Don't excuse the title environment
2 Kings (40) Do not use circumstances as an excuse
(2 Kings 17:24-41)
<Samaria in a Mixed Religion>
King Esarhaddon (681-669 B.C.), the king of Assyria, moved people from Babylon, Guda, Awa, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, in place of the children of Israel who were taken to Assyria during the reign of Sargon II after the destruction of northern Israel. He made them dwell in several cities (verse 24). When the Gentiles first settled in Samaria, they did not fear the Lord, so the Lord sent messengers to kill some of them (verse 25).
At that time, when someone told the king of Assyria that the death messenger appeared to the Gentiles who had migrated to Samaria because they did not serve the Samaritan god according to the custom, the king of Assyria took the priest away from Samaria to prevent the god's disaster and the people's agitation. returned to Samaria to teach the people of the law of the Lord (verse 27). Eventually, a priest who had been taken captive from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught the people how to fear the Lord (verse 28).
Under such circumstances, each of the Gentiles made their own images and placed them on the high places of the towns where they lived (verse 29). Thus, the Gentiles brought their own religion, resulting in a mixed religion in which idols and Jehovah God were worshiped together. Mixed marriages between Israelis and Gentiles also gave rise to a mixed race called Samaritans. The Samaritans did not follow God's ordinances, but rather followed mixed customs (verse 40).
Eventually, in Samaria, many peoples feared the Lord and worshiped idols at the same time, and from generation to generation became infected with mixed religions (verse 41). At that time, the Samaritans, who were formed of a mixture of Israelis and foreign immigrants, lived near Mount Gerizim and were more conservative than the Jews at the time of Jesus, but they were despised by the Israelites from generation to generation. The root cause of this is that they failed to keep the purity of their faith and fell into syncretism.
God is not pleased with syncretism. Deuteronomy 22:5 says this. “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, and a man shall not wear a woman’s garment, for he who does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.” Also, Deuteronomy 22:9-11 tells us not to sow two seeds in a vineyard, do not mix oxen and donkeys together, and do not weave wool and linen together. These words are warnings against syncretism.
<Don't make excuses for the environment>
There is an attitude most favored by syncretistic believers. It is an attitude that makes excuses for the environment. The environment was so unavoidable. The Jews living in Samaria at the time must have wanted to use this as an excuse for their indulging in mixed religions. “How can we keep our faith in such an environment where foreign gods come from all directions and there are people who worship foreign gods? The environment made it impossible.”
The fortress witnesses many terrible crimes. What is even more terrifying is the fact that, even after committing such a horrific crime, the criminals who stand in the courtroom use the world as an excuse and blame others. What do many people still say? That's because the environment is bad. Also, what do psychologists and sociologists say? It is said that it was because of the poor social and family environment. Of course, it takes effort to create a good environment. However, you cannot blame the environment alone.
A child who can't study said, "There is no study room! I couldn’t attend tutoring!” he excuses. However, there are children who are ranked first even without a study room. If the environment is bad, you should try to overcome it while praying to get through it. Saints are beings who change the environment, and if assimilated with the environment, the value of Saints will decrease. Saints can change the present environment as much as they want. After God created man, He said, “Rule and conquer all things!” Broadly speaking, it means that believers can overcome any circumstance.
How irresponsible would it be if a student caught smoking at school and made excuses for having a friend next to him enticing him to smoke? Where in the world could there be no such temptation? Don't make excuses for the environment. Excusing the environment is giving up leadership and giving up a sense of identity and responsibility. Even if the world tempts you, when you protect yourself by saying, “You shouldn’t be a pig!”, leadership and a sense of identity develop and your sense of responsibility deepens.
Only when you admit that you are responsible for your sins can you find a solution through true repentance. So, don't use the environment as an excuse, and make a commitment like this. “God has called me here to change this place! I will live like a light here!” If you make up your mind like that and go out looking only at God, you can change the world and the environment. "Can not. The world is so evil...” Do not make excuses for circumstances, but find a way to overcome wrong circumstances in God and become blessed souls who live a life of light in the world.