Recently, I started a teaching series at Indy Metro Church in the Book of Ruth. Both a drama and love story, the Book of Ruth is a literary masterpiece. While this is perhaps the most well told story of the overarching purpose of redemption, this takes place in a messy time period in the history of the Lord’s people.

Overall, this is a message of hope during the times of uncertainty! However, one truth which became evident to me from the first few verses is a cycle that can take place in the believer who becomes disconnected from relationships both in and outside of the church.

As the story goes, Elimelek (quite a name, huh?) moved his family into Moab in response to a great famine which had struck Bethlehem. Living in Moab, they were quite potentially the only believers in the land of people living among people who we’re considered enemies of the Israelites.  

While this appears on a minor act, it turned out to be quite detrimental to the whole family. Larger than that though is the cycle which occurs that is truly a universal truth.

Regardless of your life stage, age, ethnicity, or economic standard of living this cycle applies. This pattern of sin unfolds:  Sins of omission lead to isolation which often leads to sins of commission. This is the cycle of sin

• Sins of omission– For the follower of Christ to not being obedient the essentials of the Christian faith that the Lord clear which will lead you into deeper relationship with the Lord. Simply stated, omitting the actions that the believer knows will lead you closer to the Lord can be sin.
• Most often omission leads to isolation- To not do what you know you need to do as a Christ follower usually leads you to directly to sins of commission but often starts with being in place of isolation. Either perceived isolation (“no one understands this”) or actual separation from people. And to say you can walk with the Lord alone, don’t need a church family, etc. is foolish and only leads you to isolation.
• Isolation nearly always leads to sins of commission– Sins of commission as a believer involve direct rejection of the commands, decrees, etc you know you to be true. It comes in either outright rebellion or passive aggressive rejection. Nothing good comes from allowing oneself to be isolated for any period of time.

I’ve seen this cycle work through hundreds of times in the lives of Christians and seeing in the characters from the Book of Ruth reminded me on the dangers of this cycle for each of us as followers of Christ. Rejecting the commandments and convictions of the Lord when things look impossible will never remedy your situation. It may temporarily remove you from the pain but it will not draw you closer to the Lord.

Elimelek’s sins of omission led his family into isolation and vulnerable, while his sons sinned (married Moabite women). All the men died, leaving Naomi, Orphah, & Ruth in worst situation possible, broke, widowed and isolated. There wasn’t a worse situation to be placed in!

Though tempted to turn from faith when facing life’s challenges, this only leads to isolation and usually to making decisions which only lead to large problems.  

 “The majority of us begin with the bigger problems outside and forget the one inside. A man has to learn the plague of his own heart before his own problems can be solved.” –Oswald Chambers.

Our journey is first a spiritual journey which require taking the steps to maintain a relationship with the Lord, often while facing insurmountable problems.