Jesus changes history

READ Romans 1–4

What makes a driver cruise past a speed limit sign at a rate twice the number on that sign? Do they excuse it? “I will miss my appointment” or “I didn’t notice the sign”? What makes a person rob a store or dupe seniors out of their life savings? How do they excuse it?

Romans 1 makes this startling statement:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:18–23)

Reading again that line: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

God says everyone knows He is eternal, powerful, heavenly. It is made clear since creation and in the things created. Yet much of the human race now proclaims there is no God. He is dead, or if He does exist, He is weak. Many think His creation evolved over millions of years, not made by God but it just happened. These verses are mocked. What erased that plain understanding given by God to everyone?

The following verses describe the consequences. Seeing clearly did not produce honor to God or thankfulness. Instead, humanity turned from what they could see and made up a different scenario, one that allowed them to decide what their god should be like instead of what He’d shown them about Himself. The Bible call this “going our own way” and names it sin.

Drivers know the speed limit. Thieves know they have no right to take what belongs to others. But the doing of such things eventually blinds them and changes their thinking. God explains it:

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:24–27)

Since humanity already denied what God had shown them, what were His options? He could reveal more truth about Himself but that had already been rejected. So He gave humanity up to their own rule, which became a slippery slope. Sadly, some people stop reading here, condemn those who have gone to the ends as described above and make that one of the “worst” sins. This is a mistake . . .

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:28–32)

Sexual sin isn’t the only sin. Note the list. All of us have done at least some of it. I may not have murdered anyone literally, but in thought. I may not be described as ruthless, but I have gossiped. In the mind of God, sin is sin and sin is the result of saying NO to what He reveals about Himself.

Grace is God giving a second chance. It was costly for Him, but free for us, another revelation. “Yes, you rejected Me, but here I am again, this time in human form to reveal My love and that I want you to be with Me forever. That is a gift. You only need to admit you have sinned, admit the obvious. I will take you back, reveal myself to you. Just say YES to Jesus, YES to forgiveness, and I will grant you forgiveness, power over sin and eternal life.”

And for those who do this, trusting the promise of God and believing, He changes everything, even drops the name “sinner” and gives us the righteousness of Christ. How utterly incredible!

 

The same inside and out?

2 Kings 20; Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13; Hebrews 2

Today’s readings are enlightening in how God works in the lives of those whose hearts do not match their lives. In the first reading, Hezekiah was a good king who did many good things yet at the end of his life he slid into pride and showed off his wealth to an enemy. God’s prophet rebuked him for his foolishness but this king said:

“The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (2 Kings 20:19)

The psalmist described the Lord’s attitude toward such selfish thinking: “For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.” (Psalm 138:6) Slipping into pride distances people from God.

The prophet Hosea also describe this two-faced attitude and what would happen to those with hidden and selfish motivations. It not only distances them from God but can mean worse judgment as well:

Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing. (Hosea 13:15)

Eventually the issues of the heart show up in words and actions. A person may put on a show of goodness, kindness and generosity but have a heart that uses those activities to manipulate people. Jesus, who knows the heart and considers it rather than pretense, said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Fake goodness may fool people but it does not get past the all-knowing mind of God.

Why do we do it? Why try to look good to impress others or even God? Why hang on to pride and manipulation and to a heart filled with sinful and selfish stuff that eventually brings sorrow? Psychologists have all sorts of reasons based on nature and nurture. Some will add bad choices yet no one starts their day thinking, I’m going to do something horrible today. It seems spontaneous, out of control to pick I-wants over thoughtful actions toward others.

The Bible says this junk is rooted in a sin-nature that is determined to go its own way, yet why do that instead of listening to the wisdom of our heavenly creator God? The Bible adds that one more reason is deception. The god of this world, as Jesus said, is a liar and deceiver out to destroy all that is good for he has the ambition of being God, of taking over. Jesus defeated him at Calvary yet like a headless chicken (or snake), he continues to writhe and flop, not realizing that he is finished and that Jesus wins. In his ambition and animation, he deceives many into thinking that God does not care about us and that we can rule our own lives without Him. Thus pride takes over as do the characteristics of that liar and deceiver, replacing honesty and being real about who we are and what we want.

For all of this, Jesus came . . .

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery . . . . Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2: 14–15; 17–18)

Jesus never showed off like King Hezekiah, was never haughty, had no sinful thoughts never mind words or actions that smacked of selfishness. His purity withstood whatever Satan threw at Him. He told the truth, resisted all temptation, and came to save lives not to destroy them. He ate and drank with sinners, loved everyone, showed the heart of God in actions of kindness and healing, and eventually paid our penalty for sin by dying in our place. He defeated Satan’s power — the fear of death and judgment that has made hypocrites and selfish deception so prominent and so destructive in the hearts of humans.

APPLY: Because of Jesus, I have no reason for pride or boasting, no need to lie about who I am or my human frailties. I am loved beyond words, rich beyond money, free from bondage to sin, able to choose righteousness — something I could never do without Jesus. I am also without fear of dying because I know where I will be after that. No matter what the enemy throws at me, I know that the Lord God Almighty will either hide me, protect me, or enable me to stand against it. I also know that I cannot rule my life without Him even though I foolishly try to do it at times. He is Lord of all and reins me in, holds me up, and makes all things work together for my good. Following Jesus is wonderful because He is the One that makes following Him possible!