Scripture Reading: John 2:1-12
This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
Why did Jesus miraculously transform 150 gallons of water into wine? Was it to teach some deep spiritual truth on the power of transformation? Was it to keep the wedding celebration going? Was it to protect the host from being embarrassed? Maybe, to some degree, but verse 11 says the main point of this miraculous sign was to reveal Jesus’ glory to his disciples so they would believe in Him. It was an unmistakable sign from God.
There are people desperately looking for a sign from God. In the movie “Henry Poole is Here”, there is a ongoing dialog between Henry and his neighbors who think a mysterious stain on Henry’s house is a miraculous sign from God. Whether or not we agree with the theology of this movie, the “sign” has an amazing impact in their lives. Even people with strong faith need God to show up in their lives. We need a glimpse of God from time to time to shake us up and reinforce our faith.
Years ago, Connie and I attended a play on the story of Genesis, in the theater district of Chicago. Not long into the play, the words “GO TO THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU” jumped out at me and hung right in front of my eyes as if displayed in neon lights. It really jolted me. Later in the play it happened again when the actor, speaking about Lot’s wife, said “DON’T TURN AND LOOK BACK”. It happened a third time when Abraham said, “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE”. There was no outward miracle for others to see, but for me those words seemed to be a sign from God. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it was very real, and in fact, it is what opened my heart for God to lead us to where we are today. I wasn’t expecting a sign at the time, but I gladly received it. God knew that I would need divine intervention to prepare me and Connie for all the changes that were about to come into our lives.
What about you? Maybe you are a Christian who rejects the supernatural work of God in your daily life. You rarely ask God to reveal Himself, and discount the times God does show up as mere coincidence or easily explained away. I imagine there were some at the wedding in Cana who never believed a miracle had happened and even wracked their brains trying to figure out how Jesus snuck that wine in there!
On the other hand, perhaps you are a Christian who is always looking for a special sign from God. You are so focused on experiencing signs and wonders that you miss the Almighty God Himself! Are you seeking after God or seeking after signs? Don’t forget, one of the greatest signs you’ll ever see is all around you, lives transformed by Christ and the power of God’s Word. Let God be God. He will reveal His glory, in His timing, for His purposes, and in the manner He chooses.
If you are waiting for a sign, don’t wait to do your part. The miracle happened after they obeyed Christ’s command to fill the jars with water. Jesus Christ, who created the entire universe, could have easily commanded the empty jugs to be filled directly with wine. Why did he have people fill the jugs with water first? Perhaps it’s simply the fact that God wants us to take a step of obedience. He wants to see if we are willing to do the simple thing before he will do the miraculous thing.
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: John 1:35-51
“Come and see,” he said. John 1:39
Every major step in the Christian journey, especially our first step, begins with the invitation to “come and see”. God wants to do something in our life, but doubts, fears, anxiety, questions, and assumptions conspire to keep us from taking that simple step. There’s no arm twisting or manipulation, just the straight forward invitation to check things out and see if this is for real. We all have individual personalities, tendencies, and life experiences that shape how we make decisions, even those influenced by the Holy Spirit. That is why God invites you to come and see for yourself. He relates to each of us in a slightly different way, in a way that will connect with us deeply, in a way which is individually tailored by God for each person. This shouldn’t be a surprise, He created you, He loves you, and He knows you better than anyone else.
Andrew and John came and saw Jesus as relational. Verse 39 says they remained with him for the rest of the day. In other words, they hung out. They experienced the hospitality and transparency of Jesus. They knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God, the Messiah, but they wanted more than knowledge of who Jesus was, they wanted a relationship with him. They wanted to spend time with him and Jesus offered that.
Simon came and saw Jesus having authority. Simon was a fiery type and a bit of a loose cannon that could run over people. Jesus knew that and wasted no time in demonstrating his divine authority. Jesus looked him intently in the eye and said, “You will be called Peter”. I can just hear Peter saying, “uhhhhh,.. Ok”. This approach wouldn’t work with everyone, but for Peter it not only worked, it became a prophetic word for the church (Matthew 16:18)
Next was Philip. He came and saw Jesus as a leader. Verse 43 says that Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow me”. Notice that Jesus found Philip, not the other way around. Jesus had a different approach with Philip and took the initiative to seek him out. Very little is written about Philip in the gospels, so it’s easy to imagine him as the strong, silent type. Philip didn’t make waves. Perhaps Philip lacked the confidence and initiative to assert himself in following Christ. He needed Christ to initiate, and Philip accepted Christ’s invitation.
Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, came and saw Jesus as the Son of God. Initially, he was not open to the good news about Jesus. He uttered the famously cynical line to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Then Philip, just like Jesus did with Andrew and John, simply said “come and see for yourself”. Jesus wasted no time in revealing his divine power to Nathanael, who quickly became a believer. (John 1:48-49)
These first disciples all accepted the invitation to “come and see”, yet they were each touched in different ways. Nothing will capture a person’s heart like an encounter with Jesus. No amount of philosophical or theological wrangling is going to answer our deepest questions. We are not called to follow an ideology, but to follow Jesus Himself. If you are struggling to share your faith through convincing arguments, invite them to “come and see”. If you are resisting your next step with endless rationalization, accept his loving invitation to come and see for yourself.
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: John 1:29-34
I didn’t know He was the one… (John 1:33)
This morning I walked through the house looking for my wife, Connie. I called out her name and to my surprise, she answered from directly behind me! She had been right there all along, I just didn’t know it. Sometimes the very thing we are looking for is right in front of our eyes. This is what happened to John. John was just a year older than Jesus and they had likely known each other since they were young boys. They were relatives and their mothers were close friends. (Luke 1) Even though John probably knew Jesus all his life, he didn’t know He was the Messiah. John’s primary calling in life was to reveal the Messiah to Israel. Imagine his shock and surprise when he witnessed the Holy Spirit descend like a dove and rest on Jesus – his own relative! It would seem that after so many years he’d know Jesus pretty well. However, John said, “I did not recognize Him as the Messiah” (v31), “I didn’t know he was the one” (v33).
When the Holy Spirit showed John that Jesus was the Christ, John could have said, “Are you kidding me?! I know Jesus – he’s a great guy, but… the Messiah?” Instead, when John saw the dove descend on Jesus, he instantly believed God. There was no hesitation or doubt. He looked past any assumptions or questions he had about Jesus, the son of a carpenter. He now recognized Jesus for who He really was, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He announced, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (v29). Jesus had always been the “Chosen One of God” (v34), but now John knew it. I can almost see John shaking his head and saying to himself, “He was right there all along”.
We’ve all have the same kind of experience. I have often failed to recognize the presence of God in things that are familiar or normal to me. It’s so easy to overlook God in day to day life, even though He is always there. The irony is that’s where God often wants to reveal himself to us. He cares about the common things in life. The stuff we are going to experience today. As I was getting coffee I watched two sparrows play outside our kitchen window. The Bible says there isn’t a single sparrow that falls to the ground without God knowing it. (Matthew 10:29) If He pays attention to each sparrow, then how much more is He concerned about us and what we’re doing? We can so get entangled in the daily challenges of work and home that we forget God is there. We focus on finishing tasks and solving problems without talking to God or appreciating the small blessings He gives us. Perhaps we don’t recognize His presence in the little things because we think God only shows up for the big things, or the things we perceive as “spiritual”.
We tend to look for God in something other than what we’re doing now. We think that God will be there in the next job, or the next relationship, or the next ministry, or… you fill in the blank. God has you where you are now for a purpose! He has been right there with you all along, and He is waiting to show Himself and help you blossom where you are planted. In His timing, God may lead you to something or someplace different, but for now He wants you to be faithful and fulfilled with the thing He has already given you to do. He has not left you alone to struggle through it. The same Jesus who was revealed to John is there for you!
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: John 1:19-28
“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” John 1:22
John the Baptist caused quite a stir among the religious leaders in Jerusalem. His preaching attracted such large crowds that they needed an explanation. John was not one of them, so they questioned his credentials and ministry. The leaders were puzzled and even threatened by his level of influence, so they launched an investigation. They asked, “Are you the Messiah? No. Are you Elijah? (Malachi 4:5-6) No. Are you the Prophet? (Deuteronomy 18:15) No.” Completely flustered, they demanded, “Then who in the world are you?!
Any normal person in John’s position could have easily become combative. After all, didn’t the results of his ministry speak for itself? Why did he have to explain anything to these guys? Weren’t they attacking his integrity and his character?! Anyone in John’s position would have been tempted to throw it back in their face, or just not say anything at all and give them the cold shoulder. Instead, John responds as a true man of God, with humility and clarity. He simply answered, “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!” (John 1:23)
John’s answer is profound, both for what he said and for what he didn’t say. He quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), which all his interrogators would have known. In one brief, clear statement, he describes the singular purpose of his ministry – to point people to Jesus Christ. But also notice what he didn’t say. He did not show hostility or disrespect toward them. He did not get defensive or claim credit for his ministry success. He did not play the victim and whine. He did not ignore them or refuse to answer. In short, he didn’t do what most of us would have done. Instead, he answered them humbly, plainly and truthfully, like a spirit-filled man of God. He did not get derailed or flustered by their questioning but stayed true to who he was and his calling, and left the results to God.
This is a powerful lesson for us today. John had an unnatural perspective that enabled him to respond to a high pressure situation in a God honoring way. He understood the bigger picture and knew his role in it. He did not overstate or understate his part, but knew the true relationship between his work and the larger work of God. He clearly understood the relative importance between his ministry and the ministry that was to come through Jesus Christ. He had a proper perspective of his own significance and contributions which allowed him to answer them simply and honestly without arrogance or false humility.
This kind of perspective is not natural, it’s supernatural. Only the spirit of God can help us to see and accept ourselves as we really are. There have been times in my life when I didn’t respond so well to the challenges and questions of others. To my shame, I have been defensive and prideful, or simply too agitated to even answer. What about you? Have you found your work or credentials being questioned? Do you feel like you’re under investigation? How have you responded? Look to the example of John. Ask God to give you His supernatural perspective. Ask God for the humility and clarity that will honor him and point others to Jesus Christ.
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: John 1:1-18
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
People express themselves with words. Our words reflect everything about us, our personality, our upbringing, our character, our education, our priorities, our moods, our very being. The Bible says that our words reveal what’s in our heart. (Matthew 15:18) In the same way that words reveal the heart of a person, Jesus Christ reveals the heart of God the Father. In the same way that words express who we are, Jesus Christ, who is The Word, is the full and complete expression of God, “the visible image of the invisible God”. (Colossians 1:15)
Before He was called Jesus or the Christ, He was the Word. The Word (Logos) is one of the most powerful and meaningful titles of Christ in all of Scripture because it describes Him as He’s always been. For Christians, it’s normal for us to think of Jesus as Savior or Messiah. We often think of Him in terms of His human existence or His future glory, but John reveals to us the Jesus who existed before creation. Verse 1 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed”. Jesus had no beginning and He has no end. He is eternal. John also says that the “Word was with God”. Jesus was always with the Father and is fully united with Him, yet Jesus is His own distinct person and member of the Holy Trinity. Last, John says the “Word was God”. Jesus has the same substance and nature as God the Father. Simply stated, Jesus is God, not a god, but God Himself. (John 1:18)
The Word is the creative conduit of God the Father. Through the Word, everything in the universe was created from nothing. “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.” (Psalm 33:6) Secular science has tried to remove God from the equation of life, but we can see the divine creative genius all around us in everything from a simple wild flower to the incredibly complex human body. The Word is the life source behind all creation, both physical and spiritual, both things we see and things we can’t see. Everything was created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16) This is power and majesty that we cannot even begin to comprehend.
Once we begin to know Jesus the Word, we will better know Jesus as Creator and Author of Life (Acts 3:15). Once we begin to know Jesus the Word, we will better know Jesus as Lord and King of Kings. Once we begin to know Jesus the Word, we will better know His life that brings light into our fallen, dark world. Once we begin to know Jesus the Word, we will better know His divine power to grant forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe.
Who is Jesus to you? Is He an abstract concept, or is He the very revelation of God Himself? Is He just another spiritual teacher, or is He your Savior? Do you find Him interesting to study, or have you really believed His truth? Have you rejected Him to go your own way, or have you received Him as Lord and King? (John 1:11) For those of us who have believed and received Jesus Christ, He is our Savior. But do we know Him in His awesome power and eternal majesty? (Ephesians 1:19) Let there be no doubt, Jesus Christ is God!
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:11-18
“We are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.” (2 Peter 3:13-14)
When I was young, our family had a tomato garden. Each year we would prepare the soil, set the stakes, and plant the small seedlings. We would water them regularly and as they grew, carefully prune them and tie up the new growths. Raising good tomatoes takes effort. We didn’t do all this work for the fun of it, we did it because we looked forward to the delicious, juicy, red tomatoes that would appear at the end of the growing season! For sure, there was some enjoyment in tending the plants, but the real reward was eating the tomatoes. All season we would look forward to those fresh tomatoes, but while we were waiting, we had a job to do.
As Christians, we look forward to a future in heaven, but while we are waiting, God gives us a purpose and focus for our lives here. Christ doesn’t want to find us idle, passively waiting for Him. The Bible says that we must make every effort to live the life that God has called us to live. Not a complacent “Hoy es otro dia” (oh well, today’s another day) kind of life, but a life of purpose and conviction. We can’t do it without God’s help, but we must do our part, too. It takes effort to serve God, and effort to be a Godly person. The pressures and temptations of this life constantly conspire against us and distract us from serving God, and we must make every effort to stay on track and live the life God intended. When we stop being diligent and praying for own personal holiness, we can become comfortable with sin in our lives and forget that we must make every effort to be found pure and blameless. We forget that God cares about who we are even more than what we do for Him.
Peter says that we should make every effort to be found living peaceful lives. How is this possible? Life is so busy and cluttered. Few of us think of our lives as peaceful. However, peaceful living doesn’t mean uneventful, carefree living, free from conflict, it means that we have the peace of God in our lives while we live and work in this world. Wherever we live, whatever our occupation, whatever our circumstance, no matter how chaotic or hectic our lives, the peace of God, which is impossible to imitate or understand, is an inner strength, an inner calmness, an inner confidence that comes from the Spirit of God and “guards our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
The sure hope of every Christian is eternal life with God. We look forward to seeing Jesus face to face, to live in a place of unimaginable beauty that is completely filled with the Glory and Righteousness of God. This is the promise of God for those who know Christ, for those who are born again. Much of the Christian life is about looking forward to a future in heaven, and as we grow older, it becomes even more so. We long to fully know God, to see Jesus as He is, and to reunite with loved ones who have gone before us. In the meantime, we have a life to live here, an exciting, full and challenging life. A life that takes our very best effort to serve God to the fullest and become the kind of people He’s called us to be.
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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:1-10
“In the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?”. (2 Peter 3:3-4)
There is nothing more exciting than being where God is working. Experiencing answered prayers, seeing changed lives, miracles, and unmistakable God moments, stirs our faith and strengthens our confidence and trust in God. But what about times when God seems to be quiet and absent from our lives? Discouragement and doubt can creep in. This must have been the feeling of some in the early church as they waited for the promised return of Christ. This was magnified by verbal attacks from people mocking their beliefs. Here we are 2000 years later, still eagerly waiting for Christ’s return and still living with antagonists.
There will always be enemies of God who mock the Christian faith. Jesus said to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:44) The apostle Paul said, “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” (Romans 12:14) This is very difficult, our nature is to react, but the effective and God honoring response is to love and to pray for them. To be sure, we must be ready to defend our faith (1 Peter 3:15) or share our testimony, but we will disarm scoffers much better with love, than with returning fire. They may come to faith in Christ as a result. People who take verbal shots at Christians are sometimes just seekers themselves who don’t know how to deal with their own conviction of sin.
We don’t like it when people mock our beliefs, especially if it comes from family or friends, but you can’t blame them. They won’t ever understand our faith in Christ through a logical thought process. The bible says they are spiritually blind. (John 9:35-41) Without spiritual discernment, without the Holy Spirit, without being born again, it doesn’t matter how many times God has revealed himself, or how many prophecies have been previously fulfilled, the natural man will always explain away the work of God as having a natural cause or being the result of mere coincidence.
Waiting on God’s timing is part of the Christian life but this is made all the more challenging by people who mock our decisions and beliefs. Remember that Jesus said, “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers”. (Matthew 5:11) It doesn’t matter what others do or say to us, it only matters how we respond – with love, sensitivity and patience. And sometimes we may just need some good, old fashioned thick skin and a ready smile.
Closing thought – we must not allow the antagonists to have a voice in our head. If you’re in a situation where God seems slow in responding, their mocking questions and accusations might start to make sense, but it is just the voice of the enemy! Hasn’t God been faithful and true? Hasn’t the Bible proven itself over and over again to be trustworthy and right? Hasn’t God revealed Himself to you enough times to gain your complete confidence? Isn’t His timing always perfect? We should never give Satan a foothold by listening to scoffers. God’s promises are true and God’s promises are trustworthy. Give God’s voice a foothold! (Psalm 1)
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© 2008 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1:3-14
“God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Some of us really struggle with this. We wonder, like Timothy, “Can God actually use me?”. Am I adequate for the work of God? Will God be happy with my service? If I take a risk for God, will I just mess up and fall on my face? What if people criticize me or I don’t meet their expectations? What if I fail to make a difference? The spirit of fear haunts us with all of our weaknesses and past failures. The spirit of fear paralyzes us and discourages us from being out on the spiritual front lines. The spirit of fear prevents us from being obedient to the voice of God when He calls us to take big steps for Him.
This verse also says that God has not given us a spirit of timidity. Sometimes we think ministry is for those people who are naturally outgoing or the people up on stage singing or preaching. We forget that Christ commissioned all of His disciples with His authority. We forget that all Christians can serve and minister with the authority of the Word of God. We forget that if we come boldly to the throne of grace, we can ask God for courage and power. Effective ministry has nothing to do with the nature of our personality. We all feel inadequate from time to time, but adequacy does not come from our skills and gifts, it comes from the Spirit of God. Even Timothy was challenged by Paul to get beyond his natural personality to minister with the authority of Christ. Paul encouraged Timothy to move forward with the spirit of power, love and self-discipline.
God has given us that spirit of power, love, and self discipline, in other words, a spirit of usefulness. Usefulness in God’s kingdom results when power, love and self discipline are present in the life of a believer. Power is influence, and the ability to get things done. Power comes with an inner strength that fuels and drives us to do bold things for God. This power comes with a quiet confidence, filled with humility, not cockiness or brashness. Worldly power is used to bulldoze people and get its own way, but spiritual power is different. Spiritual power is exercised with love. Worldly power is used to satisfy personal ambition and greed, but power in the service of God is always accompanied by love. The love of God and love of people compels us to use power to serve others, not ourselves. The final element in the spirit of usefulness is self-discipline. Self-discipline is the means by which we grow in power and love. Our natural tendency is to serve ourselves, which ultimately leads us away from God. Self discipline, denying ourselves, makes room for God to penetrate our heart while we train in godliness and submit our will to God.
I’ve heard it said that 20% of the Christians do 80% of the ministry. If this is true, and it probably is not far off, we have to wonder why. Most Christians that I know want to be used by God, but many still stay on the sidelines. It could be laziness, or mixed up priorities, but many are simply paralyzed by the spirit of fear and timidity. What about you? What is keeping you from serving God with your whole heart, what is keeping you from stepping out and taking a risk for God? God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self discipline. God has given us a spirit of usefulness and he can use you.
Download PDF: The Spirit of Usefulness 2 Timothy 1:3-14
© 2008 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:12-22
In today’s scripture reading, Peter concludes his passionate warning on the dangers of false teachers (2 Peter 2) with some vivid and disturbing insights. He pulls no punches, really giving it to the false teachers who had infiltrated the early church. He says they are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct that simply react to the environment around them, like a bull in a china shop having no sense of the destruction they are causing. He says they mock things they do not understand, revealing both their arrogance and insecurity, just the opposite of those who teach the truth with humility and with the authority of God’s word.
Peter tells us that false teachers love to indulge in evil pleasures, readily justifying their selfish actions. They don’t know the joy of the Holy Spirit, so they pursue whatever makes them happy. They delight in deception, lying without conscious, living a double life to maintain their Christian facade. They commit adultery with their eyes and are consumed by lust, completely lacking self-control. They lure unstable people into sin, feeding their desire for power and giving them the illusion of success. They are driven by greed and will only commit to things that are self serving, with a constant desire for more.
False teachers are cons, knowing how to play people for their money. Their “ministry” is nothing more than a golden opportunity to feed their egos and take advantage of people in order to pad their own wallets. Their “ministry” efforts bring no lasting spiritual fruit, yet they’re quick to brag, always looking for opportunities for self promotion. They are full of themselves, not full of the Spirit. They promise freedom and blessings to their listeners, yet they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption, having no credibility or integrity. Maybe you’re like me, thinking, “It is no wonder these predators are destined for destruction”. They deserve it. Maybe you’re like me, thinking – “thank God I’m not like that”.
It was then I had a moment of clarity. There, but for the grace of God, go I! At one point or another, I’ve done all those things in varying degrees and without God’s power I’m capable of all that and more. If it weren’t for the undeserved grace of God in my life, I could easily be following the same path to destruction. Without His love and persistent grace, my heart would most definitely wander. We are called to be diligent, the Bible says, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12), and we are also called to receive His grace. God’s grace is a gift and without His righteousness, no one can live in victory over sin. (Romans 5:17) There is no room for spiritual pride in our lives. We cannot defeat sin with our intellect, or a focused determination of the will. Our will power is too weak. Our capacity for sin is too great.
Peter says that false teachers are destined for the blackest darkness. They are a real threat and we should guard our churches from their influence. However, there is another threat, and that is our own sinful hearts. By God’s grace we have come to know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by God’s grace we have come to know the way of righteousness, and by God’s grace we will stay on that path.
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© 2008 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:4-9
The threat of punishment usually does not prevent bad behavior or deter anyone from doing wrong. It’s not that we are oblivious to punishment, or don’t fear it, it’s simply that we put it out of our mind, or don’t think it will really happen to us. When caught doing wrong, rather than face the music, most of us will work much harder to escape the consequences than we will to change. Many think the same way about the judgment of God – they either doubt it will ever happen or just try not to think about it. The possibility of future judgment does not motivate most people to holy living or spiritual transformation. This is one of the reasons why hell fire and brimstone preaching is not an effective evangelism approach.
When I was young, I remember hearing presentations of the gospel at church and bible camp and thinking to myself, why doesn’t the preacher just say that if you don’t believe in Jesus, you will go to hell. It seemed so clear to me. We could have saved a lot of time if they’d just got to the point. Get saved and go to heaven. The promise of judgment in eternal hell should be motivation enough to surrender your life to Christ, I thought. Fortunately, my understanding of salvation progressed beyond just the desire to avoid eternal punishment. At some point in my young spiritual journey I finally began to understand the love of God (John 3:16) and what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and I’m still on that journey.
While my childhood thinking of salvation was one-dimensional, it was not totally off base. The Bible makes it very clear, God’s judgment of sin is real, and it is just. For those who choose to disobey God, for those who choose to live in rebellion against God, for those who choose to mock God, for those who choose to curse God, for those who choose to ignore God, and especially for those who choose to distort the word of God and deceive others, God’s judgment is severe. (2 Peter 2:3) The ungodly may escape divine judgment in this lifetime (read Psalm 73), but after death they will account to a righteous God at the final judgment, and they will experience a terrible second death in the lake of fire (Rev 20:11-15).
How can a God of love also be a God of judgment? Many people stumble on this point, but God is both infinitely loving and perfectly just. God rescued Noah’s family and sent a flood. God saved Lot and destroyed Sodom. God displayed both loving compassion and righteous judgment simultaneously. They are not mutually exclusive qualities. Our justice system is meant to protect the good of the people. When the justice system punishes those who do wrong, the purpose of the system is not violated, in fact, it’s validated. The only people who need to fear judgment are those who break the law, unless the judge is unjust. God is a perfect, righteous judge, His judgment is never random or without merit (John 5:30).
God condemned rebellious angels to hell, He wiped out an ungodly world with a cataclysmic flood, and He destroyed a godless city with fire. Who of us can challenge His judgments? No one, but God saved Noah and He will save all who trust in Christ. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)
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