But if our
unrighteousness demonstrates
the righteousness of
God, what shall we say?
Is God unjust who
inflicts wrath?
(I speak as a man.)
Certainly not! For
then how will
God judge the world?
For if the truth of
God has increased through
my lie to His glory,
why am I also
stilled judged as a
sinner?
And why not say, ‘Let
us do evil that
good may come?––as we
are slanderously
reported and as some
affirm that we say.
Their condemnation is
just.
Romans 3:5–8
There are
certain things that God cannot do. I just heard a young man who is of the
persuasion, due to the teaching from his association with a religious
denomination that teaches that God can do anything, therefore we are able to
just sit back and let God have His way. GOD CANNOT LIE! GOD CANNOT CREATE OR
CAUSE EVIL! GOD WILL NOT ALLOW EVIL TO CONTINUE UNCHECKED! God being GOOD, and
that GOOD is not just an attribute, then God cannot do evil or lie. If we say
that God can do whatever He desires then we have made God to be something He is
not: an evil and an unruly god. God expects His children to do what He requires
and no excuses, or reasons set that requirement aside. This world seems to
think that it is ok to “sow your oats,” while you are young and then expect
that sowing of your wild oats will not have future implications in your life is
simply ignoring the truth. Our actions have consequences! Yes, we can turn from
our evil ways and have God’s blessing, and yet there is no expectation that God
will remove the consequences from our action(s). Those poor decisions can be
mitigated by God (Paul is a good example) and you when you apply God’s commands
in your life and by turning from evil to that which is truth and good. We
cannot say that God will make our poor decisions good if we do not repent, and
this is not, repentance, because you were caught, it is repentance to our
sinning against Holy God. Therefore, when executes His justice upon this sinful
world when His Son Jesus Christ returns on the Last Day there will be no
excuses saying that our unrighteousness demonstrates His righteousness, No, our
unrighteousness deserves to be judged unrighteous against God who is Holy,
Good, Love, and Merciful. Our unrighteousness is stench in His nostrils because
God does not need our unrighteousness to demonstrate His righteousness. If this
was not the case then our lies, our unrighteousness should never be judged
wrong and we a sinner. We are not to do evil so good may come!
The world
condemns Christianity, not for being Christian, rather for not being Christian.
We say one thing and do another as though we can fall back on the mercy of God
and all our sin(s) would be removed, and we would be without consequences. We
allow sin in our Churches, in our lives. How! By doing that which the Bible
clearly speaks against: i.e., allowing homosexuals to be leaders in our
Churches, by allowing wandering pastors to once again gain fame and preach, as
has been done so often and this cannot be denied just think back upon this
fact. It is not that God will not forgive, it is as God has so clearly spoken: “For
if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no
longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of
judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries” (Hebrews
10:26-27). Peter adds: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they
are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than
the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way
of righteousness, than having known it to turn from the holy command delivered
to them” (2Peter 2:20–21). Our great example that God’s patience is not His
permission is the Great Flood in Noah’s day and the fact that God destroyed the
then known world, saving eight souls who were righteous before His eyes, and
reserving judgment to those He killed. How far will you push your “rights,” and
your antinomy, and autonomy, thinking that God will have mercy upon you. Paul
states this important fact in this regard: “If anyone’s work is burned, he
will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire”
(1Corinthians 3:15). Yes, you are: “Do you not know that you are the
temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defies the
temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which
temple you are” (1Corinthians 3:16–17). Yes, you will be saved if you are
one of God’s children, elected by God before the foundation of the world, but
this does not mean that you can sin without consequences. It may be that many
who die, die from their sinful rejection of God’s commandments and will answer before
the throne of God on the last day. “You therefore, beloved, since you know
this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being
led way with the error of the wicked; but grow in the graced and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.
Amen”(2Peter 3:17–18).
As the Father loved Me, I also
Have loved
you; abide
In My love. If you keep My
Commandments,
you
Will abide in My love, just as
I have kept
My Father’s
Commandments and abide in
His love.
John 15:9–10
Live Eternally: not Temporarily
Richard L. Crumb
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