The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 22:3,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"Then Paul said: 'I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.'"
As Paul addressed the Jews who had attacked him at the temple, he began to explain himself. As he told them who he was, he explained to them that he was trained in the law under the great rabbi Gamaliel, and that he was "just as zealous for God as any of you are today."
As I consider what Paul says here, I am reminded of how skewed theology has become in many quarters. The notion that unsaved, unregenerate people never have any impulse or interest in the things of God betrays an ignorance of both the history provided us in the Scriptures and an awareness of the culture around us. Prior to Paul's encounter with the Lord on the way to Damascus, Paul lived as one among many who were unsaved, unregenerate and yet very zealous for God. Likewise, today we live in a culture that strives to find spiritual truth and any evidence of God himself. With all of the "isms", "schisms", cults, eastern mysticism, New Age nonsense, etc. we acknowledge that many are very zealous in their quest for God.
A danger here is that often, when someone is encountered who has not embraced Jesus Christ in faith but yet is searching for the things of God, that person may be considered close to finding the Lord and just needs a little time, etc. and will find their way to him. After all, he has a zeal for God, right?
As Paul describes himself as an unregenerate, unsaved individual, zealous for God himself, we need to recognize that his zeal placed him no closer to God. It was Paul himself who said, "It is by grace you have been saved through faith", Ephesians 2:8. He did not say, "it is by grace you have been saved through zeal", or "your interest in God and the things of God."
We would be foolish to not recognize that there are a vast number of people existing under God's condemnation and his judgment of the Lake of Fire even though they may have a zeal for God and the things of God. Many may have a zeal for God or an interest in the things of God, or a dedication to some path they may follow that they think leads to him, but God makes it very clear that he will only accept those who embrace Jesus Christ in faith. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. Peter said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
Our God is an intolerant God who will accept no other path to him. He will be found to be a wrathful God at the end of the age for all who do not embrace Jesus Christ, as we read of him in Revelation 19:11-16, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
As Paul addressed the Jews who had attacked him at the temple, he began to explain himself. As he told them who he was, he explained to them that he was trained in the law under the great rabbi Gamaliel, and that he was "just as zealous for God as any of you are today."
As I consider what Paul says here, I am reminded of how skewed theology has become in many quarters. The notion that unsaved, unregenerate people never have any impulse or interest in the things of God betrays an ignorance of both the history provided us in the Scriptures and an awareness of the culture around us. Prior to Paul's encounter with the Lord on the way to Damascus, Paul lived as one among many who were unsaved, unregenerate and yet very zealous for God. Likewise, today we live in a culture that strives to find spiritual truth and any evidence of God himself. With all of the "isms", "schisms", cults, eastern mysticism, New Age nonsense, etc. we acknowledge that many are very zealous in their quest for God.
A danger here is that often, when someone is encountered who has not embraced Jesus Christ in faith but yet is searching for the things of God, that person may be considered close to finding the Lord and just needs a little time, etc. and will find their way to him. After all, he has a zeal for God, right?
As Paul describes himself as an unregenerate, unsaved individual, zealous for God himself, we need to recognize that his zeal placed him no closer to God. It was Paul himself who said, "It is by grace you have been saved through faith", Ephesians 2:8. He did not say, "it is by grace you have been saved through zeal", or "your interest in God and the things of God."
We would be foolish to not recognize that there are a vast number of people existing under God's condemnation and his judgment of the Lake of Fire even though they may have a zeal for God and the things of God. Many may have a zeal for God or an interest in the things of God, or a dedication to some path they may follow that they think leads to him, but God makes it very clear that he will only accept those who embrace Jesus Christ in faith. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. Peter said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
Our God is an intolerant God who will accept no other path to him. He will be found to be a wrathful God at the end of the age for all who do not embrace Jesus Christ, as we read of him in Revelation 19:11-16, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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