The blog I link to in my sidebar, Streetfishing.org, has an excellent letter to his LDS friend, and I thought I'd do a repost of that letter for your consideration. Without further ado:
Dear Friend,
I love you. Please take time to read this very important letter. Since you are so devoted to your faith it is important for you to know that according to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), true repentance means sinless perfectionism. Since no one can completely stop sinning in this life the teaching of the LDS Church is indeed the Impossible Gospel. This is the reason you and other LDS I talk with consistently respond that you do not know for sure that you have eternal life because you must rely on your own ability to keep the commandments and stop sinning in order to earn the grace of God.
If you don’t believe me then see for yourself. Here are the requirements of true repentance for salvation as defined by the LDS Church:
Must forsake all sin and deny all ungodliness
"Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins--behold, he will confess them and forsake them." (Doctrine and Covenants 58:42-43)
“And if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you…” (Moroni 10:32)
“Repentance is for every soul who has not yet reached perfection” (Miracle of Forgiveness [MoF] by Spencer Kimball, p.33)
Must keep all the commandments
“For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:31-33)
Must stop all sinning
“Being perfect means to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord. He is just and wise and kind. He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection therefore is an achievable goal” (MoF by Spencer Kimball p. 209)
“the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” 1 Nephi 3:7
“Discontinuance of sin must be permanent” (MoF, p.176)
Must never repeat any sin again or commit new sins for the first time
"Unto the soul that sins the former sins return" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:7).
“daily transgression and daily repentance is that which is not pleasing in the sight of God.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 148)
“no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot saved in your sins” (Alma 11:37)
“Those who feel that they can sin and be forgiven and then return to sin and be forgiven again and again must straighten out their thinking. Each previously forgiven sin is added to the new one. When a man has made up his mind to change his life there must be no turning back.” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.170)
Trying not to sin is not enough
“Desire and Trying to abandon sins is not sufficient, only abandoning sin is sufficient” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.163-164)
“We can hardly be too forceful in reminding people that they cannot sin and be forgiven and then sin again and again and expect repeated forgiveness” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.360)
“There is one crucial test of repentance. This is abandonment of the sin.” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.163)
“An incomplete repentance never brought about complete forgiveness” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.212)
Must stop sinning before death (No second chances)
“spirit world repentance cannot recompense for that which could and should have been done on earth” (MoF by Spencer Kimball, p.315)
“…this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God… For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked” (Alma 34:30-35)
Friend, the Impossible Gospel of Mormonism is not only impossible but also false. It is based on fear and works righteousness. Grace only applies after all you can do (2 Nephi 25:23). Unless you never commit any sin ever again you are still in sin and not truly repentant. Trying to stop sinning is not enough. The time to deny all ungodliness is now because at death there is no second chance from being sealed to the devil who is in Outer Darkness. That is the final state of your soul for all eternity without end. Have you stopped sinning completely? If not then Grace does not apply to you. You will die in sin and will not be saved to be in the presence of the Father according to the LDS Teaching you just read. The LDS gospel is not good news.
For the Christian the requirement to be perfect still exists but it exists not in ourselves but in Jesus Christ completely. It is by the Cross we who are not perfect are made perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14). There is no other way for the Bible tells us that there is no one who is good (Romans 3:10). A person who thinks they can get to Heaven by being good and keeping the commandments does not understand how God sees sin, punishment, or Hell (John 3:18, 36). On Judgment Day every thought, word and deed will be exposed.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s standard we see that God views lust as adultery (Matthew 5:28), hatred as murder (1 John 3:15), and that no secret sin is hidden from Him of whom we will give an account (Hebrews 4:13). We see our sin in all its ugliness and realize that there is nothing we can do to remedy it. The more we see the depth of our sin the more we realize the extent of God's love to save us, making grace truly amazing (Romans 2:4, 5:8).
That’s the bad news. The law cannot save us. It simply teaches us (Romans 3:20, 7:13; Galatians 3:24) to not trust in our own goodness and leads us to trust by grace through faith in the goodness of Jesus alone for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:4). Because of sin we deserve Hell, but God showed His love by pouring His wrath toward our sin on His only Son. Jesus alone does the “perfecting” (Heb. 10:14). He suffered and died on the cross in our place and rose again so that we who deserve such punishment could be pardoned and God glorified. That is the good news. God’s love is amazing. Will you reject His amazing gift of undeserved kindness?
God commands you to repent and put all trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you (Acts 17:30-31). Stop attempting to gain your own salvation through works that cannot save (Rom. 10:3-4). It cheapens Christ’s sacrifice to be only a partial payment and insults God. You can do nothing to save yourself (Eph. 2:8-9). You must put all your faith in Jesus alone and place zero trust in yourself. Cry out to God and beg him to save you from your sin, and trust ONLY in His death and resurrection as full payment
.
However, to die in sin apart from God's complete and undeserved mercy will bring a fearful day of wrath, judgment and a destination of Hell (Revelation 21:8). Don't wait another moment. Surrender all to the Savior for He is worthy and this day may be your last. There is no other way. Please repent and trust in the true Jesus. He is merciful to save.
I love you Friend. That is why I wanted to share this most important message of God’s kindness. Let’s talk more as soon as possible.
Love,
Rob-roy
Showing posts with label the gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the gospel. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Book Excerpt: When I Don't Desire God, How to Fight for Joy (Part two)
You can find Part one by clicking here.
But we are not without a Savior. Jesus Christ has come. And he is a great Savior. Every need we have, he supplies. And his death on the cross is the price that purchases every gift that leads to deep and lasting joy.
Is there wrath and curse hanging over us?
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13)
Is there condemnation against us in the courtroom of heaven?
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. (Rom. 8:33-34)
Are there innumerable trespasses mounting up against us?
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Eph. 1:7)
Is righteousness required that we cannot produce?
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). By the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:19)
Are we cut off from eternal life?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Are we trapped in the dominion of sin that ruins our lives?
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24).
He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Cor. 5:15)
Will all the follies and failures of our past drag us down with irrevocable, destructive consequences?
We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
Have we lost all the good things God planned for his children?
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:32)
Is there any hope that sinners like us could spend an all-satisfying eternity with God? Can I ever come home to God?
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)
Oh, what a great salvation Jesus Christ accomplished when he died and rose again! All that, and more, Christ purchased by his death. Therefore, Christ crucified is the foundation of all honest and everlasting joy. No self-deception is necessary to enjoy it. Indeed all deception must cease in order to enjoy it to the full.
But we are not without a Savior. Jesus Christ has come. And he is a great Savior. Every need we have, he supplies. And his death on the cross is the price that purchases every gift that leads to deep and lasting joy.
Is there wrath and curse hanging over us?
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13)
Is there condemnation against us in the courtroom of heaven?
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. (Rom. 8:33-34)
Are there innumerable trespasses mounting up against us?
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Eph. 1:7)
Is righteousness required that we cannot produce?
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). By the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:19)
Are we cut off from eternal life?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Are we trapped in the dominion of sin that ruins our lives?
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24).
He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Cor. 5:15)
Will all the follies and failures of our past drag us down with irrevocable, destructive consequences?
We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
Have we lost all the good things God planned for his children?
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:32)
Is there any hope that sinners like us could spend an all-satisfying eternity with God? Can I ever come home to God?
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)
Oh, what a great salvation Jesus Christ accomplished when he died and rose again! All that, and more, Christ purchased by his death. Therefore, Christ crucified is the foundation of all honest and everlasting joy. No self-deception is necessary to enjoy it. Indeed all deception must cease in order to enjoy it to the full.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Book Excerpt: When I Don't Desire God, How to Fight for Joy (Part one)
If you know me at all, or read my blog, you know that joy is a struggle for me. A friend suggested a book by John Piper, When I Don't Desire God, How to Fight For Joy. It continues to be a real encouragement to me, and when I read this last night, I had a deep desire to share it with you. You can read the book in full in PDF by clicking here.
This is a two part excerpt. Part two will come tomorrow or Monday. But here is part one, taken from page 72:
Jesus Christ came into the world as the divine Son of God in order to die for our sins and rescue us from the wrath of God, the burden of guilt, the condemnation of justice, the bondage of sin, the torment of hell, and the loss of all that is good—especially the loss of God. Our problem is not merely our own corruption but, more seriously, God’s condemnation. To be sure, we are corrupt, or as the old theologians said, depraved. Paul’s way of saying it is that “all . . . are under sin. . . . ‘None is righteous, no, not one’” (Rom. 3:9-10).
This corruption is a massive obstacle to everlasting joy. We desire the wrong things, and we desire right things in the wrong way. And both are deadly—like eating pleasant poison. But our corruption is not our main obstacle to joy. God’s wrath is greater. God is infinitely valuable, and we have offended him infinitely by valuing other things more. We have exchanged the glory of . . . God” (Rom. 1:23). Or as Paul says in Romans 3:23, we all “fall short of the glory of God.”
This is a two part excerpt. Part two will come tomorrow or Monday. But here is part one, taken from page 72:
Jesus Christ came into the world as the divine Son of God in order to die for our sins and rescue us from the wrath of God, the burden of guilt, the condemnation of justice, the bondage of sin, the torment of hell, and the loss of all that is good—especially the loss of God. Our problem is not merely our own corruption but, more seriously, God’s condemnation. To be sure, we are corrupt, or as the old theologians said, depraved. Paul’s way of saying it is that “all . . . are under sin. . . . ‘None is righteous, no, not one’” (Rom. 3:9-10).
This corruption is a massive obstacle to everlasting joy. We desire the wrong things, and we desire right things in the wrong way. And both are deadly—like eating pleasant poison. But our corruption is not our main obstacle to joy. God’s wrath is greater. God is infinitely valuable, and we have offended him infinitely by valuing other things more. We have exchanged the glory of . . . God” (Rom. 1:23). Or as Paul says in Romans 3:23, we all “fall short of the glory of God.”
Therefore, God’s holiness and justice will move him to settle accounts with us in his wrath. “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Gal. 3:10). The consequence of this curse and wrath is eternal misery apart from the glory of God. “Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus . . . will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). The iceberg just ahead is no happiness forever, only misery.
We are on a doomed Titanic because of our sin—all of us without exception. “Every mouth [is] stopped, and the whole world [is] held accountable to God” (Rom. 3:19). The sinful ship of our lives is headed for everlasting ruin because of God’s righteousness and wrath. Without a Savior, that’s the reality we must keep out of our minds in order to be happy on the Titanic of this world.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
There is a Way That Seems Right...
Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 both say the same thing: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
One thing I've learned is that if God repeats something, I need to pay attention! This proverb floats around in my head a lot. Lately, its been floating around double a lot.
There are a few things in my life that are challenging my "gospel centered" sensibilities. Meaning, I want to scream, throw things, call people names, yell something mature, like "nanny nanny boo-boo," and kick them in the shins. Yes, I AM feeling like a spoiled 8 year old in my life right now. Because people are saying things to me that are unkind, and are representing me in ways that are untrue, in public. You know, so other people can read and see and think poorly of me. And it makes me ANGRY.
So I go on these tangents, in my mind, about how right I am and how wrong they are and how if only they would apologize, then we would all be fine. But then this proverb dings me in between the eyeballs. No matter how right I think I am, I might not be.
And I don't want to be right in my own eyes. If I am wrong in His eyes, I want to know it, so I can change. And so I pray...Lord, help me know where I am wrong, because I don't want to be right, in my own eyes. I want to be right in HIS eyes. Because His are the only eyes that matter.
One thing I've learned is that if God repeats something, I need to pay attention! This proverb floats around in my head a lot. Lately, its been floating around double a lot.
There are a few things in my life that are challenging my "gospel centered" sensibilities. Meaning, I want to scream, throw things, call people names, yell something mature, like "nanny nanny boo-boo," and kick them in the shins. Yes, I AM feeling like a spoiled 8 year old in my life right now. Because people are saying things to me that are unkind, and are representing me in ways that are untrue, in public. You know, so other people can read and see and think poorly of me. And it makes me ANGRY.
So I go on these tangents, in my mind, about how right I am and how wrong they are and how if only they would apologize, then we would all be fine. But then this proverb dings me in between the eyeballs. No matter how right I think I am, I might not be.
And I don't want to be right in my own eyes. If I am wrong in His eyes, I want to know it, so I can change. And so I pray...Lord, help me know where I am wrong, because I don't want to be right, in my own eyes. I want to be right in HIS eyes. Because His are the only eyes that matter.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
But the LORD was pleased to crush Him
Isaiah 53: 10 - But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief;
I've struggled with this verse since I first read it. I have never quite been able to understand how it would be pleasing to God to crush Christ and make Him a guilt offering for our sin. I mean, it would make more sense to me if the verse said, "But the LORD was exceedingly sad to crush Him, putting Him to grief." That makes sense to me. But that's not what the verse says. And I've had a hard time getting that to jive with my ideas of what should and should not be.
I took the girls to a local park that has a display of LOTS of Christmas lights and a fun carousel that my toddler has discovered and loves to ride. All of these things are quite a distance from the car, and my routine is to park, put the baby in the stroller, and let the toddler walk with me. This works really well, as I can push the stroller with one hand and hold the toddler's hand with my other one, if necessary. All was well and good, until we got out of the car and were halfway to the carousel and I realized it was colder than I had anticipated before leaving the house, and I had under-dressed the baby.
We got to the carousel and rode it (a few times, if you must know). When I went to put the baby back in the stroller, I knew I could not leave her so under-dressed and cold. So I covered her with my jacket. It was very cold, and within a short time, I was miserably cold.
BUT, I was pleased that it was me that was cold, and not her. The colder I felt, the more pleased I was that she was warm. I found my heart not only willing to suffer for her comfort, but eager.
It struck me in that moment, what this verse means. Since Christ is God, it is true to say that God was self-sacrificial, taking our sufferings on Himself, and it pleased Him to do so, because He knows we could never bear the weight of His punishment that is due to us, outside of Christ. I can imagine that the worse the suffering got, the more pleased He became, because of His great love for us, and His intense desire to spare us from His righteous wrath against our sin! I pray you can feel the weight and significance of this, even if you do not have a relationship with Christ.
(And if you do not have a relationship with Christ, I pray that you would stop what you are doing, and ponder this truth, and seek Him while He may still be found! He suffered and died in your place, and He waits for you to turn to Him. I pray you would not rest until you believe.)
I want to encourage you to ponder this verse and what it means in your life, that God took your punishment on Himself, and it pleased Him to do so. I pray it causes you to worship, praising His holy name!
Monday, December 7, 2009
And trying my hand at an answer, part 2
This series began with a question on the post found here, and then I answered partially on the post found here, and will continue that answer today. I will do a final post, part 3, as a wrap up and summary in the next few days.
Just to give context, the question posed to me was this:
Why were miracles performed in biblical times, but, they aren't performed now? And I'm not talking 'the cancer is in remission' kinda miracles...I'm talking water into wine miracles...parting of the sea miracles.
I don't understand the mystery. Why does God have to be so elusive? It seems kinda mean, and unfair to us...the generations of people after Jesus...who don't get to see the works of God. In biblical days, they could see, feel, and talk to Jesus. If they had a question, it could be answered. I mean, for those people...they had cold hard facts.
We don't have that luxury. And I guess I kinda answered my own question...there is no physical manifestation of God here today, so we don't have miracles.
That still doesn't seem fair.
This post will focus on the part of the question that deals with Jesus, and the generation that walked with Him on this earth and witnessed His miracles up close and personal. Again, I will try not to ramble, but this could get lengthy, as well.
The Bible talks a lot about miracles when it talks about Jesus.
The first miracle associated with Jesus that I'd like to talk about is some direct prophecy. In the spirit of Christmas, I want to point to some verses predicting the birth of a miracle Child, written approximately 700 years before Christ was born.
Isaiah 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 9:6 - “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
So, this baby was born. And all of Israel had been keeping their eyes out for just such a baby, the Messiah that would take the government on His shoulders. At the time Jesus was born, Israel was under Roman rule, so this was especially appealing to them. They desired release from their oppression and felt their Messiah was just the one to do that for them.
Then Jesus comes into the picture. He heals the sick and lame, makes the blind see and the deaf hear. He casts out demons and declares sin forgiven. He fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread and some fish. Twice. I could go on and on and on.
He performed miracles day in and day out, in order to show His power was from God (Mark 2:1-12).
From here, 2000+ years later, it seems simple. Its obvious. He is a powerful man, and if only we could have laid our eyes on Him, it would be so easy to believe.
I want to suggest that perhaps for them, the fact that they could lay their eyes on Him was a major obstacle to belief. I think they were looking for something else, probably political might that would overthrow the Roman government. They certainly did not think that their Messiah would be teaching against the religious leaders of the day. They had expectations He did not meet. It is interesting to examine the way they responded to Him.
They opposed Him. (Mark 2:6-7) They did their best to trap Him with questions (Matthew 22:15, Luke 20:26, John 8:6). They tried to stone Him (John 8:59, John 10:31). They said He got His power from the devil.
Most of those walking with Him did not believe the miracles they were privileged to see.
Those who knew Him best believed the least.
He did have followers, and friends, though. And while they walked with Him, learning from Him for three years, when He was arrested, they betrayed Him, abandoned Him and denied Him.
And when it came right down to it, the generation that walked with the Christ, the Living God, God in the Flesh come to save us from our sins, the generation that witnessed those miracles firsthand...
They killed Him.
Just to give context, the question posed to me was this:
Why were miracles performed in biblical times, but, they aren't performed now? And I'm not talking 'the cancer is in remission' kinda miracles...I'm talking water into wine miracles...parting of the sea miracles.
I don't understand the mystery. Why does God have to be so elusive? It seems kinda mean, and unfair to us...the generations of people after Jesus...who don't get to see the works of God. In biblical days, they could see, feel, and talk to Jesus. If they had a question, it could be answered. I mean, for those people...they had cold hard facts.
We don't have that luxury. And I guess I kinda answered my own question...there is no physical manifestation of God here today, so we don't have miracles.
That still doesn't seem fair.
This post will focus on the part of the question that deals with Jesus, and the generation that walked with Him on this earth and witnessed His miracles up close and personal. Again, I will try not to ramble, but this could get lengthy, as well.
The Bible talks a lot about miracles when it talks about Jesus.
The first miracle associated with Jesus that I'd like to talk about is some direct prophecy. In the spirit of Christmas, I want to point to some verses predicting the birth of a miracle Child, written approximately 700 years before Christ was born.
Isaiah 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 9:6 - “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
So, this baby was born. And all of Israel had been keeping their eyes out for just such a baby, the Messiah that would take the government on His shoulders. At the time Jesus was born, Israel was under Roman rule, so this was especially appealing to them. They desired release from their oppression and felt their Messiah was just the one to do that for them.
Then Jesus comes into the picture. He heals the sick and lame, makes the blind see and the deaf hear. He casts out demons and declares sin forgiven. He fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread and some fish. Twice. I could go on and on and on.
He performed miracles day in and day out, in order to show His power was from God (Mark 2:1-12).
From here, 2000+ years later, it seems simple. Its obvious. He is a powerful man, and if only we could have laid our eyes on Him, it would be so easy to believe.
I want to suggest that perhaps for them, the fact that they could lay their eyes on Him was a major obstacle to belief. I think they were looking for something else, probably political might that would overthrow the Roman government. They certainly did not think that their Messiah would be teaching against the religious leaders of the day. They had expectations He did not meet. It is interesting to examine the way they responded to Him.
They opposed Him. (Mark 2:6-7) They did their best to trap Him with questions (Matthew 22:15, Luke 20:26, John 8:6). They tried to stone Him (John 8:59, John 10:31). They said He got His power from the devil.
Most of those walking with Him did not believe the miracles they were privileged to see.
Those who knew Him best believed the least.
He did have followers, and friends, though. And while they walked with Him, learning from Him for three years, when He was arrested, they betrayed Him, abandoned Him and denied Him.
And when it came right down to it, the generation that walked with the Christ, the Living God, God in the Flesh come to save us from our sins, the generation that witnessed those miracles firsthand...
They killed Him.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Gospel and David Letterman
I realize I'm running a little behind here, but I have been mulling this over in my head for a few days now.
In case you hadn't heard, David Letterman was the victim of an extortion plot whereby a person that works at CBS gathered evidence against him regarding affairs he had been having with women that work for him at the studio, and put it all in a box, and threatened to reveal everything through a screenplay and a book if Letterman didn't give him $2,000,000.
The video of his confession can be found here. Knowing what was coming, I was uncomfortable watching as he told the story piece by piece, and the audience, expecting to be entertained, kept laughing at stuff that I didn't feel like laughing at. It was a pretty uncomfortable thing for me to watch.
At one point, he told of having to stand before a Grand Jury and tell all of the "terrible, terrible" things that he had done, that this man was threatening to expose him for. He was embarrassed by that; it was a hard thing to do to stand there and speak about those things.
I couldn't help but think of the fact that one day, we will all stand before the Judge. He will know all of our thoughts and deeds from the day we were born until the day we died. What was done in secret will be laid out for examination. All the terrible, terrible things we have done and thought will be exposed, and all the good we should have done but didn't will be exposed as well.
We will be seen for how we really are, and all of us have a list of things that would be difficult to stand in front of the Judge and recount. After all, He is a perfect Judge, and He requires perfection of us. And which one of us is perfect?
David Letterman has experienced some human consequences for his actions. The eternal consequences still remain for him.
When David Letterman stands before God, this sequence of events will be only one of the many things that God will hand down a sentence for. Every instance of God's law being broken carries with it a sentence. A sentence that will be carried out in hell, in eternal torment.
This is where the gospel comes in.
If David Letterman were to turn to Christ and away from his sin, trusting God's provision of a sacrifice for him personally, then that courtroom scene would look a little different.
Instead of David Letterman standing before the Judge, being accountable for all he's ever done and thought, Jesus would be standing there, taking responsibility for it all.
Jesus stands before the Judge, with compassion, and lovingly accepts the punishment for the crimes we've committed.
Do you get it? Do you see?
We will all stand there one day, on the Day of Judgment, and someone will be declared Guilty.
God has made provision for our guilt through Christ. Jesus came to live a life free of sin so that He could pay our penalty. All that's required of us is faith. Faith in Jesus, taking Him at His word, that we are guilty (and you know, even if you are a good person by the world's standards...you have not lived up to God's standard...you know that...), and that His payment is sufficient for us.
Stand before God on the Day of Judgment and be declared Innocent. It is possible.
But only through Christ.
In case you hadn't heard, David Letterman was the victim of an extortion plot whereby a person that works at CBS gathered evidence against him regarding affairs he had been having with women that work for him at the studio, and put it all in a box, and threatened to reveal everything through a screenplay and a book if Letterman didn't give him $2,000,000.
The video of his confession can be found here. Knowing what was coming, I was uncomfortable watching as he told the story piece by piece, and the audience, expecting to be entertained, kept laughing at stuff that I didn't feel like laughing at. It was a pretty uncomfortable thing for me to watch.
At one point, he told of having to stand before a Grand Jury and tell all of the "terrible, terrible" things that he had done, that this man was threatening to expose him for. He was embarrassed by that; it was a hard thing to do to stand there and speak about those things.
I couldn't help but think of the fact that one day, we will all stand before the Judge. He will know all of our thoughts and deeds from the day we were born until the day we died. What was done in secret will be laid out for examination. All the terrible, terrible things we have done and thought will be exposed, and all the good we should have done but didn't will be exposed as well.
We will be seen for how we really are, and all of us have a list of things that would be difficult to stand in front of the Judge and recount. After all, He is a perfect Judge, and He requires perfection of us. And which one of us is perfect?
David Letterman has experienced some human consequences for his actions. The eternal consequences still remain for him.
When David Letterman stands before God, this sequence of events will be only one of the many things that God will hand down a sentence for. Every instance of God's law being broken carries with it a sentence. A sentence that will be carried out in hell, in eternal torment.
This is where the gospel comes in.
If David Letterman were to turn to Christ and away from his sin, trusting God's provision of a sacrifice for him personally, then that courtroom scene would look a little different.
Instead of David Letterman standing before the Judge, being accountable for all he's ever done and thought, Jesus would be standing there, taking responsibility for it all.
Jesus stands before the Judge, with compassion, and lovingly accepts the punishment for the crimes we've committed.
Do you get it? Do you see?
We will all stand there one day, on the Day of Judgment, and someone will be declared Guilty.
God has made provision for our guilt through Christ. Jesus came to live a life free of sin so that He could pay our penalty. All that's required of us is faith. Faith in Jesus, taking Him at His word, that we are guilty (and you know, even if you are a good person by the world's standards...you have not lived up to God's standard...you know that...), and that His payment is sufficient for us.
Stand before God on the Day of Judgment and be declared Innocent. It is possible.
But only through Christ.
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