Tuesday, March 13, 2012

“Speedy Riddance” (Zeph 1)



“I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like refuse.  Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land”(vs17-18).

Not trusting Christ will end in doom, assuredly, no matter what. We may have joy on earth and peace of mind, but if we haven’t believed on God’s Son, whom He gave to put away sin and has exalted to be worshiped, then we shall be damned (Heb 5:7-9).  It doesn’t matter what else we have, if we don’t have the Christ.

God blesses abundantly and freely, but He saves by nothing but Christ, and we need saving.  We are not innocent before the throne.  We are not born good or worthy of God’s love.  We are condemned sinners who had our chance, and we blew it in our father Adam. We sinned against God.  He says, “… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12).  Men think that sin is small and no big deal, but God wouldn’t have put His Son to death for sinners, if sin could be remedied any other way.  Men face ETERNAL damnation, or they may have Christ, but there is no leaving this world peaceably and no acceptance at the Judgment apart from faith and love to Christ.  Only Christ can take away the sin and remove the filth that God must punish.  Only Christ is God’s Son, the One that we’re commanded to believe upon and honor (Heb 1:1-3).

Secondly, don’t think any other option will save you, particularly not when salvation is free.  He forgives, gives grace to overcome, and He’ll bring you and me to heaven’s bliss, freely without any contribution from us, just by believing.  He’ll bring us to heaven to struggle no more.  He’ll give us Paradise, endless bliss, and He’ll make us enjoy salvation.  He’ll make us know by experience that we’re SPARED the lake of fire by grace alone, by the blood of Christ alone, and by God’s Spirit who does everything inside of us that we need (Heb 13:20-21). Soon, He’ll make us rejoice forever, weep no more, and, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4-5). This is the reward of the righteous; it is the inheritance of those who trust Christ, but it is not given to anyone else.

Be as religious as you want, but you’d better trust Christ. Be as happy as you may be, but you’d better be blessed among those that mourn, hungering and thirsting for righteousness.  Christ said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (to obey God), for they shall be filled” (Matt 5:3-6).  Be whatever you want, but without Christ, it won’t matter in the end. You’ll spend eternity in hell because you rejected God’s only way, His Son, our Lord Jesus.

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Heshimu Colar, Pastor

Heshimu Colar, Pastor
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