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It isn't difficult to understand why so many people in our
generation reject the God of Holy Scripture. After all,
they hear the world shouting at them from every side that the
universe, and even life itself, began by chance. This
makes more sense to the common crowds than the truth of a
universe created by God. Actually, what makes more sense
to people in our day is the idea of doing whatever they want
without having to deal with the consequences.
That's why the governments of so many nations are having to try
and bail out the banks. People want what they want, and
they want it right now. The world-wide abuse of credit is
just one example of our human unwillingness to forego pleasure — for
any reason. Another example is the wholesale slaughter of
innocent children in the mother's womb because so many women end
up pregnant when all they (and their partner) really wanted was a sexual thrill.
We are willing to shut down our own brains, ignoring all the
evidence of nature and the universe beyond us, and pretend that
there is no God because we don't want a God who will judge us
for the wrong choices we make. We would rather face
eternity alone, in total darkness, than face the light of God
and own up to our sins.
Yet the fact remains that people sin. All of us do.
The sins listed and condemned in the Bible are the sins most
common to human beings. We are adulterers, thieves and
murderers by nature. If you doubt me, then just take
look at the most popular novels, TV shows and movies.
The themes are sex, murder, theft, and pleasures. Or listen to the lyrics of
most popular songs. What do people
want to think about, imagine and daydream about? We want
the things that others possess. We want to experience
sexual pleasure. We want power over our own lives, even to
the point of cheating or lying or hurting someone else to get it.
God does not hate pleasure and He does not hate people who want
a better house, a nicer car, a little freedom in their lives or
more friends. What God hates is the sin that infects us to
the point of turning us into humans that behave like natural
brute beasts.
Because we are spiritually broken inside,
spiritually dead and decaying, separated from a genuine life with
God, we have become slaves of our physical passions and whims.
We keep chasing pleasures and various physical gratifications,
thinking that maybe if we can experience enough of the pleasures
of life we will
finally be happy. But physical comfort, pleasure and
gratification does not lead to happiness. These things in excess usually lead to
more corruption, because we want more and more of the
things that please us.
If there were no God, there would be no pleasure at all.
There would be no beauty, no light, no darkness, no universe or
matter or energy, no atoms and protons and whatever else there
is today. God brought all these things — and all there is
— into being.
It's true that we don't know anything about God in eternity
past, before He created the universe, the earth, and all living
things. But we do know that the universe is filled with
astonishing design and complexity, so that what we once assumed was chaos we now can see as perfection and order.
God has made all things work together in a way that makes life
possible on this planet. Life on earth is not here by
chance. The incredible beauty in this world is not the
work of evolution or an accidental series of random developments. The human body
and the human mind are not the offspring of lower life forms of
any kind. Each living thing is designed by God to fill a
niche in the overall scheme that we're still trying to
understand. Many of the "scientific" assumptions of the
past have already been shot down by further research and an
improved understanding of how life works. And the process
of learning continues.
God does not hate knowledge, discovery or education. He's been kind enough to reveal many things to help us along
in our understanding of the world. He has especially been gracious to
provide a way of saving us from our own ignorance and wayward
thinking.
The Lord has done more than just give us
information. He also gave up His own Son, the Sinless One
for the wayward sinners of earth. Jesus put His own life aside for
the people of this world. He willingly went to a cross, to pay
for the sins of the world. God worked in amazing ways to
provide a full pardon for every human being, in every age, willing to trust in
Him, and in the gift of life found only in Jesus Christ.
Why would anyone reject a God who loves us? Why would
anyone reject eternal life?
God has not
worked in history to destroy humankind, but to save us all.
The Bible tells us about sin so that we can understand how
destructive it is to individuals, to families, to innocent children,
to communities and even to whole nations. Sin destroys all that
is good and beautiful in life. Sin ruins all chances for
joy when we become its willing slaves. Just look around, and you can see how sin is
destroying people's lives every day. How many homes, how many
villages and societies must perish?
I believe in God because He drew me to Himself. He is also
drawing you and everyone around you. But He doesn't force
anyone to believe. God forces no one to obey His call.
Everyone is invited, but not all will respond in faith to the
call of God. Too many leave their future and eternal
destiny
in the hands of chance. They feel that someday they will
give in to the goodness and love of God. Someday.
But for too many, that day never arrives. No one has the
promise of tomorrow. We live this day only by the grace of
God. For us, tomorrow in this world may never come.
Why take the chance? Why not take the offer of God's grace
right now? If you want to know how to respond to God in
faith,
you can find out right here.
Trust the Lord and allow Him to give you real and meaningful
life. Right here and right now.
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