I read a post yesterday written by a very self-important person. She visited a restaurant, which she claimed she liked, had service she claimed was good, and wrote a One (out of five) star review for said restaurant because the Manager “didn’t know how to treat customers.” The person’s review, however, was more an indictment of herself: she complemented the manager, told the manager about her influential following of 11,000 people online, and, when the bill came, had to pay full price for everything! The Horror! Sadly, though, this is not merely an indictment on this reviewer, but really on many of us: we walk around as if privileged. What we don’t understand is that God’s wrath was poured out on to Christ and is being held back until the tribulation before His return. We demand our entitlements, but we don’t know what that means. If we got what we deserved, we’d get what Jesus said is the entitlement for anyone outside of the will of God:
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. (Matthew 5:22)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30)
Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
(Matthew 13:40-43)
Loved ones, these are only a few examples, and JUST from the book of Matthew. I could go on, but I would spare you the fact that Jesus says, by rights, we should be condemned! Jesus said that He came that we may have life, and that life is found only from, in, and through Him! Don’t take this lightly! Too many want to say they deserve life, but still live in open rebellion to their design and, especially, their Designer. If we were to make our demands, we should find that we are entitled to Hell. But God, through His Son Jesus brings us from Death in to Life by offering His own life and bearing the wrath of God! Jesus paid our penalty, fulfilling in His life and death all of God’s righteous requirements, and paying the debt that we could never repay. Jesus did it all! He took God’s wrath, paid for our sin and conquered death so that we could have a chance at life in Him! We should be humble, living lives of gratitude for His great love and mercy. For we, creatures of rebellion, are called into His life and perfection, none of which we deserve, but which He offers freely to all who call upon His name in repentance and faith.
John 5:19-29
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice nd come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
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