Indifference

A neutral attitude to God that is as dangerous as hostility. It is condemned as a rejection of God's love and of the needs of others.

Indifference towards God

No desire to seek God

Romans 3:11 See also Isaiah 42:20; Jeremiah 5:21; Zephaniah 1:6; Matthew 13:15, Matthew 24:12; Acts 28:27; Revelation 3:15–22

There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

Refusal to heed God's word

Jeremiah 37:2 See also Psalm 81:11; Jeremiah 6:10, Jeremiah 7:13, Jeremiah 25:3–7, Jeremiah 35:15; Ezekiel 3:7; Zechariah 1:4, Zechariah 7:11–13

But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

Refusal to respond to God's discipline

Jeremiah 5:3 See also Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 7:27–28, Jeremiah 17:23, Jeremiah 32:33

O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.

Ignoring God is rebellion against him

Ezekiel 12:2 See also Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 7:26, Jeremiah 36:24; Ezekiel 20:8

“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

People ignore God and his warnings at their peril

Jeremiah 12:11 See also Exodus 9:21, Exodus 9:25; 2 Chronicles 33:10–11; Nehemiah 9:30; Proverbs 1:24–27, Proverbs 13:18; Jeremiah 11:8, Jeremiah 36:31, Jeremiah 44:5–6; Matthew 22:5–7

They have made it a desolation; desolate before Me, it mourns. All the land is laid waste, but no man takes it to heart.

For those who ignore God's salvation, there is no hope

Hebrews 2:3 See also Jeremiah 7:24; Matthew 12:30 parallel Luke 11:23

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

Indifference to God's declared intentions

Ezekiel 22:30 See also Numbers 32:6–7; Judges 5:15–17, Judges 5:23; 2 Chronicles 24:5; Psalm 22:11; Isaiah 64:7; Jeremiah 48:10

I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.

Indifference of religious leaders condemned

Ezekiel 34:2–4; Zechariah 11:16–17; John 10:12–13

Indifference towards the needs of others

Indifference arises from sin

Proverbs 29:7 See also Job 21:21; Isaiah 32:6; James 2:15–16, James 5:1–6

The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.

Examples of indifference towards others

Genesis 40:23 towards Joseph; 1 Samuel 25:10–11 towards David; Matthew 26:40 parallels Mark 14:37, Luke 22:45; 2 Timothy 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:16

Jesus Christ condemns indifference

Matthew 25:41–45 See also Luke 10:30–32, Luke 16:19–21

Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’ And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’

Jesus Christ's apparent indifference

Mark 4:38 parallels Matthew 8:24–25, Luke 8:23–24 Jesus Christ sometimes delayed responding to cries for help in order to draw out faith. See also Matthew 15:26 parallel Mark 7:27; Luke 10:40; John 11:6

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”