Jeremiah 2:21
“Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?”
God asked Israel, “…how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?” God could not understand how Israel could turn from becoming a nation that had everything going for her into a nation that allowed iniquity to abound. Israel was the nation that God salvaged from the nation of Egypt. Israel was a nation that God guided and protected through the wilderness. She was a nation who had seen God work in miraculous ways. She was the only nation to which He personally appeared at Mount Sinai. Yet, she had become a degenerate nation.
The word “degenerate” means, “having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline.” In other words, she was a nation that once produced righteousness and now she degraded into a nation that did evil and worshipped other gods. What a sad commentary on a nation that had such great potential!
This same commentary could be said about many Christians. There are many Christians whom God blessed, but they have degenerated into people who work iniquity. How could people who once used to be spiritually productive turn into degenerate plants? God answers in Jeremiah 4 when He shows how Israel became a degenerate nation.
First, you become degenerate by sowing among the thorns. Jeremiah 4:3 says, “…Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among the thorns.” You can’t live your life among the thorns and not expect them to influence your life. You can’t sow among liberal teachers and not expect their teachings to influence you. You can’t sow among liberal lifestyles and not expect their children to influence your children. When you live among the thorns of the world, you are going to have thorns sprout in your own life. If you don’t want to have a thorny future, then don’t live among the thorns.
Second, you become degenerate by learning more about sin than you do about righteousness. Jeremiah 4:22 says, “For my people is foolish…they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” Sadly, many Christians know more about the world than they do about the Word of God. Friend, when you know the ins and outs of sin and nothing about righteousness, then you are going to become a degenerate plant. When you know more about the world’s language than you do about building a Sunday school class or soul winning, then you are going to turn into a degenerate plant. When you know more about Hollywood movies than you do about the contents of the Word of God, then you are going to turn into a degenerate plant.
You have so much potential as God’s child. Be careful where you live your life. Don’t sow your life among the thorns. Don’t become more knowledgeable about worldly affairs than you do about serving God. If you want to avoid becoming a degenerate plant, then you need to become simple concerning the world and wise concerning God.