Sunday Thoughts

In a week filled with pain and tragedy, many people are wondering where God is, in all of this. How can He allow such things to happen? What is His purpose? Is He evil or inept? Is He "out to get us"? Does He even care?

I would like to reassure you that He does indeed care - and our cries of anguish and sorrow pierce Him to His heart.

These turmoils are the result of sin in this world. We all sin. Don't lie to me, you know that you've done lots of things you know you shouldn't have. So have I. That's our God-given conscience trying to encourage us to obey God. We ignore and disobey it all the time. As I teach my daughter: "You can choose your actions, but you cannot choose the consequences of those actions." The Bible states that "the wages of sin is death." The consequences of the sinful actions of the human race is death; this has been so from the very beginning.

But God, through the Apostle Paul, offers hope:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:18-25, NKJV, emph. mine)

God has promised that He will redeem the creation along with His chosen people, but at this time it still groans under the curse and bondage of corruption. Paul readily acknowledges the tribulations of this world, but he reminds us that this world is not all there is, nor is it all there will be.

The Apostle Peter reminds us

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:3-9, NKJV, emph. mine)

Don't you hate fair weather friends? When everything is going well, they're along for the ride and love to be around you. But when hard times come, they vanish like a soap bubble popping. God doesn't want soft, vacillating followers. He wants dedicated, whole hearted people who will follow Him, trust in Him, and who will be committed to be moulded into the Image of their Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ah. Yes...

This is a "limited offer." It is conditional. God says that the only remedy for sin is to pick up the Cross of Christ and follow Him. Humble yourself before Him, trust in Him alone to rescue you, and become His disciple: dedicate your life to becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. He is your only hope, and if you refuse Him, you have sealed your own fate.

Everyone knows the verse John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

But few consider the following verses, 18-21:

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." (NKJV, emph. mine)

Unbelievers are already condemned, because they love their own sin more than they love truth and eternal life.

"Phooey!" you say. "God has no call on me. I don't need some mythical figure like Jesus to 'save' me. That's a bunch of superstition!"

Really? Well, putting aside the historicity of Jesus for now (not the subject of this post), I want to ask you what has been the most tragic consequence of sin in this world? World War II? Hiroshima? Nagasaki? The Stalinist purges? All the wars combined together with all the people who have dies from sickness and neglect? What would be your vote?

God regards sin with such revulsion and condemnation that He knew it would require the ultimate punishment: eternal damnation and separation from Him. And we deserve that, each and every one of us, for our rebellion against our just and holy Creator. Yet, His love is so great that He could not allow all of the human race to suffer in damnation and torment. Therefore, God saw only one solution.

He took all of His just wrath and hatred of human sin and gathered it up. Then He took all the sin of humankind - from each petty little thought all the way to the most monstrous heinous torturous massacre - and fastened it on His Son as He hung on the cross. And then, God blasted Jesus with the full force of His holy rage against sin.

And Jesus took it, and paid our penalty in full.

That's how seriously God considers sin. That's how greatly He loves us.

His hand is extended in invitation: He's taken care of the price, and all you have to do is accept His gift.

The miners who died this week, from what I understand of them, were men of deep and solid faith. If my impression is correct, these men are now enjoying the boundless joy and blessings of God's table. While their families mourn their physical presence here on earth, those who share faith in Christ will see these men again in and eternal celebration of God's grace and mercy.

And then, finally, the Apostle John tells us what will happen in the future -

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me,"Write, for these words are true and faithful."

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:1-8, NKJV, emph. mine)

So, believers, have hope! Gird up your loins, take courage, fight the good fight, and persevere in your faith.

Unbelievers: take warning... And in the Name of Christ, I beg you to grasp onto the hope and the promise which can be yours for eternity.

And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15, NKJV)

(Crossposted to the Wide Awakes)