"As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. " - Proverbs 11:19
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and --many there be-- which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and --few there be-- that find it. " - Matthew 7:13,14
" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent --not-- his Son into the world --to condemn the world--; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not --is condemned already--, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
- John 3:16-18
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We're back!... from a contemplative time of reflection over Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.
Not that we are still slaves to the Law... , or are worried that our names are not written in the book of Life --- but because the LORD in His wisdom, saw fit to ordain a time where we put aside everything to give ourselves over to introspection and thought, about our need for forgiveness, and the mandate to forgive others.
We bookend our break, and begin a new (Jewish calendar) year, by looking afresh at the seemingly opposed concepts of Justice and Mercy, Punishment and Atonement --- to answer the question asked in our very provocative title!
Our opening text from Proverbs (we are still going through this wonderful book by verse and topic) summarizes it neatly .... "Kane tsedekah khah'ee, radaph ra'ah maveth."
As --- "kane"- set upright; just; rightly or so.
Righteousness --- "Tsedekah"- Rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity): - justice, moderately, right (-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).
{tendeth to} life ---- "Chay/Khah'ee" - Alive/life
{so he that} pursueth --- "Radaph" - to run after , chase, follow (after, on), hunt, pursue.
Evil --- "Ra/Ra'ah" ; bad or evil
{pursueth it to his own} death. --- "maw-veth" - Death/ the Dead/ Hades.
Pithy in the original language isn't it ... ---- Set upright righteousness - life, pursue evil - death !!! ?
Our second text would seem to suggest that there are more people actively pursuing evil (and hence going to destruction) , than those finding the way to life.
Looking at it more carefully, the word translated "strait" is the word "Stenos" - (Greek) narrow, because of --obstacles--- standing close about. The word for "Destruction" is "apoleia" ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition.
Our Lord is saying, don't go after the broad easy way that you see everyone following... that path leads to destruction and ruin ( note ... NOT Hell/Hades) come to Life by looking for a gate that is tightly hemmed in with obstacles.... there are few that find it, though it is there!
The Bible tells us that we are fallen creatures, victim to the disease of Sin. A disease that is really deadly, because it is completely invisible to our minds (the Law shines a light!) . We may feel it in our hearts and spirit (our conscience), but our free will allows us to override those warnings. Emboldened by the seeming lack of consequences for our bad behavior (crime seems to pay) , soon, we stop paying attention!
----- Atheists/mockers will say, your God set us up to fail (and inflicted pain and suffering on all mankind ) so that --He--- can show us how cool He is by dying for us? ---- Well, here's a question back at them --- If man is the evolved creature you people think he is, and our species are the pinnacle of intellectual might and free will --- WHY HASN'T MANKIND SOLVED A SINGLE PROBLEM over MILLENNIA ? Why is there hunger when there is food aplenty? Why are there wars when there is enough room for all of us? Why is there ignorance and stupidity, greed and avarice in a DIGITAL, GLOBAL, ENLIGHTENED AGE ?? ---------Explain that.. oh most highly evolved free-willed creatures! --------
No, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled, was pretending not to exist. The gate to life IS hemmed in with obstacles, the path to destruction is broadened and paved by evil. SIN, an external to human factor, is the only explanation, found ONLY IN the Bible, that explains the death and misery we see around us.
And it is a problem ONLY God can solve.
The question is, does His justice send people to Hell for being victim to a disease (and a cure) that they are ignorant of? Is He being unfair by requiring people to believe in His Son?
Lets look at the track record....keeping in mind that the point of the whole drama of Redemption, is to show Heaven AND Earth, the wickedness of Sin, and the righteousness of His ways.
1. Pre-flood - The LORD didn't mess with mankind post Adam and Eve... he left them to their free-willed selves as a witness... they all picked the broad way to destruction, EXCEPT Noah... (talk about few finding the narrow gate)...
2. Post flood -- the only thing the LORD did was to scatter man over the earth (it wasn't time for them to unify yet) by confusing their language. He left mankind ALONE!... except for Abraham... and bear in mind, it was --God-- that picked Abraham and NOT the other way around!
3. The nation of Israel was born in Egypt. The rest of the world was left alone, while Israel, and Israel alone, was educated in the Law (taught about Sin!).
4. It was only after Christ was crucified, that the message of the Gospel began to spread over the world, and Christ Himself said, that this Gospel would go out TO THE WHOLE WORLD... WITHOUT EXCEPTION... no favoritism here!
So what happened to all those people before Christ? Did any people find the narrow gate by practicing righteousness?
Some did. Philosophers throughout the world came to the (Correct) conclusion that there was a power behind the visible reality we inhabit. Thinkers around the world started religions (Hinduism and its offshoots -- Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) that emphasized the virtues of charity and love, duty and Karma. Islam espouses the value of charity to the poor ("Zakat" is one pillar), and characterizes God as merciful, though it is as misguided in trying to convert the world by force as the Crusaders and --some-- missionaries (and even some evangelists today) were and are.
Practicing righteousness from the heart is not the exclusive province of Jews and Christians. By giving us a conscience, the LORD has made it possible for ---every human--- to do it, of their own FREE WILL.
By deliberately disobeying our conscience, we are all sinners. The devil and his minions cannot FORCE us to commit evil, its OUR decision (always) !... so we are all equally sinners in the eyes of God, and are all equally deserving of punishment(/Hell).
The Bible points out examples of righteous people all throughout history, beginning with Enoch, Noah, Moses, David, Judith (a Judge) Hannah (mother of Samuel),Ruth (a Moabite), Rahab (a prostitute), Cornelius ( a Roman) ...
Gods justice always finds, spares (and pardons) the righteous -- all throughout history... so we don't need to worry about GOOD people going to heaven --- REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELIGION --- before the advent of the Gospel! .... but practicing righteousness is hard to do.
Christ came to show us the WAY to be righteous. Love your neighbor as yourself!
He did not come to show the HUGE GAP between the LORD's standards, and our lifestyles --- to condemn us...He spoke about love, grace, and truth exclusively! He freed us from the external observances of religion, and focused on what is important, the HEART!
And so we come to our last text.
In this age of the Gospel, the LORD is being very explicit... and very clear. Clearer than the Law, simpler than the Law, and showing us VERY CLEARLY.. the path to that narrow gate which we could NEVER find by ourselves.
But despite all that, if we still turn our backs to Him, out of our own FREE WILL, and in the face of His pleading from pulpits and preachers all over the world, who is responsible?
Its not our job to convert people. Christ's message to His disciples, ("The Great Commission") was to --preach--- the gospel,--- baptize--- those who --received it, and ---TEACH--- them to pursue RIGHTEOUSNESS. That --- is what the LORD wants!
WE are the ones who have confused following the WAY oF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and individual practice and committment, with Missions and Ministries!
Ministries and missions are bad/evil/irrelevant... they just need to be put in their proper place and priority!
So, to answer the question we started with ... the truly Righteous in every age .... (like the beggar in the parable of the Rich man and the beggar)... will inherit the kingdom of heaven. For the sinners,( like the thief on the cross), redemption and forgiveness for ALL sin is available up to the very last minute of their lives.
But once that life is ended --- there are no more second chances. If you reject God's mercy and forgiveness, and bank on your OWN righteousness, you have elected to face His justice, and make no mistake, there will be a reckoning.... you may come out unscathed, or you may not.... do you really want to roll the dice on that?
" Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; " -- Hebrews 3:7-14
Praise God for HIs patience, His wisdom, His mercy and Love!
Hallelujah!!!