If you’ve ever watched very young children, you know that people at their most innocent ages demonstrate bad behavior, selfish acts and attitudes, and live life as if it’s all about them. Now before all of you over-the-top mothers bash me with excuses for the conduct of those sweet little beings known as our children, I understand the concept of right and wrong has yet to be firmly demonstrated and implanted in their developing psyches. Tell me this: once that concept is firm, how many of them are wholeheartedly willing to comply? None of them. None of us. It’s not our nature. Sin runs through our bloodline. We lean toward “wrong”.
I find it an admirable quality when people love people. Of course many people are lovable. Good qualities flow from them and override the bad. In fact, with some people it’s difficult to find “bad” qualities. However, there are many people who rate the adjective “unlovable”, and when people can love them, it says something. And somewhere in between I suspect the majority of us reside. We’re not so bad—only occasionally. And, we can be very lovable. At times when we’re not angry or being selfish with our time, money, possessions, etc., we can be downright . . . likable.
Christianity makes some blunt claims. Really not negotiable. Although there’s plenty within our bible which can be “discussed” without total agreement, anyone who considers the bible the Word of God given to man through the supernatural inscription of the Holy Spirit will not flex on the way to God.
(John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” NIV)
I find it odd that Christians can be influenced to compromise the basic tenet of the faith. Jesus died so we could go to heaven. He took the punishment for our sins. Why would we need Him if we can get to heaven without Him?
Love is the big deal nowadays. A love based more on human perceptions than godly actuality. God is Love. He’s perfect. We most certainly are not. No matter how hard we try, we cannot duplicate the love of God because real Love is synonymous with God, and we will never be Him. Over and over God has proven that enclosed within that Love are discipline and judgment, and somehow those often get left out of the human translation of His love.
Sin is evil. This is another quandary for people-lovers. Some want to cover sin with a pseudo-grace instead of bringing it to the altar of repentance. Since when does Love tolerate and justify and disregard sin? No people deserve the beauty and grandeur of the described heaven offered to followers of Jesus. No one. There’s a prerequisite to get there. People-lovers cannot accept that anyone truly “deserves” to be thrown into a lake of burning sulfur where torment lasts . . . forever. Those people-lovers accept the Love of God without His judgment. It doesn’t matter to them that He’s been warning the human race since time began. He’s been demonstrating the consequences of sin, the perils of idolatry, the coming of the apostate church for eons. They choose to ignore and modify those scriptures, doing the unthinkable by taking pieces of truth and inserting homemade lies into them because they can’t bear the thought that God is serious about those who choose of their own free will to disregard the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
God loves people far more than people are capable of loving people. However, there have always been parameters in God’s creation. He made Adam and Eve in His image. They were special to Him. He gave them their parameters. When they disobeyed, He didn’t hesitate to execute judgment. Sin matters in God’s world. Because of His love, the plan for redemption of His creation came into play, and no sacrifice has ever been as painful as the one God offered. So. To think He’ll just cast it aside because Mr. So-and-So doesn’t want to believe in Jesus Christ? Don’t think so. Both the New and Old Testaments give no indication of that possibility. None.
There is a Judgment Day. Heaven or hell. Like it or not. You get to choose but only while you’re here on earth. It’s now or never.
God, help us to see your Truth, not man’s. In the Name of your Son, the only name under heaven whereby man can be, must be saved, the Name above all Names, the Name of Jesus, Amen.