“The Counselor…will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…he will guide you into all truth…and he will tell you what is yet to come…he will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” John 16.
“The Counselor…will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…he will guide you into all truth…and he will tell you what is yet to come…he will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” John 16.
How many times have I seen people accept Christ as Saviour and then walk away later on? What happens to them? Or the many people who have been baptized, saying “I am a disciple and will follow the Lord” and then who do the same thing and walk away. What happens to them as far as the Lord is concerned? We live in the age of Grace, and it is easy for us to emphasize the wooing aspect of God’s love. We can come to see the Lord pitifully wringing his hands outside of the rebel Christian’s life and dearly hoping that at some time He will be allowed in again. Does He say, “oh well – you win some you lose some?”
God’s love is only a part of the picture of who He is. He is also perfect, eternal, all powerful, just, and holy holy holy. He is headed somewhere – his kingdom is being built. For us to focus only on his love is to see only a part of God. As J.B. Phillips said: “…when one characteristic is caricatured at the expense of all the others we get a grotesque distortion which can only appeal to the morbidly sentimental.”
He is the same God in the Old Testament as in the New. The Son cleansed the temple and addressed the evil world as Master over it. The Spirit came as a mighty rushing wind of fire that set the world on its end.
A comedian’s children spent a day at the zoo. He asked them what they saw, and they said with a yawn – ‘a lion.’ The comedian said he wished they could have been chased around the cage by the lion and pulled out just in time, and THEN asked, “what did you see?”
Look at God’s experience with the Israelites. He embraced them as a hen covering her chicks; He spoke through angels and dreams; He imparted His will and ways; He led them by cloud and fire. But he also gave them leaders to lead and prophets to warn and when they stubbornly resisted, He would discipline. No, God is not wringing his hands at our wanderings – He is committed to us and doesn’t easily let us go. But He is not only mercy but also justice and sometimes He gives us over to harsh lessons to learn.
Aren’t you glad He doesn’t write you off! That He walks this journey with you! Isn’t it encouraging that as we pray, He can untie knots that we cannot untie! He goes where we cannot go, and He speaks where we cannot speak.
Let’s not put God to the test but stay close where the warmth is!
Pastor Leon Throness
