It is hard to imagine a scenario in which ‘lost people’ would ever come to Jesus because you made your political views known to them. I mean really…

And for the true ‘believer’ …one who has been born of God and is a committed follower of Jesus and who truly abides in Him…is that not the desire we should all have…for those people to come to Jesus themselves? Is it not the desire of God our Father… for ‘all to come to repentance and for none to perish? (2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4)

Granted…we know many will still reject coming to, and surrendering their hearts, minds, and wills to Him…but if/when they ‘despise’ us…let it not be over our political views or anything else, for that matter…other than the fact we presented the gospel message of His unfathomable love to them…while loving them in the same manner in which God first loved us.

We read in John 12:32 the words of Jesus who declared: “And if I be lifted up…I will draw all men to me.” How…exactly is He lifted up where all might ‘see Him’? I would submit this happens as we ‘decrease’…so that He might ‘increase’ in our lives (John 3:30).

So what should those in ‘darkness’ actually see…in us that might draw them to the light?

Jesus left this ‘new commandment’ with us…to ‘love others as He first loved us’…and by this, all would know we are His disciples …by this love we demonstrated to one another. (John 13:34-35; 15:12).

We are told that while we were yet sinners…Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). That means when we were blinded, living in darkness…in sin and in rebellion to Him and His word…He still was willing to lay down His life and suffer for us. And we are told to ‘go and do likewise’.

The message of His gospel was clear, and Jesus was very direct in how we were to present ourselves when we delivered the message of the kingdom to a dying world, even spelling it out this way:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven… For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5:43-48) 

Yes… It was Jesus who warned His followers, saying: “You will be hated by all for My name’s sake…but he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22). And yes…we know many will refuse to come to His light because they love the darkness more (John 3:19-21). But we are still to love them anyway.

There is a particular subject addressed repeatedly in the NT that is a topic I don’t address often, and it has to do with this concept of ‘hell’. I try to stay consistent with the content material I believe the Holy Spirit has directed me to focus on, but on those occasions where I’m led elsewhere…I will do so, by His grace. And the first thing I want to say about this place described as an ‘everlasting fire’…is that it was a place created for ‘the devil and his angels’…and not humanity. (Matt. 25:41).

And that specific fact is made known in a story where Jesus shared that a day was coming when we would all stand before Him…and there would be a division that takes place where people were separated into two groups, like a shepherd might do with his sheep and goats (Matt. 25:31-33). You are probably familiar with that story and how one group was commended for the manner in which they treated other people, people that might have the appearance of being …hard to love; but they demonstrated love anyway (34-36).

But then He shares how He will turn to the other group…who failed to love those who seemed unlovable…pointing out to them (as He did the first group)…”inasmuch as you did NOT do to the least of these…you did it NOT to Me.”(40,46). And it was those who did not love others as if they were Jesus Himself…that were told to ‘depart from Him’…calling them ‘cursed’…and were to be delivered into this place called ‘hell’ that was created for the devil and his angels’. (41)

It’s hard not to be reminded of another passage found in Matt. 7:21-23…where many people are standing before Jesus, pointing out all the wonderful works they did ‘in His name’…only to be told to ‘depart from Me…’.

Where am I going with all this today? I am going to leave you with a verse found in Matt. 23:15…that we all need to reflect on and ask the Holy Spirit…for more understanding and revelation, maybe even asking: “Lord…is it I?” It is an accusation that Jesus directed to the Pharisees…a group of religious folks who could be rather pompous and self-righteous in their thinking. That’s when Jesus accused them of going out of their way to win new converts…but in the end…they only made them a ‘two-fold child of hell’, or ‘twice a child of hell’ as themselves. Would you give that some thought and consideration, asking how that even happens? And is it possible that we too…can be guilty of doing this? And if so…how?

I shared a quote in my graphic today that has been around for a long time. Whenever I come across it…it just has a way of ‘landing hard’ in my own heart/spirit. Can we all just be reminded…as ‘believers’…that for many who remain in darkness…the only Jesus they will see… is the Jesus we claim to have within us.