September 13, 1994
A Canadian doctor, after 12 years of doing surgery in war-torn places, has come to this conclusion: “There are only bad people and worse people.” He hopes he is “only one of the bad.”
Many people say war brings out fine attributes in people such as courage and national pride, but this doctor seems totally disillusioned. For him, there is no human goodness and war makes it obvious.
According to the Bible, the doctor is correct. It is those who see a positive side of human nature, wars or not, that are disillusioned. Consider this verse from the Old Testament: “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). That means everyone, even those who seem the most saintly, have sinned.
A second passage from the New Testament adds more: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).
Certainly by human standards, people often do good (the doctor did some good during his 12 years of service), but the Bible teaches that by God’s standard, sin pollutes every person and every deed. God even says the good we do is polluted. One of His prophets explains: “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.”
For God to condemn what we esteem, must mean He sees something behind our supposed good deeds that we cannot see. Consider our motivations. I honestly must admit I am often influenced by selfish desires for personal gain or recognition. I know God sees that and does not approve.
If sinful motives were not enough to condemn even the good we do, God expects even more. He says “whatever is not of faith is sin.” Not only do selfish motives fail His test, deeds done in unbelief fall short. He wants us to be motivated by faith.
According to God’s Word, all sin, even sin not apparent to us, needs to be exposed by God and acknowledged to God. His purpose is not so He can condemn us (sin already does that) but so He can forgive and cleanse our sin from us. Accepting and believing His evaluation of our condition is the first step towards good deeds that are not motivated by selfishness and unbelief.
God, through grace and the power of His Spirit, provides a way to be rightly motivated in godly activities. Our hope is in the righteousness of Christ, given freely to all who admit their need. Romans 3 says “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
The goodness of God is a genuine gift. No one can earn or deserve it; we do not have the capacity. We cannot even claim the smallest measure of goodness. Nothing we do without Jesus can satisfy God’s high and holy standard. Without His offer of salvation by grace through faith, none of us would even seek that degree of goodness.
Even with faith in Christ, the good we do is clearly from Him. Any believing Christian who thinks otherwise simply proves our sinful tendency toward pride.
As the doctor said, war does amplify the extremes of our sinful nature. While we respect those who courageously risk their lives to defend homeland and families, we should never forget it is because we are sinners that we go to war in the first place.
Showing posts with label all sin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all sin. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2016
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
One Vital Option ................... Parables 174
(July 19, 1989)
Every time our family discusses the possibility of trading in a vehicle or buying another one, the word OPTIONS comes up. Most cars come with basic features and offer luxury options. A few come with basic luxuries and about the only options left to choose are colors. Personally, I like a variety of choices. Decision-making may take longer but it is fun putting together the possible combinations, trying to get the most and the best and still be under-budget.
Actually, car buying and life are alike. We want the most and the best without going’ bankrupt in the process! Life’s basics include death, and some humorists add taxes. Another is our incredibly tendency to violate the laws of God.
A few years ago, I looked up every verse in Scripture with the word “sin” in it. I’d had the idea that sin consisted of breaking the Ten Commandments, specifically murder, adultery, lying, and stealing.
Even these were graded, so I thought. At some point, they passed over the line from “sin” to “excusable.” I also thought that since some people didn’t do anything too horribly bad, they would not be considered sinners. And even those who were could do enough good deeds to somehow balance out the bad. I wasn’t worried about my sins. I thought I wasn’t as bad as some people I knew.
Out of that word study, I learned a lot about sin. I learned God has high standards and anything that falls short is called “unrighteousness.”
This short verse, “All unrighteousness is sin,” dashed my ideas about it being graded. No excusable “little white lies” at one end and sinful “big whoppers” at the other. All get one label.
I also discovered this one, “Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.” One sin makes a person a sinner, even if the rest of his life seems okay. It’s like an omelet. One rotten egg ruins the whole thing, no matter how fresh the rest! Gone was my idea that little transgressions would be overlooked.
By this time, I was beginning to get the picture. Innocence doesn’t exist. Sin is basic to the human condition. I couldn’t opt out on that one. Romans 3 confirms it, “All have sinned...” and then chapter 6 condemns it, “The wages of sin is death.” I also discovered death means eternal separation from God.
Since the Bible is about heaven and how to get there, all this bad news could make a person wonder if there is any point in trying to make at least a few good choices. Why Proverbs 24:9 says, “Even the thought of foolishness is sin.”
It would appear no matter the level of goodness reached, one bad thought overrules. Not much hope given for all us sinners in these verses about sin. But there was one more. Jesus told His disciples that He would go away but the Holy Spirit would come. One of the Spirit’s functions would be to convict (convince) the world of sin. Then He defined it, “... sin, because they do not believe in Me.”
Eureka! With every other sin there was too much water under the bridge and too many unwise choices already made, but here is the one sin I could do something about! There is an option that changes human destiny.
Instead of choosing to believe in my own resources to deal with sin, I was offered the option of trusting in the death and resurrection of Christ. He took all those choices I’d already made, every sinful thought, word, and deed, to their just end on the cross, leaving me with just one option upon which my eternal destiny hinges: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
I may never own a fully loaded, 4-wheeled anything, but because of Jesus Christ, I can pick eternity with Him. It isn’t a basic, but thank God, that option is available.
Every time our family discusses the possibility of trading in a vehicle or buying another one, the word OPTIONS comes up. Most cars come with basic features and offer luxury options. A few come with basic luxuries and about the only options left to choose are colors. Personally, I like a variety of choices. Decision-making may take longer but it is fun putting together the possible combinations, trying to get the most and the best and still be under-budget.
Actually, car buying and life are alike. We want the most and the best without going’ bankrupt in the process! Life’s basics include death, and some humorists add taxes. Another is our incredibly tendency to violate the laws of God.
A few years ago, I looked up every verse in Scripture with the word “sin” in it. I’d had the idea that sin consisted of breaking the Ten Commandments, specifically murder, adultery, lying, and stealing.
Even these were graded, so I thought. At some point, they passed over the line from “sin” to “excusable.” I also thought that since some people didn’t do anything too horribly bad, they would not be considered sinners. And even those who were could do enough good deeds to somehow balance out the bad. I wasn’t worried about my sins. I thought I wasn’t as bad as some people I knew.
Out of that word study, I learned a lot about sin. I learned God has high standards and anything that falls short is called “unrighteousness.”
This short verse, “All unrighteousness is sin,” dashed my ideas about it being graded. No excusable “little white lies” at one end and sinful “big whoppers” at the other. All get one label.
I also discovered this one, “Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.” One sin makes a person a sinner, even if the rest of his life seems okay. It’s like an omelet. One rotten egg ruins the whole thing, no matter how fresh the rest! Gone was my idea that little transgressions would be overlooked.
By this time, I was beginning to get the picture. Innocence doesn’t exist. Sin is basic to the human condition. I couldn’t opt out on that one. Romans 3 confirms it, “All have sinned...” and then chapter 6 condemns it, “The wages of sin is death.” I also discovered death means eternal separation from God.
Since the Bible is about heaven and how to get there, all this bad news could make a person wonder if there is any point in trying to make at least a few good choices. Why Proverbs 24:9 says, “Even the thought of foolishness is sin.”
It would appear no matter the level of goodness reached, one bad thought overrules. Not much hope given for all us sinners in these verses about sin. But there was one more. Jesus told His disciples that He would go away but the Holy Spirit would come. One of the Spirit’s functions would be to convict (convince) the world of sin. Then He defined it, “... sin, because they do not believe in Me.”
Eureka! With every other sin there was too much water under the bridge and too many unwise choices already made, but here is the one sin I could do something about! There is an option that changes human destiny.
Instead of choosing to believe in my own resources to deal with sin, I was offered the option of trusting in the death and resurrection of Christ. He took all those choices I’d already made, every sinful thought, word, and deed, to their just end on the cross, leaving me with just one option upon which my eternal destiny hinges: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
I may never own a fully loaded, 4-wheeled anything, but because of Jesus Christ, I can pick eternity with Him. It isn’t a basic, but thank God, that option is available.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Will God “get you” for that? ................... Parables 149
Remember the TV show “Maude?” The lead character was loud, bossy, domineering and sometimes funny. Whenever someone crossed her, she almost always retorted, “God’s going to get you for that!
In November, someone stole a tropical bird from an Edmonton pet store. Last week the thief telephoned the store to let them know the bird was safely in a box at the door of the pet shop. He returned it because he was afraid “God would get him” for what he had done.
I’m not well acquainted with many thieves, but what I know about criminals indicates most don’t plan on getting caught nor do they consider before the crime just what the penalty might be. Neither does it occur to them (or to very many other people for that matter) what God might do. This thief seems an exception rather than the rule. No wonder his confession made headlines.
Maybe he was a paranoid fanatic who had watched too many episodes of Maude. I would like to think better. Perhaps a faithful parent taught him something about consequences. Maybe a Christian Sunday school teacher explained how unjust people may go through life without getting caught and even enter the grave unpunished, but there is one more check stop after that one. At least this thief paid heed to his conscience.
Some ‘holier-than-thou’ types might suggest if he was so spiritually minded, why did he take the bird in the first place? While he can’t plead “everyone gives in to temptation now and then” before a court of law, the fact of the matter is that everyone does give into temptation at times.
No one can point a finger in utter innocence at anyone else. Perhaps all of us have taken something that didn’t belong to us at one time or another. The difference between this fellow and a “common” thief is that he let the fear of God motivate a turn-around after his sin was committed.
The fear of God is a rare commodity. Atheists, agnostics, and skeptics claim God is dead or never was, or God doesn’t care. A vast majority simply form their opinion through personal experience without checking what He says about Himself in His Word.
When personal experience becomes the Bible, then if bolts of lightning don’t fall from the sky after every sin is committed, “judgment” is dismissed as an imaginary iron fist that religious people hold over poor souls.
Others argue that God is much too loving to punish anyone, and guilt is simply a human quirk that needs to be ignored. But what does God say about His judgment?
First, Romans 9:22 says God may withhold punishment so we will know that His character includes both anger at sin and great patience with sinners. Some think God is a vindictive tyrant without compassion, while others think He is loving and kind, looking the other way when we disobey Him.
Neither are true. This verse asks, “What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath. . . what if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy?”
Because we tend to ‘make God in our own image,’ our view of God is often more like we are than He is. Our common reaction when offended is instant retaliation. Since God does not take immediate vengeance, we tend to think He just isn’t looking, or caring what happens because “if I were God, my reaction would be instant . . . I’d get him for that!”
But the Bible says God is patient, merciful, and long suffering. Simply put, that means He does not deal with us according to what our sins deserve. He has put His wrath on hold, as it were, waiting for responses to His mercy. “God is not slow in keeping His promise, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
When Maude said, “God is going to get your for that,” she got a laugh. When God said it, He hoped to get repentance and faith — so He can forgive whatever ‘it’ is and give the offender eternal life.
In November, someone stole a tropical bird from an Edmonton pet store. Last week the thief telephoned the store to let them know the bird was safely in a box at the door of the pet shop. He returned it because he was afraid “God would get him” for what he had done.
I’m not well acquainted with many thieves, but what I know about criminals indicates most don’t plan on getting caught nor do they consider before the crime just what the penalty might be. Neither does it occur to them (or to very many other people for that matter) what God might do. This thief seems an exception rather than the rule. No wonder his confession made headlines.
Maybe he was a paranoid fanatic who had watched too many episodes of Maude. I would like to think better. Perhaps a faithful parent taught him something about consequences. Maybe a Christian Sunday school teacher explained how unjust people may go through life without getting caught and even enter the grave unpunished, but there is one more check stop after that one. At least this thief paid heed to his conscience.
Some ‘holier-than-thou’ types might suggest if he was so spiritually minded, why did he take the bird in the first place? While he can’t plead “everyone gives in to temptation now and then” before a court of law, the fact of the matter is that everyone does give into temptation at times.
No one can point a finger in utter innocence at anyone else. Perhaps all of us have taken something that didn’t belong to us at one time or another. The difference between this fellow and a “common” thief is that he let the fear of God motivate a turn-around after his sin was committed.
The fear of God is a rare commodity. Atheists, agnostics, and skeptics claim God is dead or never was, or God doesn’t care. A vast majority simply form their opinion through personal experience without checking what He says about Himself in His Word.
When personal experience becomes the Bible, then if bolts of lightning don’t fall from the sky after every sin is committed, “judgment” is dismissed as an imaginary iron fist that religious people hold over poor souls.
Others argue that God is much too loving to punish anyone, and guilt is simply a human quirk that needs to be ignored. But what does God say about His judgment?
First, Romans 9:22 says God may withhold punishment so we will know that His character includes both anger at sin and great patience with sinners. Some think God is a vindictive tyrant without compassion, while others think He is loving and kind, looking the other way when we disobey Him.
Neither are true. This verse asks, “What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath. . . what if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy?”
Because we tend to ‘make God in our own image,’ our view of God is often more like we are than He is. Our common reaction when offended is instant retaliation. Since God does not take immediate vengeance, we tend to think He just isn’t looking, or caring what happens because “if I were God, my reaction would be instant . . . I’d get him for that!”
But the Bible says God is patient, merciful, and long suffering. Simply put, that means He does not deal with us according to what our sins deserve. He has put His wrath on hold, as it were, waiting for responses to His mercy. “God is not slow in keeping His promise, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
When Maude said, “God is going to get your for that,” she got a laugh. When God said it, He hoped to get repentance and faith — so He can forgive whatever ‘it’ is and give the offender eternal life.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Every person sins and falls short of God's glory .......................... Parables 130
Closets are simply places to hang clothes, store sports equipment, stash books, and shove those piles of stuff that have no other place but beg hiding when company is coming.
But closets are also hiding places for secrets, a secret past, a secret lifestyle.
At one time, homosexuality was one such secret, fearfully kept hidden. Now as the closet doors are opening and “coming out” is hailed a virtue in some minds, frank admission is increasingly equated with acceptability, not only before society, but before God. After all, doesn’t God accept everyone, in love? Especially if they are honest? Don’t be too sure.
First, the idea of hiding this lifestyle, whether in a closet or under the cover of darkness is not new. Back in Genesis, the gay community of Sodom and Gomorrah were much bolder at night (yet they could not escape God’s eyes because “darkness and light are both alike” to Him, Psalm 139.)
“Coming out of the closet” is not a new idea either. I’ve been told the Roman army, about the time of Christ, openly encouraged the practice of homosexuality among its ranks.
We usually associate hiding with guilt. Jesus confirms the connection by saying that people love darkness because their deeds are evil. He urges all to come to the Light and be willing to have their life exposed -- but He makes it clear that coming out of hiding is not enough. The problem goes far deeper than mere avoidance of discovery.
The book of Romans, the most complete outline of man’s condition and God’s remedy, says this: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all . . . who suppress the truth . . . because what may be known of God . . . has been shown to them . . . (but) they did not glorify Him as God . . . their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image like corruptible man (reminds me of a certain movie!)... therefore God gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves . . . the men leaving the natural use . . . and burned in their lust for one another, men with men -- committing what is shameful . . . (so) God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness: sexual immorality, wickedness . . . (and a long list of other sins) . . . who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Simply put, any who reject what they know about God and His truth are left to follow their own sinful desires. It isn’t that falling into such sin results in God rejecting those sinners, but their immoral lives are evidence that they have already rejected the truth God gave them. Therefore, Romans says, this lifestyle reveals a hardness of heart against the truth of God and in fact, becoming open about sin can really mean, “I don’t care what anyone thinks . . . I am going to do what I want to do.”
When I clean my closets, opening the door is just the first step. It reveals the mess. But unless I go on to straighten it out, it says a mess. Unfortunately, the gay community says they are turning on lights by “coming out of the closet” but all they are doing is letting everyone know what they have previously kept hidden.
Walking in the Light of Christ means more than that. It is repenting or turning from sin, no matter what form it takes, and walking a new way. It is becoming, by faith and the power of God, a new creature that grows in godliness.
While some protest that God loves them (therefore no one has any right to reject them) they are actually rejecting His love. He does not love with a permissiveness that leaves people in an unholy condition. In fact, the love of God is a bright light that exposes the mess with the holy purpose of making it holy.
But closets are also hiding places for secrets, a secret past, a secret lifestyle.
At one time, homosexuality was one such secret, fearfully kept hidden. Now as the closet doors are opening and “coming out” is hailed a virtue in some minds, frank admission is increasingly equated with acceptability, not only before society, but before God. After all, doesn’t God accept everyone, in love? Especially if they are honest? Don’t be too sure.
First, the idea of hiding this lifestyle, whether in a closet or under the cover of darkness is not new. Back in Genesis, the gay community of Sodom and Gomorrah were much bolder at night (yet they could not escape God’s eyes because “darkness and light are both alike” to Him, Psalm 139.)
“Coming out of the closet” is not a new idea either. I’ve been told the Roman army, about the time of Christ, openly encouraged the practice of homosexuality among its ranks.
We usually associate hiding with guilt. Jesus confirms the connection by saying that people love darkness because their deeds are evil. He urges all to come to the Light and be willing to have their life exposed -- but He makes it clear that coming out of hiding is not enough. The problem goes far deeper than mere avoidance of discovery.
The book of Romans, the most complete outline of man’s condition and God’s remedy, says this: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all . . . who suppress the truth . . . because what may be known of God . . . has been shown to them . . . (but) they did not glorify Him as God . . . their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image like corruptible man (reminds me of a certain movie!)... therefore God gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves . . . the men leaving the natural use . . . and burned in their lust for one another, men with men -- committing what is shameful . . . (so) God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness: sexual immorality, wickedness . . . (and a long list of other sins) . . . who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Simply put, any who reject what they know about God and His truth are left to follow their own sinful desires. It isn’t that falling into such sin results in God rejecting those sinners, but their immoral lives are evidence that they have already rejected the truth God gave them. Therefore, Romans says, this lifestyle reveals a hardness of heart against the truth of God and in fact, becoming open about sin can really mean, “I don’t care what anyone thinks . . . I am going to do what I want to do.”
When I clean my closets, opening the door is just the first step. It reveals the mess. But unless I go on to straighten it out, it says a mess. Unfortunately, the gay community says they are turning on lights by “coming out of the closet” but all they are doing is letting everyone know what they have previously kept hidden.
Walking in the Light of Christ means more than that. It is repenting or turning from sin, no matter what form it takes, and walking a new way. It is becoming, by faith and the power of God, a new creature that grows in godliness.
While some protest that God loves them (therefore no one has any right to reject them) they are actually rejecting His love. He does not love with a permissiveness that leaves people in an unholy condition. In fact, the love of God is a bright light that exposes the mess with the holy purpose of making it holy.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Can you swim to Hawaii? ......................... Parables 127
I will never forget Donna. I met her when answering an ad in the paper for a drafting table. It turned out that she was selling her furniture to buy food.
I put my arms around her and together with her went through incredible disasters, calamities, and finally some joy. Her trials would fill a book, yet she could always find something that made her smile.
One day I asked her, “Donna, suppose you died and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?”
Donna responded, “I’m not bad enough to go to hell.”
While wondering just how bad she thought a person had to be to go to hell, I took Donna on a little imaginary trip to the west coast. I asked her to pretend that she and all of the people she knew were lined up along the coastline. Their task was to swim to Hawaii. I asked her, “How far would you get?”
She thought, then said, “About 200 yards.”
I told her that she would do better than I would. I’d drown when the first wave hit. But some good swimmers might make it 20 or 30 miles.
Then I asked, “How many would make it all the way?”
She said, “None. It’s too far.”
When she said that, I read this verse to her, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
I explained to her that God’s standard is perfection. Some people may come closer than others, but no one makes it. It is just too “far.” We cannot do it because of sin.
In fact, “sin” is from a Greek word meaning “to fall short,” like an arrow aimed at a target. That is, when anyone draws back their bowstring and aims at being good enough for heaven, all arrows land on the ground, far short of the bull’s eye.
I told her that God will forgive our failure and accept us jest as we are, but we also need the gift of perfect righteousness — equipping us for heaven — much like a swimmer would need special strength to swim half was across the Pacific or an archer extra power to hit a distant target.
Donna thought that hitting God’s target involved measuring her life by the bad she didn’t have. She wasn’t a thief or a murderer or anything terribly gross, so she must be okay.
But again, His standard is not a negative one made up of what we don’t do. Instead, He has a far more positive goal. He wants us to be like His Son, perfect in every way!
Occasionally someone comes along calling himself a Messiah. Others even claim to be Christ or that all are born with the “Christ-spirit.”
In reading Scripture and looking at humanity, I’ve come to the conclusion that only the hopelessly uninformed or hopelessly deluded could make such claims. Being Christlike involves humbly receiving Christ. We can’t do it.
Donna was glad to hear that God loved her just as she was. She asked His forgiveness for her shortfall and received the life of Christ.
She found out that heaven is not an attainment but a gift — from One who does not lower His expectations because we can’t meet them, but in mercy gives us what we need — Himself!
Donna also found that new Christians are not always able to act and react in a Christlike way. Time and trials provide her opportunities to “aim and shoot” at God’s target.
But He also gave strong assurance that someday, when she sees Him face to face, she will hit the bull’s eye and be ready for eternity. (See 1 John 3)
Donna’s trials have been numerous, but I’m sure if she were here and could read this, she would chuckle and toss out the challenge, “Target practice, anyone?”
I put my arms around her and together with her went through incredible disasters, calamities, and finally some joy. Her trials would fill a book, yet she could always find something that made her smile.
One day I asked her, “Donna, suppose you died and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?”
Donna responded, “I’m not bad enough to go to hell.”
While wondering just how bad she thought a person had to be to go to hell, I took Donna on a little imaginary trip to the west coast. I asked her to pretend that she and all of the people she knew were lined up along the coastline. Their task was to swim to Hawaii. I asked her, “How far would you get?”
She thought, then said, “About 200 yards.”
I told her that she would do better than I would. I’d drown when the first wave hit. But some good swimmers might make it 20 or 30 miles.
Then I asked, “How many would make it all the way?”
She said, “None. It’s too far.”
When she said that, I read this verse to her, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
I explained to her that God’s standard is perfection. Some people may come closer than others, but no one makes it. It is just too “far.” We cannot do it because of sin.
In fact, “sin” is from a Greek word meaning “to fall short,” like an arrow aimed at a target. That is, when anyone draws back their bowstring and aims at being good enough for heaven, all arrows land on the ground, far short of the bull’s eye.
I told her that God will forgive our failure and accept us jest as we are, but we also need the gift of perfect righteousness — equipping us for heaven — much like a swimmer would need special strength to swim half was across the Pacific or an archer extra power to hit a distant target.
Donna thought that hitting God’s target involved measuring her life by the bad she didn’t have. She wasn’t a thief or a murderer or anything terribly gross, so she must be okay.
But again, His standard is not a negative one made up of what we don’t do. Instead, He has a far more positive goal. He wants us to be like His Son, perfect in every way!
Occasionally someone comes along calling himself a Messiah. Others even claim to be Christ or that all are born with the “Christ-spirit.”
In reading Scripture and looking at humanity, I’ve come to the conclusion that only the hopelessly uninformed or hopelessly deluded could make such claims. Being Christlike involves humbly receiving Christ. We can’t do it.
Donna was glad to hear that God loved her just as she was. She asked His forgiveness for her shortfall and received the life of Christ.
She found out that heaven is not an attainment but a gift — from One who does not lower His expectations because we can’t meet them, but in mercy gives us what we need — Himself!
Donna also found that new Christians are not always able to act and react in a Christlike way. Time and trials provide her opportunities to “aim and shoot” at God’s target.
But He also gave strong assurance that someday, when she sees Him face to face, she will hit the bull’s eye and be ready for eternity. (See 1 John 3)
Donna’s trials have been numerous, but I’m sure if she were here and could read this, she would chuckle and toss out the challenge, “Target practice, anyone?”
Thursday, October 31, 2013
If there is a God . . . ? .............................. Parables 036
A well-remembered journalist seemed to take great delight in trying to stump TV Quiz Show “Front Page Challenge” guests with this question, “If there is a good God, why did he allow the drowning of all those children in the flood?” Few answers seemed to satisfy him. He kept asking the question. Maybe he didn’t really want an answer.
No doubt there are many people who ask the same question, but do want answers. They want to know about God, but cannot get past the so-called “acts of God” that occur from time to time in our world. They find it difficult to believe that a good God could allow such sorrow. It is a serious question, actually several questions, but there are answers.
The first part of the question shows doubt concerning the very existence of God. The Bible clearly tells us that while the natural man cannot perceive spiritual truth without supernatural revelation, God has clearly revealed that He exists. He reveals Himself in three basic ways: 1) through an orderly, intricate, and magnificent creation; 2) through the life of an extraordinary person who was born in a stable, lived without sin, died on a cross, and rose from the dead; and 3) through a book that says things that the human mind could not have invented. Even without the last two, the first one is available to all. Anyone who ignores or denies any of the three will find that God seems remote, even nonexistent.
The second part of that question casts doubt on the goodness of God. Part of the problem is that people often have a definition of goodness that is based on what makes them comfortable, or what profits them personally. God’s goodness is beyond any standard of measurement that we have. Jesus Christ claimed to be God in human flesh, a revelation from the Father of Himself. An honest look at the life of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament, leaves no doubt that God is good.
Another part of the question is based on an assumption that people, including children, are innocent. The Biblical account of circumstances before the flood says that everyone did evil, continually. Children are just as capable of sin as adults. Furthermore, God says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
If we understand even a little bit about God’s holiness, we will realize very quickly that the question should not be “Why does God destroy anyone?” but “Why does He let anyone live at all?” Besides, can we not grant God, who created us, the right to do with us as He sees fit? What options does He have in dealing with our sinful nature?
Some claim atheism, believing that “no God at all” is better than one who does not make sense, or that does not fit into their criteria of what God should be like. This leaves the issue at the bottom line - faith. “ . . . Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
He gives the revelation of who He is - in His creation, in His Son, and in the pages of a book. Then He asks us this question: “Will you trust me on the basis of what you see there?” Anyone who believes the light that is already seen will be given more light, and will come out of the darkness of not being able to really understand, into the light of knowing the existence and the goodness of God.
No doubt there are many people who ask the same question, but do want answers. They want to know about God, but cannot get past the so-called “acts of God” that occur from time to time in our world. They find it difficult to believe that a good God could allow such sorrow. It is a serious question, actually several questions, but there are answers.
The first part of the question shows doubt concerning the very existence of God. The Bible clearly tells us that while the natural man cannot perceive spiritual truth without supernatural revelation, God has clearly revealed that He exists. He reveals Himself in three basic ways: 1) through an orderly, intricate, and magnificent creation; 2) through the life of an extraordinary person who was born in a stable, lived without sin, died on a cross, and rose from the dead; and 3) through a book that says things that the human mind could not have invented. Even without the last two, the first one is available to all. Anyone who ignores or denies any of the three will find that God seems remote, even nonexistent.
The second part of that question casts doubt on the goodness of God. Part of the problem is that people often have a definition of goodness that is based on what makes them comfortable, or what profits them personally. God’s goodness is beyond any standard of measurement that we have. Jesus Christ claimed to be God in human flesh, a revelation from the Father of Himself. An honest look at the life of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament, leaves no doubt that God is good.
Another part of the question is based on an assumption that people, including children, are innocent. The Biblical account of circumstances before the flood says that everyone did evil, continually. Children are just as capable of sin as adults. Furthermore, God says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
If we understand even a little bit about God’s holiness, we will realize very quickly that the question should not be “Why does God destroy anyone?” but “Why does He let anyone live at all?” Besides, can we not grant God, who created us, the right to do with us as He sees fit? What options does He have in dealing with our sinful nature?
Some claim atheism, believing that “no God at all” is better than one who does not make sense, or that does not fit into their criteria of what God should be like. This leaves the issue at the bottom line - faith. “ . . . Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
He gives the revelation of who He is - in His creation, in His Son, and in the pages of a book. Then He asks us this question: “Will you trust me on the basis of what you see there?” Anyone who believes the light that is already seen will be given more light, and will come out of the darkness of not being able to really understand, into the light of knowing the existence and the goodness of God.
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