Outer Darkness

Posted on November 30, 2023 by heatonkent

Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:13-14)

Outer Darkness

Before the world was created, darkness was on the face of the deep. God would not create light until the first day. The light would be divided from the darkness, and the darkness would be called Night. God would not create the sun, moon, and stars until three days later. It is difficult to determine the depth of darkness before creation. God created light to dispel the darkness and rule over it, but the pre-creation darkness was something more than the absence of light. It was darkness at an eternal level unknown to the human eye.

Jesus had more to say about eternal punishment than any other Bible character. He is the only one to refer to the place of perdition as a place of “outer darkness.” This darkness was not like a moonless night or a dark cave. The kind of darkness described by Jesus was an eternal darkness with fear and horror in its wake. There are many places to go on Earth without artificial lights, and the night seems to resonate with a glow of darkness. The kind of place Jesus describes is a place of torment where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Three times, Jesus speaks about a place of outer darkness. A Roman centurion begs the Lord to heal one of his servants, and Jesus agrees to go and heal him. The centurion stops Jesus and declares his faith that he believes Jesus must only speak a word and the man would be healed. Jesus is astonished at his faith, commenting that He had not seen such faith among His own people. The Lord notes that those of the house of God who did not have this kind of faith would be cast out into outer darkness where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus describes a man who was at the feast and did not have a wedding garment on. The king ordered his servants to bind the man hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Finally, in the parable of the talents, the one talent man was thrown into the outer darkness. Jesus again emphasizes this will be a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The place of outer darkness is the everlasting fire, the lake of fire and brimstone, everlasting punishment, and Hell. It is not a place of joy. Jesus said the rich man was in torment in the flames. The damned will spend eternity in outer darkness in the greatest horror they have ever known. There will be no relief and no end. It does not matter whether men can understand the concept of eternity and eternal punishment without end. Jesus declared He was the way, the truth, and the life, and He declared there is a place of eternal torment in the outer darkness.

Outer darkness is real. Jesus said it was real. There can be no doubt it is real. What is the saddest reality is that most people will be in outer darkness. The wicked, unrepentant, false religions, false faiths, and religious people in error will not be accepted into eternal life. Jesus will say to most people, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Only a few will be saved. Outer darkness will consume those who have not done the will of the Father. There is a terrible reality that awaits most people, but God is not willing for anyone to perish. Many will perish, but that is not the desire of a loving God. Outer darkness can be taken away with the Light of the world: Jesus Christ. Don’t believe men. Know the truth. Let the word of God show you the light of hope in obedience to the will of God.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Part And Man’s Part

Posted on November 29, 2023 by heatonkent

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

God’s Part And Man’s Part

When Solomon finished building the Temple, the Lord appeared to the king with His divine blessing. Worship has always been contingent on man’s actions and the acceptance of God. The Lord told Solomon that He would hear the people’s prayers if they would do their part. When the people come to God, they must humble themselves, pray, seek the face of the Lord, and turn from their wicked ways. Then, and only then, would the Lord hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal the land.

It is easy for men to see God as the great Provider, giver of grace, full of love, merciful, kind, and forgiving. The word of God reveals all His nature for men to read and understand how benevolent the Creator is for His creation. God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus willingly gave His life for the sins of men. The Holy Spirit worked through the agency of God’s will to carry out the divine scheme of redemption. Every day is a blessing as God allows the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the just and unjust.

What men fail to understand is the benevolent mercy of God comes with a cost. God will forgive, but man must humble himself. Prayer is the agency where man comes to God, not where God comes to man. The Lord will not come to a man who is unwilling to first come to God. One of the greatest falsehoods accepted by men is the idea that they can live in their wicked ways and God will accept them. The world is filled with those who profess to love God and never take the time to obey the will of the Father. They believe as long as they have a whisper of love for God, He will accept them in His great and infinite mercy.

The message to Solomon is not a new theology. God’s grace and mercy have always been given to those who seek the Lord, but none of the blessings of the Lord will come if man does not come to God first. God has done His part. Man must do his part. There will be no forgiveness if a man does not humble himself. A man who does not pray receives nothing. When life is seeking after the things of the world and never takes the time and effort to seek God, there will be no blessings. Damnation awaits those who refuse to turn from their wicked ways. Having a dancing foot for Satan and a praying knee on the same leg is impossible.

Solomon’s life became the fulfillment of what God warned the young king. As the reign of Solomon increased, he did not humble himself before the Lord. His prayer life diminished to the enjoyment of his pleasures, and his face turned away from seeking the Lord. Instead of turning from his wicked ways, he followed the path of his many wives. The Lord appeared to him twice, commanding him to repent. Solomon refused. The reign of David’s son was filled with adversity. When men refuse to obey the word of the Lord, God will not hear. He will not forgive. There will be no healing. God has done his part. You must do your part.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Life Of Gentleness

Posted on November 28, 2023 by heatonkent

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5)

A Life Of Gentleness

Jesus was a man who was gentle among all men. It does not suggest that the Lord was never angry with men or did not express His wrath against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. The general demeanor of Jesus was a life characterized by a general soberness and an example of a controlled life. He was not ostentatious. There was no excess in the life of Jesus. He remarked to one disciple that He had nowhere to lay His head. The Lord did not own any land or carry a money bag. His life was a simple life of devotion to the work of His Father.

The model of Jesus’ life was what Paul encouraged the followers of Christ to emulate. In a simple and brief statement, the apostle exhorts his fellow Christians to be people of a gentle character and attitude. One of the traits of the Roman world was the extreme excesses many followed. There was little restraint in how they lived. For the Christian, life was about restraint. Their character was not governed by their appetites, tempers, or habits. The gentleness of character set them apart from the culture of excess.

It is not easy to be a people of restraint. Many temptations tug at the heart. To be like the world is an appealing part of life, enjoying all of the excesses life has to offer. Learning to be like Christ removes the desire to dress like the world, talk like the world, and act in the same fashion as the worldly-minded. Christians are set apart to be set apart. Letting the world see the gentle spirit is not done with pride. Living peacefully with all men as an example of self-control sets the Christian apart from the world.

Paul reminds the saints to let the world see their forbearance and gracious attitude. The life of the Christian should clearly be defined by moderation. A gentle spirit rules the heart. Everything about the Christian is modeled after the gentleness Jesus showed all men. He was temperate in His life to show others the Father. As people of God, Christians should let Christ shine through their gentleness. Others will notice this and take note. The religious leaders tried to find fault in the life of Jesus and could find nothing. That should be the goal of every Christian to live in such a way no charge can be brought against them.

Living peaceable lives is where blameless lives come from. Being reasonable in character moderates the heart from anger, hatred, malice, jealousy, and other sins. Being blameless is not sinlessness but letting others see a spirit of gentleness. That should be known to all men. Names define who we are, and when our name is spoken, it should reflect the character of being a person of virtue and honor. The world can tell by how we clothe ourselves outside and how we are clothed on the inside. When our neighbors judge our speech, they should see language seasoned with salt and the grace of the Lord. Our co-workers will know if we are children of God by the example of forbearance.

Evangelism involves many layers of talking with others about the gospel. One of the best ways of teaching lost souls of God’s saving grace is by letting the world see a life modeled after the peaceable character of Jesus. Letting our gentleness known to the world opens up vistas of opportunity to show what God has done in our lives to change us. Be gentle. Show Christ.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do These Four Things

Posted on November 27, 2023 by heatonkent

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

Do These Four Things

The art of imitation is the greatest compliment, but it is the most dangerous. Asking someone to imitate the life of another is taking on a grave responsibility fraught with danger. Can a person live to invite others to walk as they walk and talk as they talk? The frailty of the nature of man makes him an imperfect being, asking other imperfect beings to be like them. Living in such a way to ask others to imitate their lives can only be done through the grace of God. Paul boldly asked his brethren to imitate him as he imitated Jesus Christ.

When Paul was confined to a Roman prison, he wrote a letter to the Philippian church with a message of joy, imploring them to rejoice in the Lord always. He was shackled with chains, but his heart was free in Christ. Remarkably, the apostle told the saints in Philippi not to be anxious about anything but to trust in God through prayer. He wanted them to think about noble things that would lift their spirits. And he asked four things of the brethren taken from his own life.

Paul wanted the Christians to imitate his life through what he had taught them. On Paul’s second missionary journey, he came to the city of Macedon and taught Lydia and her household and the jailor of Philippi and his household. He had taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and wanted them to continue in the things he had taught them. The sound doctrine of truth was embedded in the hearts of the brethren so that when Paul left them, they would continue in the pattern of truth.

After Paul left Phillipi, it seems that other correspondence from the apostle was likely sent to the Philippian church to help them grow in the knowledge of Christ. He encouraged them to hold fast to all the things the brethren had received from Paul. Feeling confident in what he had taught them, he said that if they followed those words and his example of faith, they would grow stronger in their faith. This is a bold position to place oneself, but Paul knew he had taught them the truth.

The third encouragement from the apostle was for the brethren to remember what he had said to them and use that as a pattern of guiding the young church. His preaching helped to teach the family of Lydia and the jailor the gospel. Before Paul left Philippi, he spent many hours sharing the doctrine of Christ with the newly baptized believers. There was much to teach and say and establish, and in the short time he was there, Paul wasted no time answering questions, establishing lines of authority, and showing the joy of salvation.

Finally, Paul asked the saints to do one more thing. He prayed the brethren would follow his example in life. What they saw in his life, he asked them to imitate. How many people can say with confidence that others should follow their example? Paul wanted them to do as he did, not do as he said. It is easy to tell others how to live, but the hard part comes when they are asked to imitate the daily walk of a person’s life. The apostle was sitting in a jail, inviting others to be like him. He was jailed for the cause of Christ. The Philippian’s brethren were praying for Paul, and the apostle was praying for them. Reflecting on his time in Philippi and the measure of his work in the kingdom of God, he was offered as an example for others to follow.

Paul’s request was not a casual admonition. He was serious about the saints to do as he had done in teaching, example, word, and deed. Putting himself out there for the brethren to examine closely every part of his life – Paul asked them to do as he had done. If there is a measure of faith that all of God’s children should strive for, it is to attain to the time in life when what Paul asked of the saints at Philippi can be asked of brethren today. The things others have learned in me, received from me, heard from me, and saw in me … can that be a pattern to follow?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lord’s Supper

Posted on November 26, 2023 by heatonkent

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

The Lord’s Supper

The night of the Passover was incredibly fearful. God brought nine plagues upon the nation of Egypt, and the final was to be devastating. Moses warned the Hebrews of the night of death the Lord planned for Egypt by telling them how to be saved from destruction. The people were to take a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year, for each family or neighbor. On the fourteenth day of the month, the whole assembly would kill the lamb at twilight and take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they were to eat the lamb. God placed specific requirements on the people on how to cook the meal and what to do on the night God brought death upon Egypt.

Moses gave the instructions to the people, and they obeyed. On a fearful night, the hand of God swept over the land of Egypt and killed all the firstborns of every family and the firstborn of the livestock. It was a night of death on a scale never seen or heard before. At midnight, the Lord struck all the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon. When God saw the blood on the homes of the Hebrews, He passed over and saved them from death. As the hand of the Lord killed the firstborn of every Egyptian home, there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. This night of terror would be commemorated as the Feast of the Passover to remind the Hebrews of the wrath of God and the grace of God.

Jesus took the Passover every year with Joseph and Mary and His half-brothers and sisters. It was a solemn feast remembered with the emblems of the night God swept through Egypt and the singing of the Hallal Psalms, which were considered Psalms 113-118. For Jesus, the Passover took on greater meaning the last three times He observed the feast. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus observed His final Passover with the twelve apostles (including Judas). As a solemn night of remembrance, the Passover took on a deeper meaning for the Son of God. He took the emblems of the Passover and established a memorial for His disciples symbolic of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus would be the lamb sacrificed, and His blood would be what His Father would see in the hearts of men. The Lord’s Supper would be a foundational part of the Kingdom of Christ.

There is no part of the worship the saints of God engage in more emblematic and purposeful than the Lord’s Supper. The unleavened bread and fruit of the vine are more than something to eat and drink. Paul would remind the church at Corinth of the penalties attached to the supper if taken in an improper manner. The Lord’s Supper is commanded by God to be observed every first day of the week as a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples to take the supper to remember Him. Luke describes the early church meeting on the first day of the week to remember the sacrifice of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is not something that can be done by individuals in their homes watching television. Paul expressly said it is when the church comes together.

The Lord’s Supper is a holy communion expressing to God our thanksgiving for sparing us from His wrath and offering His grace. On the night God came to Egypt, His wrath was poured out. Only by the blood of the Lamb were the Hebrews saved. All men stand in the face of the wrath of God. Only in the blood of Jesus Christ will God pass over our sins and redeem us. That is what the Lord’s Supper should mean to each one of the disciples of Christ. It should be a time of thanksgiving, reflection, sorrow, joy, blessing, and looking forward to His return. Paul said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Never take the Lord’s Supper for granted. It is a moment of great importance to take the time to thank God for what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. Without the blood of the lamb, we would find ourselves in the place of the Egyptians – facing death. Churches should never rush through the Supper. It is not a time to laugh and play with babies and look around the room. God is looking into our hearts and seeing what we think about the death of His only Begotten Son. What does He see? Thank God He has saved us through the blood of His Son. How amazing is the grace of God.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy Of Reconciliation

Posted on November 25, 2023 by heatonkent

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:11)

The Joy Of Reconciliation

Hope is the mainspring of the Christian’s life, helping the heart endure tribulations to find peace in Jesus Christ. The joy of salvation is knowing how the Father has taken His child from the weakness and crippling impact of sin to the heights of glory found in the blood of Christ. There was a time when all men were enemies of God, without strength, ungodly, underserving, and facing the wrath of God. Through the blood of Jesus, God has offered pardon through the death of His Son, all who would accept His love to be justified by grace.

There was a time when all men were enemies. Reconciliation was made possible by Jesus Christ to bring together the Creator and His creation. Adam and Eve were created for the glory of God, but Satan destroyed that union as the forbidden fruit was taken. Sin reigned over the world until Jesus came to complete the grace of God in reuniting the Divine with humanity. Reconciliation takes away the sting of death and the victory of Hades.

When a man obeys the gospel of Christ in the burial through baptism into death, God joins His love, mercy, and grace with the individual’s faith, works, and obedience. As a man is raised from the spiritual grave of baptism, he walks in the newness of life as a man reconciled to the Father. The joy of reconciliation is knowing one is saved. There is no doubting or facing the fear of God’s wrath. The blood of Jesus has cleansed all sins away, and the Holy Spirit testifies with the spirit of the man that he is a child of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. They are reconciled. Saved. Free from the fear of God’s wrath.

The joy of reconciliation is seeing where a man once was and where he finds himself by God’s grace. There should be greater joy in the hearts of God’s children to know they are saved. Hope does not come from chances, maybe, possibilities, or uncertainty. Reconciliation is the divine joining of a man’s heart to the heart of God. The Lord makes reconciliation possible as He embraces the saved as His children cry, “Abba, Father.” There is no bondage again to fear. To be led by the Spirit of God emboldens the heart to embrace reconciliation.

There is great joy in being a child of God. Salvation comes in the hope of the promises of God, who cannot lie. The child of God is more than conquerors through Him who loved and gave His only begotten Son to reconcile sinful man to Himself. Nothing can separate those reconciled to the love of Christ. Joy fills the heartstrings of salvation for the child of God as he praises the Lord for the joy of eternal life. There is much to sing about. We are saved. Reconciled. Brought near. Forgiven. Lifted up. Loved. The joy of reconciliation – what joy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Once Enemies, Now Children

Posted on November 24, 2023 by heatonkent

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10)

Once Enemies, Now Children

An enemy is someone who is antagonistic toward another, seeking to injure, overthrow, and treat with harm. Enemies are hostile forces fighting against one another. Nations go to war with their enemies. Civil war is when fellow citizens fight against their brothers. It is terrible to have an enemy but to have God as an enemy is the wrath of the Divine.

The consequences of having an enemy among men can be severe, but there is no comparison to what it means to be an enemy of God. Man was created in the image of God. The Lord created man for His glory. God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Finding oneself an enemy of a God who possesses these attributes is eternal. The worst that man can do to another is to kill him. What God can do is send an eternal spirit to perdition, outer darkness, a lake of fire and brimstone: Hell!

Man struggles to understand God’s demand for worship. The wisdom of man makes him think he is smarter than his Creator. He rebels against the commands of the Lord. There is no desire to seek the Lord. Man dies. God’s wrath is poured out with an eternal vengeance. There is nothing man can do. Eternity has no end, and there will be no mercy or grace allowing the damned soul to receive a reprieve from his eternal horror. God’s wrath does not last for a moment. The wrath of God is without end.

All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, facing God’s wrath. In the deepest darkness of man’s fallen state, God gave His only begotten Son to give man a chance to escape eternal wrath. Every child of God was once an enemy of God. Yet, through God’s love, the sinner can be reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is the ceasing of hostilities between two parties. It is not man that can make that peace – only God. When a man turns to Christ in obedience, having his sins washed away in the waters of baptism, the wrath of God is removed.

The enemy of God is now the child of God. As a child of God, eternal life is given. There is no more wrath or condemnation to those who are in Christ. Saul of Tarsus faced the wrath of God for the wickedness of his life and was an enemy of God. Through the grace of the Lord and Saul’s obedience to the command of God, Saul became a child of God. He would later call himself the worst of sinners, but he was not alone. All men are enemies of God. Through the grace of God, the enemy becomes the child.

To understand the grace of God, a man must remember where he came from. There was a time in every person’s life when they stood as an enemy of God. It is not a fearful thing to consider what a man can do to another; what is fearful is what God can do. That same wrath can be changed into mercy when a humble heart seeks the mercy of God and becomes a child of the Divine. The man who once was an enemy is now promised eternal life. There will be no horror or suffering for the one reconciled by the blood of Christ. Eternal life is a grace given by a wrathful God who has shown love and mercy. What a joy to know – I am saved.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Saved From God’s Wrath

Posted on November 22, 2023 by heatonkent

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9)

Saved From God’s Wrath

The joy of salvation is found in the justification given by God through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Grace is the measure of the gift of eternal life to a creation undeserving of divine blessings. God loved the world so much that He gave His Son. Jesus loved the world equally by offering Himself as the lamb of sacrifice. When a man comes to the knowledge of Jesus Christ in obedience to the will of God, he finds the greatest peace and happiness known to man. Justification is a time of joy.

There is another side of justification that must be realized by the grace of God. Through the blood of Jesus, the wrath of God is removed. The Bible is given to the world to show them the goodness and severity of the Lord. When Paul wrote to the Romans, he explained the gospel of Jesus Christ as the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. Contained within the gospel is the righteousness of God and the wrath of God. There are many stories of the love and compassion of God to sinful man. The Bible also has stories of God’s wrath measured against those who rebel against him.

The wrath of God is found in the story of the flood, where every living thing is killed. Only Noah and seven other people are saved in the ark. It was a worldwide flood that killed millions of people. The history of Israel is proof positive of the wrath of God. It began with the destruction of Egypt and the judgment against the nations that stood against Israel. God also punished his own people: Nadab and Abihu were struck with fire from heaven, the rebellion of Korah ended when the earth swallowed up the rebels, thousands died from snake bites and disease, and everyone above the age of twenty years died in the wilderness.

Throughout the history of Israel, thousands died who rebelled against the Lord. In one night, an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. The Assyrians destroyed the ten tribes of the north. Thousands died at the hands of the Babylonians. God’s wrath was severe and without mercy against those who defied His will. During the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God spoke more about eternal damnation than anyone. Hell is a real place prepared for the devil, his angels, and all those who rebel against God. There is no doubt when reading the Bible that the wrath of God is very real.

Jesus took the wrath of God away. Justification by the blood of Jesus saves a man from the wrath of God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but through Jesus Christ, a man can be justified and sanctified when he rises from the waters of baptism to find the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. The only place the blood of Jesus justifies is in spiritual circumcision: baptism. What a joy to know the wrath of God has been removed. To be saved from the wrath of God is to know the wrath of God and find grace in the love of God.

Praise God for the joy of being saved from God’s wrath. Everyone deserves the wrath of God, but Jesus made it possible for His Father’s wrath to be removed. Jesus drank the cup of wrath so that you and I would not face the fury of a vengeful God whose righteousness demands justice. Much more, having been justified by His blood, I am saved from the wrath of God.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Demonstration Of God’s Love

Posted on November 21, 2023 by heatonkent

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8)

The Demonstration Of God’s Love

Stories of heroism have long filled the pages of history. Men and women put themselves in harm’s way to save others. The courage of some to sacrifice their lives for the safety of others is an incredible story of love. Parents sacrifice their lives to protect their children. Total strangers help others to find rescue and, in the process, lose their own lives. These stories inspire humanity’s spirit for the goodness in others.

Consider the reasons people give for dying for others. A father sees his young child in the path of an oncoming car and pushes the child out of the way to save her. He dies to save his child. There is a sense of justice to take the place of a good or righteous man who is facing death. From the human standpoint of justice, taking the place of a condemned man is hard to accept.

A man walks into a business and kills several people. He is condemned to die for his act of murder and hatred. Family members tell the man they forgive him, but are they willing to take his place of execution? The measure of mercy shown against a vile and despicable person is a more challenging issue to resolve. A sense of fairness demands the guilty be punished and condemned to die without mercy. Most would understand this kind of rationale to punish the guilty.

God is not man. This simple fact is what creates the most incredible love story in the history of man. No man has ever lived that measures to the wickedness and evil of what the Lord looked upon the earth and saw. It was not a single person who had offended the Creator. All of humanity hated God, despised Him, rebelled violently against Him, and treated Him with contempt. In all fairness, the world should have been wiped clean of every human. There is none righteous. No one.

When God looked upon the face of the earth during the days of Noah, everyone would die by His hand except four men and four women. God wiped off the face of the earth, everything that had the breath of life. The flood did not cure the problem of sinful man. It was not long before sin took over the hearts of men. Viewing the hearts of men from His eternal domain, God saw the intent of men’s hearts as continually evil. Instead of destroying man – who was guilty of sin and worthy of the wrath of the Creator – God chose to save mankind.

The sacrifice of Jesus was not because anyone was worthy or deserving of His blood. Jesus was sinless. He had never wronged man, and He had never disobeyed God. Every man on the face of the earth was guilty of sin. God demonstrated His own love, allowing the wretched creature of His creation to torture and kill His beloved Son. Why? Because God loved man.

Jesus did not die because someone was righteous or good. In fact, Jesus died for the worst creature on earth. Man was a sinner, a weak creation, an ungodly product of his own lusts, and an enemy of God. Everything screamed for God to destroy humanity – He chose to save it. The demonstration of love is beyond words for men to understand why God would do such a thing.

There is nothing worthwhile in me to deserve the love of God. Christ died for me. I am the reason Jesus died on the cross. Two thousand years may separate me from the event outside Jerusalem where the Jews screamed for Jesus to be crucified and the Romans nailed the Son of God to a tree – but I am guilty and undeserving. By God’s grace, I see His love. More than that, I see the demonstration of God’s love. His act of love to sacrifice His Son can never be repaid. Thank God for His demonstration of love.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christ Died For The Ungodly

Posted on November 20, 2023 by heatonkent

For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

Christ Died For The Ungodly

The death of Jesus was the greatest tragedy in the history of humanity, yet the greatest act of love in the history of the world. God’s love was so great for the world He willingly gave His only begotten Son to die in the place of rebellious man. The death of Jesus was not a mistake or miscalculation. Everything leading up to the murder of God’s Son was divinely crafted before the world was created. Throughout the unfolding of history, everything pointed toward that fateful day outside the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus of Nazareth was killed by his brethren at the hands of the Romans. Jews and Gentiles alike share in the death of Jesus. All men sin, making them accountable for the death of Jesus. No man can live a sinless life, highlighting the life of Jesus, who lived more than three decades and never sinned. He was tempted in all points like all men, yet without sin. Noah was a great man of faith but a sinful man. God used Job as an example to Satan of the righteousness of a man but not as a perfect man. Job sinned. Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter are examples of great men of faith who failed to live sinless lives.

All men struggle with sin and are enslaved by its power. There will never be a person who can live a life without sin. No man can ever claim he is sinless and perfect. Christ did not die to save sinless men. Jesus died to save the ungodly. An ungodly man is a wicked man. He is damaged goods. There is nothing worthy to be found in an ungodly man. Goodness does not make a person godly. Doing religious things will not make a man perfect in God’s eyes. Christ died because all men are ungodly.

Before a person can understand the death of Jesus, they must understand what they are. All men are ungodly. Not godly or good – ungodly. Destitute. Broken. Deserving the full wrath and fury of God. Without hope. No mercy was given. Undeserving. Jesus died for those who had no strength. He did not die for a righteous man or a good man. Jesus died to save sinners—the enemies of His Father. Nothing is redeeming in man that would qualify him to deserve the sacrifice of God’s only Son.

The picture is complete. Man is ungodly. Sin has darkened the world of humanity, deserving the full wrath of God as unleashed on the world of Noah. And yet, in the midst of this darkness, came the Light of the world to die for the ungodly. The price of the sacrifice illuminates the depth of man’s fall. Animals could never make a man whole because animals are not eternal creatures. The blood of bulls and goats never satisfied the debt of sin to reconcile all men to the Father. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, could the wrath of God be averted.

Christ died for the ungodly. He did not die because anyone deserved His death. God allowed men to treat His Son with contempt and hatred and to kill Jesus on the cross in the most horrific manner. Jesus died for the ungodly to show the mercy and grace of a loving Father. The amazing grace of God is measured by the extreme price paid to save a wretched man who is called “ungodly.” You are ungodly. I am ungodly. We did not find salvation through any worth of our own. Steeped in sin, we stood under the wrath of God.

Through the blood of Jesus, reconciliation was given to those who would obey His word. Instead of being the ungodly condemned to eternal death, now the ungodly can be saved from wrath through the grace of God. There is no greater demonstration of love than Christ dying for the ungodly. The saved are justified through His blood and saved from wrath. Praise God. I am redeemed.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment