Good and Evil, Pt. 4

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Good and Evil, Pt. 4

Part 4, The Deadline

April 26, 2024 • Central Baptist Church

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April 26, 2024

Good and Evil

Part 4, The Deadline

This month we’ve been musing about the “mysteries” of good and evil, a topic that has caused countless generations to puzzle and question.

We started with Part 1, The Dilemma. One of the hardest things for the natural (i.e., non-spiritual) man to rationalize is the very real presence of evil in this World system!

In Part 2, The Desire, we discovered that mankind’s desire was his downfall. Eve exercised her free will, she rebelled against her Creator, Adam followed, and we’ve been living in a mess ever since! But God also had a desire, a desire to rescue humanity from their foolish choice and the consequence of rebellion. Eve’s desire brought disaster, but God’s desire brought deliverance through the sacrifice of His own Perfect Son, Jesus the God-Man.

In Part 3, The Doubt, we talked about the common question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” But we discovered that this question is flawed on both ends! Until we see the end of the matter (1 Corinthians 4:5) we can’t judge what is bad and what is good. And second, there are no “good” people. Jesus said, …there is none good but one, that is, God (Mark 10:18). Paul seconded that motion when under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he wrote, …there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:12).

And now we will close this month’s study of Good and Evil with Pt. 4, The Deadline.

As much as humanity wants to question God, argue about good and evil, and in so doing absolve themselves of their own guiltiness, there comes an eventual reality check, a reckoning, a deadline. I’ll call it the Personal Deadline: the death of our physical body. The Hebrews author warned, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment… (Hebrews 9:27). When our soul and spirit leave our body at death, our eternal destiny is fixed. And the Bible is plain; there are no second chances, regardless of what “religion” tells us! Solomon taught this austere reality in poetic form in Ecclesiastes 11:3, …if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. In the Luke 18 account of the unnamed rich man and the beggar Lazarus, we discover that at the instant of death, each person was transported directly to their eternal destiny. There were no purgatories or limbos; there was no chance for a pardon, or for penance, or for indulgences. No matter what some religious authority tells us, God says that the unrepentant rich man was instantly in torment in that place the Bible calls Hades or Hell (a holding cell for the final prison called the Lake of Fire). And the repentant beggar Lazarus was instantly enjoying comfort and joy, in a place that Jesus called Paradise. Forgiven Lazarus will come back with Christ to this Earth, He will enjoy ruling and reigning with Christ in the literal 1000-year Kingdom, he will witness the re-creation of this sin-cursed Universe, and then enjoy living on a New Earth forevermore.

The big question of life then, is not the mystery of Good and Evil, where they came from, or why our consciences innately know about them… but how God judges as either good or evil! Yes, at that moment, at the last beat of our hearts, we will either inherit God’s goodness (grace) or God’s judgment. Receiving His grace has absolutely nothing to do with what we can DO in life, how “good” we have been, or how many “good leaves” we have turned over. We can’t do enough good to pay for our sins! We can’t earn God’s forgiveness. We are spiritually dead because of our sins and dead people can’t do anything! Penance isn’t possible. We can’t purchase indulgences from religious organizations. If we could somehow earn or buy Heaven, then Christ didn’t need to die in our place!

Friends, we can only access God’s grace by accepting God’s FREE GIFT of forgiveness. Again, it has to be free because it’s not possible to earn it. But it’s not cheap! It cost God dearly! The Son of God incarnated Himself in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Perfect God-Man. Jesus lived a perfect life and sacrificed Himself as a perfect sacrifice. He died in our place, the Just for the unjust.

And so, the real question is somewhat like that asked by Pilate some 2000 years ago: What shall I do with Jesus (Mat 27:22)? We appropriate God’s forgiveness as did the praying publican and the thief on the cross by crying out to God in contrition and repentance asking for his forgiveness and grace (For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved – Romans 10:13). THEN God will apply the precious blood of Christ to our sin-debt, washing us as white as snow. God pleads with humanity through His prophet Isaiah,Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). If we have cried out to God in repentance and faith for His forgiveness, then He will apply Jesus’ righteousness to our account and our sin debt will read, “Paid in Full!” The Lord is, …not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Friends, a deadline awaits us all and it always comes unannounced and often suddenly. At that last heartbeat, we’ll be accounted righteous THROUGH Christ or we will remain as guilty sinners separated eternally from God because of our unwillingness to repent and believe, and consequently, we will pay for our sins eternally. Don’t put it off. Take advantage of God’s goodness and grace TODAY!

God bless and consider!

The 4 P's, Pt. 4

June 28, 2024 • Central Baptist Church

June 28, 2024 The 4 P’s (A Purpose, a Plan, a Provider, and Paradise) Pt. 4, A Paradise This month we’ve been exploring God’s “Plan for Man” using 4 P’s: His purpose, then His plan, which showcased His provision, and finally in this installment, His all-in-all end goal, paradise! Almost every historical religion (except now for Atheism/Humanism/Secularism) has taught a concept of a conscious paradise, a final abode for the eternal human spirit and soul. The Norsemen had their Valhalla, Buddhists have their Nirvana, Hindus have the Moksha (the liberation from the endless chain of deaths and rebirths) and Christians, Jews, and Muslims have their own versions of “Heaven” or “Paradise”. Biblical Christianity presents man as an eternal physical being with only two possible end states: Heaven (a.k.a. Paradise) and Hell/The Lake of Fire, with no intermediary, second-chance, abodes (such as the Catholic doctrines of Purgatory and Limbo). In Luke 18 Jesus gave humanity the only glimpse into the afterlife. An unbelieving (lost) rich man died, and immediately opened his eyes in a place of torment and anguished regret. A believing (saved) beggar died and was escorted by holy angels into a place Jesus called Paradise, where (in contrast) he was comforted. Their final eternal destinations were not mitigated by any second chances, by any post-life efforts of loved ones or supposed church authorities. In the state they died, they will spend their eternity. And if you want the Big Picture presented in a “nutshell” version, it is this: God’s Purpose was revealed in a Divine Plan, which involved the Provision of a Savior, to the end that fallen humanity might be redeemed back to a relationship and fellowship with the Trinity God, in a place called “Heaven” or “Paradise”. And so, the Bible speaks much about how to gain Heaven and avoid Hell, for the Lord is, …not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). God’s purpose, plan, and Provision (Jesus the Substitutionary Sacrifice for man’s sin), will climax, …in bringing many sons (and daughters of course) unto glory… (Hebrews 2:10). In Jesus’ Revelation to humanity, He describes redeemed mankind’s final glorious abode: a recreated planet Earth. These new creations were prophesied by the Jewish prophet Isaiah, some 700 years before Jesus came. The prophet wrote, For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind (Isaiah 65:17). Peter referred back to this prophecy, …we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness in (2 Peter 3:13). And John was given a glimpse into the future of the God’s redeemed. He wrote, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away… (Revelation 21:1). Yes, friends, God’s entire purpose, plan, and provision is to redeem mankind and provide a Paradise for you and me. But He doesn’t force anyone into His plan. IF Heaven is to be our eternal home, it doesn’t happen by chance, or by pre-determination, or by being “good”, or by religious works. It happens on purpose when we REPENT, 1) we must ADMIT that we are LOST sinners, estranged from God, and in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23), and 2) we must BELIEVE (have absolute faith in the fact that…) the Savior was and is Jesus Christ, Emmanuel (God with us), the Incarnated Eternal Son, and that He came and took our place on that Cross so that we might have eternal life with Him (John 3:16), and finally 3) we appropriate God’s salvation ONLY by grace, not of works, but by CALLING OUT or CONFESSION. Just as the publican in the parable and just as the dying thief on a cross, we must cry out, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” When from convicted hearts we cry out to God in contrition and faith, we become born-again, citizens of God’s Kingdom, which will one day be manifested in an eternal New Heaven and New Earth. So, is God’s abode your guaranteed destination? It takes more than, “Well, I hope so”. It takes a change of mind and heart from self-reliance to Christ-reliance (this admission of sin and need is called repentance). It takes absolute faith (belief) in Christ’s death/burial/and resurrection alone (and not any religious works). And then we appropriate God’s forgiveness and the new birth by calling out to him! For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). God bless and consider!

The 4 P's, Pt. 3

June 21, 2024 • Central Baptist Church

The 4 P’s (A Purpose, a Plan, a Provider, and Paradise) Pt. 3, A Provider Ingratitude. Is there anything more offensive than an unthankful spirit? Parents work hard and sacrifice for their children’s needs, and often, even for their wants. Employees sometimes go the extra-mile for an employer, personally sacrificing for the company’s benefit. Members of our Armed Forces sacrifice their bodies, and even their lives, to provide national security and freedom. And many times, the response from those who benefit is a “ho hum”, big-deal attitude-of-ingratitude. We can so easily take our life-provisions for granted and forget the sacrifices that others have made so that we can enjoy great blessings. And this is especially so in our country of great plenty! Ingratitude is a very offensive attitude. Of course, our Creator is THE Great Provider. All things necessary for life emanate from Him. James puts it like this, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). And our Creator cares not only for His human creation but for all of His creatures. Psalm 147:9 reads, He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. In Psalm 104:21 we read, The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. And in Matthew 6:26 Jesus explains, Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. But God’s provisions for us move far beyond the physical. Most important of all, God has also provided for us spiritually! And, tragically, this is where the vast majority of humanity shows the least amount of gratitude! If we know anything about the Bible, it is this: God gave Himself to rescue us spiritually! Our sin separates us from God; we are estranged enemies. Isaiah 59:2 reads, But your iniquities have separatedbetween you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Consequently, driven by His great love for humanity, the Second Person of our Trinity God voluntarily incarnated Himself, lived a perfect life, and then died a substitutionary death. He shed his Precious Blood for us (1 Peter 1:19)! But not only did He die for us physically, but he also suffered spiritually by becoming sin for us. The Scriptures declare that the sins of the whole world were placed upon Jesus during those three dark hours, when the Father turned His face from His own Son, and Jesus the Son suffered the infinite judgment of The Father. What Jesus endured for us spiritually is beyond our comprehension and ability to endure, but it was FAR more than just the physical torture of the crucifixion. So… if a person valiantly gave his own life to save your life, or your spouse’s life, or your child’s life… would you be grateful? Of course, you would! You would be very grateful! Your heart would overflow with gratitude. So, what would you think of a person who did NOT show gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice? I think I can answer for you. You would be aghast at that person’s ingratitude, pride, and arrogance. Well, let’s transfer this over to God the Father. When a human being says to God, “Hey God, I do appreciate what you’ve done for me, but I really don’t want your strings in my life. I want to live the way I want, I want to believe the things I want to believe, and after all, I’m a pretty good guy/gal. I mean, I haven’t robbed banks, I’ve not murdered, and I haven’t abused children. So, I know you’ll take that into account. Boy, I’m a lot better guy than my neighbor! That guy… he’s a heathen! So, all this repentance stuff, and humbling myself before you, and crying out for your salvation… well, I don’t think I need all that. After all, I know how to spell ‘J E S U S’. I know who He is. And I live in a Christian nation. I’m a Christian.” That person is expressing the greatest ingratitude, the greatest arrogance, and the greatest pride imaginable. And to that attitude God replies, He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people (Heb. 10:28-30). Friends, God has provided us the greatest gift; He offers us absolute forgiveness… FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR OWN FREE-WILL REBELLION! He gave His own precious Son to make it possible. What deadly ingratitude we show when we rebuff the wooing of the Holy Spirit and say to God, “No thanks. I’ve got this.” If that is our choice then we need to back up and read Hebrews 10:26, 27, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Don’t be a spiritual ingrate. The cost is unrecoverable! God bless and consider!

The 4 P's, Pt. 2

June 14, 2024 • Central Baptist Church

June 14, 2024 The 4 P’s (A Purpose, a Plan, a Provider, and Paradise) Pt. 2, A Plan Our Creator, Jehovah God—the ONLY Deity—is the ultimate planner and provider. In our last installment, we spoke of God’s purpose in the Creation, especially in the creation of human beings, the only spiritual beings made in God’s tripartite image and likeness. In short, God is busy …bringing many sons unto glory(Hebrews 2:10) to the end that He might fellowship with us and receive our worship. He is worthy! And so, to accomplish His purpose, God had a plan… a wonderful plan! We read about the literal creation part of His plan in Genesis. God created space, the material universe, and life (including the first man and woman), in six, literal, 24-hour days. We say God created by “fiat”, i.e., a formal authorization or decree. Our Trinity God literally “spoke” the universe (and all it contains) into existence. We read the phrase, Let there be… several times in the Genesis account, and the Psalmist proclaims, For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast (Psalm 33:9). And then on the seventh day, He rested as an example for mankind. But there is an important part of God’s plan (a critical part in fact) that we often don’t think about or consider. I am speaking of God’s plan to redeem (buy back) a human race that was not yet existing or estranged! Our omniscient Creator pre-knew of Adam and Eve’s rebellion and fall in the Garden. And since God’s System requires that the penalty for rebellion and sin is death, then God’s justness necessitated a pre-planned solution for the sin-dilemma! We know this SOLUTION to be the marvelous Incarnation and the sacrificial death of the Eternal God-Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus’ sin-atoning sacrifice had to be in effect before SIN, or else the Just Nature of God would have required Him to judge humanity on the spot. And so, in the Counsel of the Pre-Creation Trinity, the Son of God became the, …Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). And Peter writes concerning Jesus the Messiah, Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you… (1 Peter 1:20). What a Purpose! And then, what a Plan! Our Creator has an overall plan for the race, and then an individual plan for every human being. Therefore, what a tragedy it is to refuse God’s Redemption Plan! But that is what men and women effectively demand, when in pride they REFUSE God’s redemption, when they, as Paul foretold in Hebrews 10:29, account the blood of Jesus an unholy thing, and do despite, i.e., they INSULT, the wooing Holy Spirit. Jesus was clear and frank. His precious blood can cleanse every sin… except for one! There is one sin that Christ’s blood will not assuage: the sin of unbelief. When men and women continually rebuff the wooing, convicting, pleading Holy Spirit, and then die in that state of prideful rebellion, there is no more remedy for sin, but only, …a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries (Hebrews 10:27). Solomon concurred in Proverbs 29:1, He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. What a horrific tragedy it will be to miss out on God’s glorious Plan. Jesus, His born-again children (his Bride), and the Holy Spirit all cry out, “Come!” Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. God bless and consider!