God planned our salvation from the from the beginning of the world. (1 Peter 1:17-21).
Jesus was there in creation – (John 1:1ff).
The giving of the Old Testament law was an act of love if the Jews would obey. None of the laws were so burdensome that they couldn’t be obeyed. Think about the relationship between a loving parent and child. Loving the child protects them – God does the same – but if we become hard hearted and choose not to listen to God and choose to do things the way we wish, then we should be punished.
God knows all – from the kings to the lowliest servant – he knows the righteous as well as the wicked. Being king did not make a difference when it came to sin. God held David accountable with Bathsheba, Solomon with all of his wives and concubines, wicked kings who careD less about the commands of God and who were defeated in battle, and Israel was carried into captivity (Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans . . . ).
Sadly, one lesson that is clearly taught is that it is easier for God’s people to go with the flow of the world rather than doing what God has said. And sadly, punishment has to come from a loving Father to get his children back on the right path.
God warns and warns and warns. Yet he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-10).
God wants man to follow, love and serve Him. He truly knows what is best for us. We come as we are to our earthly father in disobedience, but he makes mistakes. God does not make mistakes. He knows more about us than we do about ourselves. Should any child of a family ever take advantage of his/her parents? Should we ever take advantage of God (like we can really do that)?
How are we able to do this? Consider two ideas. We should not take advantage of His grace and continue in sin – this is unacceptable to God – (see the Old Testament Jews and what they did). We cannot sin with the attitude that God will forgive me, and I can do what I want. Yet, we should take advantage of His grace to see how he loves us and saves us from ourselves.
WE SHOULD HATE SIN WHEN WE CONSIDER WHAT IT COST JESUS AND GOD to save us.
God is patient with man – all through the Old Testament he sent prophets to warn Israel. God gave them numerous chances to do better. Most of the children of Israel lived their lives their way with no thoughts of what God had commanded. Then, sadly, God would say, “enough is enough,” and would allow His people to be punished to wake them up to see where this kind of life would take them. SIN BREAKS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD! (Count how many times God allowed His people to be held in captivity due to their disobedience)
In the Old Testament God commanded the sacrifice of an animal, and that animal shed its blood for the offeror of the sacrifice. The blood pointed to the reality of the cost of sin. In the New Testament Jesus became the “once for all sacrifice” and by him WILLINGLY shedding his own blood, the debt for sin is remitted, and forgiven. THIS DOES NOT allow us to sin wantonly, and expect God to forgive us if we continue to live our lives unworthy of the gospel.
The church today must realize that we are commissioned to spread the good news of Jesus. We should live worthy of the gospel (Philippians 1:27). No Christian should ever be accused of being a hypocrite (though we know that many are accused of such because their lives do not reflect well upon the gospel of Christ). Beloved, when we consider the cost of our salvation all of us should reflect on our walk with Christ and our example to a lost world.
Relatives, friends, love ones, indeed, the whole world must be reminded that we will stand before God one day and give an account to Him for the blessings he has given us, and for the saving of our souls. But we can only rejoice IF we have chosen to follow God DAILY in our lives.
JUDGMENT IS COMING – are you ready?
Tommy Tidwell June 2, 2024
