Will God Forsake?

One supposed contradiction is between Hebrews 13:5 and 2 Chronicles 15:2.

Hebrews 13:5

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you(possible quote of Deuteronomy 31:6),” (Hebrews 13:5 NASB1995).

2 Chronicles 15:2

“and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you,” (2 Chronicles 15:2 NASB1995).

What seems to be happening in Hebrews is a lack of delineation, or a lack of specific details. God loves his people, but we also must remember a contrast, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” (John 14:15 NASB1995). God loves those who abide and follow him(John 15:14), but if you depart from him, if you live in sin, God will say: “... I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23 NKJV). “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” (Hebrews 10:26 NKJV).

The concept of God forsaking one is seen again in Matthew: “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matthew 12:31-32 NASB1995).

If you truly desire God, you can be with him (John 3:16), but if you do not, if you work opposed to him and never repent, Isaiah says: “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon,” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJV). If “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart,” (Jeremiah 29:13 NASB1995).

The difference is the context of the person. If you seek God, he will never forsake you, but if you reject him, you will fall into damnation.

Works Cited:

Nelson, Thomas. NKJV, Holy Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version. United Kingdom, Thomas Nelson, 2009.