God's Word to the Wise

A Word to the Wise

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Emphasis added) – Mark 1:1-4

And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:8-10

Salvation requires repentance. In Mark 1:1-4 we learn the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus was John the Baptist preaching the need to repent. Zacchaeus repented by not only returning 4 fold what he had stolen from others, but giving half his goods to the poor. What was Jesus’ response? “Today salvation has come to this house…”

The Westminster Shorter Catechism answer #14 defines sin, “Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.” In modern jargon, sin is not doing what the law of God says to do or doing what the law of God says not to do. Answer #41 reveals, “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.”

We all have lied, coveted, stolen, murdered, (Hated our brother) committed adultery, (Lusted in our imaginations) God says we will all be judged (Hebrews 9:27) and found guilty of these “Transgressions.” And the penalty? “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” – 2 Thessalonians 1:9 You might ask, “Since I have not obeyed God’s law as revealed in the Ten Commandments, and God says I am condemned to be eternally damned; can I escape this fate?”

Some think they can escape doing good to make up for the bad. But God says, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” – Titus 3:5a Others say, “God wouldn’t send anyone to an eternal hell.” (Again 2 Thessalonians 1:9) And others declare, “There is no God.” “The fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” – Psalms 14:1 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” – Romans 1:18-20

I was once told that God cannot be both just and merciful. Yet that is exactly what He is. “God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, Justice, goodness, and truth.” (Emphasis added) (WSC answer #3) His perfect justice leaves Him no other option but to condemn all who have sinned, and “All have sinned…” – Romans 3:23 So how can we be saved from the just condemnation of God? God was merciful in giving His son, Jesus, to be condemned in our place. “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 Corinthians 5:21 Thereby paying our debt in full, removing our guilt, and putting us in perfect standing before the Just Judge. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1

I plead with you to Repent of your sin, believe that Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead; satisfying the penalty due you, and become His disciple.

READ – Romans 5:6-21