No, really...think about this for a minute? But as you do...please examine this through the scope of understanding from God’s word...that He truly loved the ‘whole world’ (John 3:16). And that it was His desire for All men...to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) and He is not willing that ‘any should perish but that all should come to repentance”. (2 Pet. 3:9)
Those verses can easily be found in your bible. Just like all the other ones I want to share here today. Truth be told...what I believe or think...and what you believe or think...really does not amount to a hill of beans when compared to what God has to say about things. I mean, we can believe whatever we chose to believe, but that doesn’t change God’s word one bit. I don’t say that with arrogance or any sense of ‘self-righteousness’. I just think we are living in a time of great spiritual darkness and if there was ever a time to just hear what God had to say, that time is now. No need to skip over, explain away, or ‘water down’ His word. Read it...chew on it and then decide for yourself what to do with it.
God’s love and His message has never changed and it was intended for the whole world.
Jesus came as a light into a world of darkness. He was not sent by God to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.(John 3:17; 12:47)
The world was already ‘condemned’. All had sinned. All had violated God’s Holy Law which said...we were going to walk in love. His kind of love. Everyone else...would be destroyed. God was serious about this. He was serious when He told Adam the consequences of eating off that one tree and that if he did, he would ‘surely die’. (Gen. 2:17). Granted, there was that ‘other voice’ that rose up and questioned it, twisted and refuted it, then out and out denied it turning it around to say just the opposite. (Gen 3:1-6). Little has changed since that day.
Sin and rebellion entered the world and death and condemnation was passed on to all mankind. We ‘exchanged our nature which was in His likeness’ and took on the nature and likeness of another one. (Rom. 1:23). We were born with a corruptible nature and heart. Death was passed on to all humanity. (Rom. 5:12). We were all dead in our own sins and trespasses. (Eph. 2:1-3)
Take a look at John 3:36 a moment. That is one of those verses we seem to read over...probably because we are always anxious to get on to the next chapter. It tells us that whoever is not a of Christ...the, ‘wrath of God remains’ on them/us. The wrath of God...abides or hangs continually on us.
Did you know What... Jesus came to save us from? He came to save or deliver us from...God’s wrath. (Rom. 5:9). No, really...that is what we were saved from. Every single last one of us. Now that word ‘wrath’ is not a pleasant word and we like to not really talk about it, but, we should. Wrath is not a ‘good thing’ by any stretch of the imagination. You see, the condition in which we all find ourselves in...is ...from God’s perspective...Bad News!
But wait...here’s the Good News – God also has this plan in which you could escape or be delivered or saved from His wrath. I mean, how unfair would that be...to basically tell us we are all doomed and then not provide a way of escape. That would be twisted. But God is not that way. He made a way of escape and it is all laid out in the Gospel. His Gospel.
Did you know the word ‘gospel’ means...’good news’? So Jesus came preaching...the gospel of the kingdom and it was basically wrapped up in these two words...’repent’...and ‘follow Me’.(Matt.3:17,19). That was the gist of His message. Turn...repent...change direction...follow Me...and I will lead you out of this world of darkness that is under the penalty of sin and death and condemnation and wrath and judgement.
He is...the Only way out. (John 14:6) And can I just tell you that despite popular opinion, this gospel that He came preaching involves a little bit more than just saying you believe Jesus is the Son of God. The devils believe that...and tremble. (James 2:19)
And for some reason...this has never really been a popular message. As I asked at the start...when was God’s message ever popular with the masses? I mean...look back in the days of Noah...God warned and ‘made a way of escape’ through the ark. I don’t know how many people were alive on the earth back then... but I’m guessing probably a ‘good number’ of them. Yet...how many embraced the message? Eight? And remember...God wants ALL men to be saved.
I don’t know how many folks lived in the land of Sodom and Gomorra back in the day of Lot but I’m guessing there were...a ‘good number’? And how many made it out alive? Not many.
God wanted to lead several million Israelites whom He delivered out of Egypt through this desert wilderness land and into a promised land that was ‘flowing with milk and honey’. Of that first generation of ‘believers’...two...only two...remained alive to enter in. All the rest basically rejected God’s message and died out in the wilderness. (1 Cor. 10:5-6; Heb. 3:7-19). Who were those two that didn’t? Joshua and Caleb...the ones who remained steadfast in believing that God could do what He said He was going to do. Yet, the majority...rose up to stone them...they did not like them or their message. (Num. 13-14)
What was there about that message to not like?
Jesus stayed busy the three years he traveled and taught and preached. He came and went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. (Acts 10:38) And He taught a message of repentance...turning...and following Him. Look what He told a group there in Luke 13:1-5 after discussing some local tragedies that had befallen some folks...explaining that those people were no worse sinners than any others. But unless they repented, they too...would perish likewise.
Remember those ten lepers He healed...they all ran off...yet...one...stopped, turned...and came back to Jesus. One...out of the ten. (Luke 17:11-19).
What is it about His message...that the masses are not fond of? Do you know what He clued His disciples in on, on several occasions? He told them that they would be ‘hated by all’ for His namesake and for preaching His message. (Matt. 10:22; John 15:18; Matt. 24:9) Hated. Why He warned them the would be hated and some even put to death...simply for preaching His message. Period.
No wonder...folks like to ‘water down’ and ‘skip over’ various aspects of His word. We kind of prefer when people like us and say nice things about us. We love...the approval of man over the approval of God, do we not? (John 12:43)
Now that does not give us license to go out and be ugly and mean spirited and carnal. On the contrary, we are instructed to ‘speak the truth in love and gentleness’. But not just ‘select passages of truth’. (Acts 20:17).
Paul often ran in to opposition himself when preaching. He asked the Galatians: “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (4:16)
Granted...right after we read our beloved ‘John 3:16’, we are then told the truth as to why His message was not that popular. Men loved darkness more than the light. (19). Jesus taught that people would not come to the light Him) because their deeds were evil. He would later go on to teach that ‘many’...in that day would be shocked to discover that in spite of all their ‘form of godliness’ activity...that because they had continued to practice sin...they were shut out having never truly been known by or known...Him. (Matt. 7:21-23)
It was Jesus who taught that this path we were to follow Him on...was narrow and that there would be ‘few who find it’. (Matt. 7:14). His words, not mine. But undoubtedly there were ‘many’ who took the broad way that lead to...destruction’. (13). Again...His words, not mine.
His message of salvation was to whomever...and all. But, tragically, we read where Jesus indicates that ‘the majority’...were ‘not willing to come to Him’. (Matt. 23:37; John 5:40). He also explained that folks would simply be too busy...with other things...pursing other...pleasures and interest. That they would ‘make light’ of His message. (Matt. 22:3-5; Luke 8:14; 2 Tim. 3:1-5)
Again, contrary to popular thinking among the church world looking for some glorious end-time revival where the masses will run to God and fill up all the churches...the word simply does not teach that. Paul said there would be a great ‘falling away’ from the faith...echoing the words of Jesus who encouraged that in spite of all the confusion and darkness and deception...that only ‘those who endure till the end’...they will be saved. (Matt. 24:13; 2 Thess. 2:3). Remember, He said it would be just like the ‘days of Noah’ when only eight were saved. Noah and his family, went in to the ark and the door was shut and the floods came and took all the rest away to destruction...and they never even knew what hit them. (Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:27)
What is it about His message...that people just are reluctant to embrace? It probably has to do with this idea that whoever comes to Him...has to come with their whole heart...and surrender their life and change masters and allow Jesus to be truly Lord of all. And let’s face it...our flesh, our ‘old man’...just really doesn’t want to give it all up. We try to negotiate with God...you know, play the ‘numbers game’....sort of like what the rich young ruler did. He was willing to give God 90%. It wasn’t enough. He blinked...and walked away. Like most people will.
And that is tragic given the price that was paid...for ALL men...to be saved. HOW...shall we neglect so great a salvation? ( Heb. 2:3)
I have a favor to ask of you. IF...there is anything about this message you don’t like...just pause...and ask yourself...Why is that?
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