The Least of These

The value of the human life is undervalued in our society. Recently I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how there are so many children that are in foster care. Some times it is unavoidable due to wild circumstances, but most often these kids are being abused and neglected. At a young age, many children are scarred and they have to live with this for the rest of their life. It’s absolutely saddening. We all get one chance at life.

As a follower of Christ, we’re called to care for the widows and orphans. These are the down and out. Those who have lost all hope. In Psalm 80 there is a call to defense for the fatherless, oppressed, poor and needy. More needs to be done. It’s the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. While this goodness is wrapped up in the salvation from our sin offered through Christ, we must live out the love God and goodness God has shown to us. Love your neighbor as yourself…

One Chance

A disturbing about life is that we only get one chance. Any decision one makes and acts upon is final. There is no way to go back in time and redo it. Often times, I don’t take thins into consideration. More recently though, I’ve been strangely aware of this truth. Tonight I go to the prison to minister with my pastor to inmates. I’m very excited about this opportunity.

These men made choices at some point that had an end result of separation from society. The prison we’re going to is an incredibly large, maximum security prison. The men here didn’t just get caught busting a window. They have committed murder, rape and other horrid acts possibly more than once. The people I will see tonight never get an opportunity to redo the life they lost. Truth is that we’re the same way. I never get another chance at time. I could very well be there myself.

Even more wild than all of the things above is that I’m no better than those men. I’ve flaunted my sin in the face of a Holy God who in His love had to reject me because of my wickedness. It doesn’t matter how bad the things I’ve done are. It’s that I’ve offended Him by going against Him. My best righteousness is like filthy rags compared to Him.

 We get one chance at life and in turn one chance at eternity. If one never comes to the understanding that they, just like me and everyone else, have violated God’s law and will stand before Him in judgement and that they must have the atoning blood of Christ applied to their life, then they will spend eternity separated from God in His wrath.

This is not politically correct, but it’s not about whether people are offended. It is about people seeing the truth of who they are in comparison to a Holy God. 

Conversion

One of the most frustrating things is when I see an organization wander from its roots in an attempt to become something it isn’t. I’m afraid that the evangelical church has done exactly this. We often try to market Jesus to people as a solution to all of their problems when they don’t even realize that they have a problem. People need to understand that Jesus never promised He would fix all our problems and make our issues disappear. He came because we were condemned in our sins before a Holy and Just God, and we needed a Savior. We’ve cultivated a personal fear of offending people while sharing with them their true need for Christ, because for them to understand their true need for Christ, they must understand that their sin has flown in the face of God. Ephesians 2 supports this and clearly tell us that we “were dead in our trespasses and sins.” 

This thought process was inspired as I recently listened to Ray Comfort’s first message of “Hell’s Best Kept Secret.” I agree wholeheartedly with what he teaches in this message. It is supported by Scripture. I encourage you to listen to it. 

Hell’s Best Kept Secret Audio Download