Sigh...to each their own. Believe what you want to believe...preach what you want to preach. I am not even going to take that one on. I mean...where do you even get ‘data’ to come up with a percentage number like that? Another Sigh....
IF there was any remote possibility of that statement being true, I really cannot see why there would have been a need for Jesus to even come and ‘save’ us and in the dramatic and costly manner in which He did. (Which is what He came to do- John 3:17)
All I can do is share with you in a spirit of love...and tell you what the bible has to say and you can do with that whatever you please.
As I stated yesterday, ...the ‘heart of this issue’ of all this with God and sending Jesus is...we have a heart problem. A big one. And according to the data I read in the bible, 100% of ALL humanity had/has a defective, sinful, and deceitfully wicked heart. (Jer. 17:9)
I mean, think about it...where and why did this popular phrase arise in our church world lingo of ‘giving one’s heart to Jesus’?
We had a defective heart and He came to supernaturally transform it ...make it new...and ‘perfect it in His love’. But we have to surrender it to Him in order for this to begin to take place.
Would you be willing to explore some passages from your bible today and even write them down to go back and study further on your own? You probably have picked up by now, that given the length of these daily postings, they are not about tossing out some quick ‘spiritual snack’ on social media to get you through the next hour. These are specifically for those who are hungering for more food and answers; and skimming through these will most likely do little to accomplish what they are sent out to do.
When God first created us, He really had good things in store for us; the best part of it all included being in constant fellowship with, and having meaningful relationship with Him. A creator, I might add, who gave us free will to choose on our own.
Then we started making bad choices. (Gen. 3:1-11)
He did not give up on us though and continued to try and work with us, but on a different plane given that our sinful condition separated us from Him. He is holy and pure, at one point, so were His first creation, Adam and Eve, having been created in His likeness and image. (Gen. 1:26-27). But as they were warned early on, making bad choices can really mess all that up. I would think most can agree...we are not talking about rocket science now. Anyone else out there have scars to prove what bad choices can do?
But God...
Let me share with you two known facts about God, your creator, that you should be reminded of...1) He loves us in ways we cannot fathom (John 3:16); and 2), it is not the will of God for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9)
The reason we do suffer and perish? Sin. Simple as that. Sin is eating off the wrong tree ( Gen. 2:17). There was another tree that was the tree of life. We did have a choice to eat off that one.
So why even have a tree with bad fruit on it? Well...it boils down to a need to have our hearts tested. God always has tested the hearts of His creation. I don’t know I am fully qualified to explain why that is so...but it is. You see this laid out in scripture and I will just offer up a few passages for your own personal study: (1 Thess. 2:4, Deut. 8:2; Jer. 20:12 Provers 17:3; 2 Chron. 16:9; and James 1:3)
God gives us free will to choose Him. He’s not going to strong arm anyone in to loving Him. Who has time for that? Do a bible search on how often we are given the opportunity to ‘choose life’ or death...blessings...or cursing...choose whom we will serve. It makes for a great study. One thing you will discover is...even though we can ‘choose light’, it would appear that many, if not most, prefer darkness over the light and won’t come to the light. (John 3:19-21)
But it goes back to our defective hearts. The writer of Hebrews was making the point as they looked back at the history of God’s people...that they always had this inclination to ‘go astray in their hearts’. (3:10). That’s probably why we as believers are encouraged to ‘guard our hearts’ and to ‘give earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we ourselves drift away’. (Heb. 2:1)
Jesus even warned that because of the increasing amount of lawlessness and sin, that many if not most hearts would ‘wax hard’ or grow cold and dull. (Matt. 24:12). That is what sin does...it hardens or dulls them. (Heb. 3:13; Matt. 13:15)
And hearts that have grown dull and hard, make for hard soil and nearly impossible conditions for good seed taking root inside us so that good fruit can be produced. (give that a minute)
So back to these ‘evil and wicked hearts’ of ours. I have this hunch if we had a better take on what our condition is...from God’s perspective, then we might better understand what this whole walk of salvation and sanctification is all about. If we did, then perhaps words of exhortation like what Peter wrote might make more sense? You know, for example, that line about “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice...” (1 Pet. 4:12).
Then there was that one I mentioned yesterday from James about ‘counting it all joy when we encounter these test/trials’ so that in the end, we might be ‘perfect and complete’. (1:2-3)
God knows what He is doing. And...if you don’t mind me asking...when was the last time you had a better idea than God?
Many are familiar with that passage in Romans 8:28-29. It gets whittled down frequently and presented in various forms...like ‘there’s a reason for everything’ or ‘everything works out in the end for good’. That really is not entirely true, nor is that what the scripture says.
It reads that for ‘those who love God’...all things work together for good. Notice the qualifier there...for those who truly ‘love God’? Big factor in that line...because people who truly ‘love God’ will do what He says. (John 14:15)
Granted...often times these unforeseen ‘test’ or ‘unpleasant difficulties’ ...and even God’s loving displays of chastisement that Heb. 12 speaks to, are not always delightful to encounter. But this we can be sure of...if we are ‘all in’, then God will use these unpleasant circumstances to refine us and purify us so that in the end...we will be...’conformed to the image of His Son’, Jesus...who was in Paul’s words...the ‘firstborn of many brethren’. That...is the ultimate goal and plan here...that we be transformed supernaturally into the likeness and image of Christ.
That was the plan. Most...tire quickly of that plan though. (John 6:66). But it is still...the plan. Probably explains why few choose to walk that narrow path that Jesus spoke about in Matt. 7:13. Now there was that other path He warned about...where many would be traveling down that leads to a broad gate. The only problem with that wide road and gate...is what is on the other side. I have a hunch that popular preacher I referred to at the beginning is either clueless to what is on the other side...or...maybe he is aware and is one of those ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ Jesus also warned us about. (Matt. 7:15-20)
Do you recall an encounter Jesus had with a religious group of scholars? He accused them of laying aside the commandments (law) of God...and in place of them teaching the doctrines and traditions of men. (Mark 7:5-13). Doing this, as a result ,rendered the word of God ineffective...if that is even possible. Jesus said it was so it must be true.
He then addressed the issue that brought this all up having to do with dietary laws and restrictions. Jesus explains quite clearly there in that same chapter that it is not what goes in to a person that defiles them or makes them unclean. On the contrary, it’s what comes out ...of a man. He even gets quite specific...pointing out examples of what He called ‘evil’ and ‘wicked’. And guess where these evil and wicked things resided?
In our hearts. (7:21-23). And they are pretty hard to hide and cover up because eventually they surface and come out ...of all places...our mouths. Yep. Go read Matt. 12:33-37) Oh….I should mention that my crew from CA made it in late last night…finally. But how special it was for this Papa to be able to hug and love on his two twin boys. And you know what else was special? We got to bed after midnight…and I have a hunch the Lord used a fussy boy to stir me from my slumber. How special was that? ;- ). Have a blessed day…I know I will.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
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