While we need not fear losing our salvation, this warning in Deuteronomy still drives us to action (Deut. 29; John 10:28–29; Rom. 8:35–39). We should choose safety—true safety. Safety is a word we may not quickly equate with righteousness. We tend to choose other words like holiness, godliness, goodness. Those are good descriptions, but we may forget that ultimately the path of righteousness is safe.

My youngest child always had a knack for falling. Though my husband and I warned him time and time again squatting on the edge of a chair wasn’t wise, it never sunk in. With his toes perched perilously near the precipice, he foolishly believed he was safe, only to wind up on the floor yet again.

If you’ve been around a toddler for any length of time, you understand the seemingly fruitless effort of trying to maintain boundaries and keep them from harm.

“Why did you think that was a good idea?” I’ve uttered that phrase often during the last eight years of raising children.

Though it’s easy to bemoan the dissonance of a child who boldly neglects the wisdom of his parents, I am often no different. How often do I sidle up to the lion who could eat me for lunch (1 Pet. 5:8)?

Unfortunately, we are often tempted to believe safety exists in the presence of sin.

A Warning From God

A warning in Deuteronomy perfectly encapsulates the foolishness of this way of thinking. The entire book of Deuteronomy is a rally speech for the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. Moses renewed the demands of the covenant in order to encourage them to obey it. As he neared the end, he recounted the terms—bountiful blessings will come with obedience or tragic curses with their disobedience.

Like a wise parent God lays out the parameters for his people, they have no excuse. Yet Moses warns them to beware of the person among them who is a poisonous and bitter fruit (Deut. 29:18). This man will hear the word of the covenant—its warnings and admonitions and instead will say, “I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart” (Deut. 29:19). The consequences for this man will be anything but security.

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