The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Ephesians 2:1-3,
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."
Some folks, probably many, have a notion that God's relationship with mankind, on the whole, is one likened to the parent-child relationship. God is the perfect person, transcendent in wisdom, power and moral perfection. above and beyond mankind, his creation. As his creation, we look to him in our frailties and faults for his help in this life, to aid us as we experience those challenges we find daunting and beyond our own abilities to handle- much like the parent-child relationship we are familiar with.
While there certainly is truth to some of this perspective, it is to me a misreading of what we are exposed to in the Scriptures. My perspective from the Scriptures is that life on earth is more accurately viewed as existence within a penal colony. All of us have sinned, we are all guilty. All of us have been condemned by God's judgment. All of us are awaiting our final disposition in a fiery lake of burning sulfur. As Paul says above, "Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." It is God himself who is poised to cast us into that lake of fire!
From within this "penal colony", what was once mankind's pristine environment, created by God for that which he delighted in, but has now become the repository of those facing God's ultimate wrath expressed in his judgment, there is wonderful news! News of release and freedom! News of a way to escape our final judgment! Deathrow can be escaped!
For those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, we read, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:4-9.
How important it is to get this message passed around in this "penal colony" so others may escape certain eternal death by embracing the gospel message!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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