Jeremiah 14:10 English Standard Version (ESV) Thus says the Lord concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

Let us now address the second half of this verse. It begins with what should be an obvious conclusion. Should be means clarity is not found without scriptural support.

If the Lord had already accepted the wanders above, the text should have read “the Lord rejects them”. Supporting evidence needs to be found, and here again, we seek agreement with one another.

Revelation 3:14-18 English Standard Version

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

The Lord says He will spit them out of His mouth. This means that they will no longer speak for Him who is True. The issue there is leading others astray and failing to reach the lost. It does not say they are cast out of His hand. Rather than rejecting or denying them, He gives them further counsel in 18 about what to do to restore themselves as active members of the body of Christ.

Jeremiah 14:10 English Standard Version (ESV) Thus says the Lord concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

While we are seeking agreement about this issue of lost salvation let us break down verse 10 into two separate events. First is the act and second is the consequence. Let us begin with the act.

They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; can be felt by all of us at one time or another. Wandering from the Word of God can be seen as sin. Let us concede that issue so we can all agree.

1 John 1:8 English Standard Version (ESV) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We must address a more important issue than sin. Is the Spirit of Truth in us? We have all sinned and we will continue to have sin. If that were the only issue we would all be lost forever. The issue of the abiding presence of Truth is the dividing line between action and consequences.

One sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us is restricted movement. We are given a new heart upon new birth, a heart to love the Lord and the desire to be close to the One we love. Now it becomes a matter of love. We do not wander from those we love. But is sin straying from Christ? Is this the wandering of Jeremiah 14:10?

John 15:7-9 English Standard Version

⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

Abiding in His love means that wherever we go, He goes with us. We cannot wander away from His abiding presence. We take Him with us when we sin.