We are without excuse.
A statement like that tends to go against the grain in this age of universalism. Presidents, even a Republican, will use their considerable influence and claim there are many paths to God. Popes have intimated the same thing, along with countless others.
Then there are some who deny the existence of God completely, but when Jesus came the world ran out of excuses, especially in this day and age when the Bible is readily available, for free, to all who desire to have it.
“Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’” — John 14:23-25
There is no conscionable reason for the world to hate Jesus and to rebel against God by denying the Son. Despite what many say, the teachings of Jesus never caused war, even though evil men twisted scriptures to fit their needs, as in the Crusades.
In fact, Jesus teachings said His kingdom was not of this world, so there is no need to war over it with weapons for killing, but as Paul said we clothe ourselves with the armaments of the Spirit, what Paul in Ephesians called, “the full armor of God.”
So why does the world hate Jesus and His adherents? David Guzik in his commentaries noted, “There is no just cause for the world to hate Jesus and his followers the way they do. Instead the world hates because its sin is exposed, and because they know not the Father or the Son.”
Why do Muslims hate Christians as they do? One, they hate Christ’s followers because they are the standard bearers of His holy name. Two, they hate because all sins must come to bear in the light of Christ.
While the world is awash in its sins, almost reveling in them and hating Christ, they revile the one thing sent by God to set them free and restore them to a right relationship with the Father — that being his Son and what he did upon the cross of Calvary.
If Christ had never come into the world then we would go on about living our lives, thinking we are good people, but that changed when Jesus got here.
With Jesus we’re not as good as we thought we were, we are not truly free and there is no possible way we can reconcile ourselves with the Father. Jesus brought this realization with Him, but He provided the remedy in himself.
That’s the part that tends to get ignored — the remedy.
Christ, God incarnate, came to speak to men and still speaks to us through the Bible if we will open His word.
Matthew Henry wrote, “Every word of his is pure, carries with it a commanding majesty, and yet a condescending tenderness, able, one would think, to charm the deafest adder.”
Since we have this sure word, those who do not choose Christ are in contempt of Him.
There are those whom we should pity. We hear them say, “I can’t believe in a God who would condemn someone to Hell.”
They should be pitied because they do not know the truth, God does not condemn them. As judge He stands ready to acquit us of all our sins if only we would accept and believe on His Son and what He did for us on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins with the shedding of His precious blood.
Knowing this, the convicted sentence themselves to an eternity in Hell — not God.
There is no remedy for sin except through Jesus Christ. No works of man can wash the stain of sin off of us; but Christ’s blood covers over our transgressions and makes us clean before God.
Now for believers, do not flinch from the arrows of accusation thrown at us by the world.
“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is tie for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” — 1 Peter 4:14-17
As noted last week, our life is a simple, yes or no, question. Once we say yes, our eternity is answered with a “yes” from God, guaranteed by Jesus Christ.
———
If you need prayer or would like to comment Wayne can be reached by e-mail at etagnews@dctexas.net.
No comments:
Post a Comment