It is often accompanied by pride, self-reliance, and a disregard for God's commandments. The Bible consistently warns of the dire consequences of such forgetfulness, including spiritual decay, divine judgment, and separation from God's blessings.

The character of the wicked, as portrayed in Scripture, is marked by this forgetfulness, which manifests in various forms of idolatry, immorality, and injustice. The call to remember God and His works is a central theme in the Bible, urging believers to cultivate a heart of gratitude, obedience, and reverence for the Lord.

Nave's Topical Index

Job 8:13
So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Written from Rome
... and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet ... in every land the true foundation for
character building has ... We are in danger of forgetting God, of looking at ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 45 written from rome.htm

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for ...
... our gratitude is of a character to increasingly ... knaves we are; perpetrating every
wicked deed, stirring up ... Wholly forgetting God's benefits, they must wage war ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/twenty second sunday after trinity.htm

The Likeness of God
... That is the character, that is the form of it. ... men are, and say, 'This people, this
wicked world, who ... so long shall we be in danger of forgetting it, paltering ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon xxiv the likeness of god.htm

The Life of God
... life; they forgot what God's life and character was like ... What was the fruit of their
wilfully forgetting what God's ... and pretend that God is as wicked as you are ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xv the life of.htm

Be Ye Doers of the Word, not Hearers Only, Deceiving Your Own ...
... have great aggravation, and appear extremely wicked in the ... before my own eyes what
your character is, and no ... in a glass turning away and forgetting what manner ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/be ye doers of the.htm

Jesus Before Pilate.
... unjust designs they recklessly prostitute God's ordinance of ... are so many traits of
character which show ... he was weak rather than wicked, forgetting that moral ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xix jesus before pilate.htm

What is God's Will?
... miserable Christian life, imperfect Christian character, and impaired ... The wicked,
the profligate, the licentious ... It consists partly in forgetting that they are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/what is gods will.htm

Curiosity a Temptation to Sin.
... To enter not the path of the wicked, to avoid ... the time that he has mixed with the
world, forgetting who the ... that is, that this is its chief character, that all ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon v curiosity a temptation.htm

Faith in God and Christ
... He, forgetting His own burden, turns to comfort and encourage them ... have to take that
into account if we would estimate the character of Jesus ... The wicked is like ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/faith in god and christ.htm

Of the Character of the Unregenerate.
... of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth ... branch of every good man's
character; for he is ... attained, or being already perfect, forgetting the things ...
/.../doddridge/practical discourses on regeneration/discourse i of the character.htm