Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
The title says it all right? I heard this idea in a message by one of my new favorite pastors Matt Chandler. How many of us ever think about Hell? "Yeah? Not where we're headed right? So why bother thinking about it."
Oh, because scripture tells us to. It tells us its real and people not knowing God will go there.
Pshh..come on Claude. Oh I know God. I love God.
The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4
This is love for God: to obey his commands. 1 John 5:3
So? Still think you know and love God. See here's the thing. If we're not doctrinally understanding what it means to know God and to love God then we're missing out on the fullness of God, and could very well be headed to this place we try not to think about AND will argue that we're not going there. Here's the illustration.
Ever wonder why everybody in jail claims they're innocent? Or ever watched a trial and the convict is sitting in his chair with this head in his lap, waiting to hear the final verdict. And the judge slams down his gavel and screams out GUILTY AS CHARGED! Does the convict jump up with joy? Does he boast and brag? High five the judge?
Of course not. Just like the inmate and just like the convict, when we're feeling guilty, all we want is MERCY.
So, naturally...and of course...we're going to want to believe things like, "Well God is a loving God, He wouldn't send me to Hell." Or, "If He is a loving God, why would He create Hell?" Or my favorite that people say, "I feel like God loves me to much to send me to Hell."
This is only a result of our culture's lack of awareness of sin. "Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God" Romans 11:22. Kindness of God, yeah, I can get that. Peace, joy, love, happiness, purpose, hope, yes. Well, the same mouth also said all those other things we want to ignore. And since our culture doesn't have an understanding of how doctrine explains sin and how God feels about it, we flaunt it. We'll tweet it, we'll blog it, we'll rap about it, we'll sing about it, we'll protest about it, we'll mock it, we'll write books about it, we'll go on Oprah and agree about it........
But we all desire heaven.
Why? What is heaven? Can we seriously think we can ignore God here AND ignore Him in His home? Hey God, nice crib, I'll just hang out on the porch.
That's like if I could, right now as you're reading this, reach through the computer and punch you in face, and then tweet I just did it, but oh, can you loan me $20, I need some gas.
I think our grasp of eternity is off, or we don't even have one. Imagine it for a second. And what cracks me up about us, we'll try to experience God in our fullness rather than in His fullness. We don't even know the people driving on the streets outside of our apartments or homes but we think we have the understanding of God.
I'm learning that we have to be careful with ministering to our generation. We're wired to think about ourselves first. We've even corrupted hearing Jesus loves you. Like, of course He does, I love me some me. Don't we say stuff like that? Or rather, we act like that.
Here's the wrap up.
Don't fret my dear, this story always end good, for the ones who take heed. Because it takes you truly understanding the wrath of God and the sin that's attached to your body right now to understand how much God loves you. You can't understand the weight of Christ's love on the cross without understanding the weight of God's anger with you for sinning.
And we're all operating in free will right now, aren't we? You do know free will will eventually end. We may have a choice now of what we do and where we go, but that choice ends on sentencing day. You're either in, or you're out. God doesn't want you out, and neither do I. This blog is for your joy, not your happiness.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9
No comments:
Post a Comment