Running Swiftly To Evil

Running feetThe older I get the more I realize, “I just don’t know.” The more I study the Bible, the more aware I become of my ignorance of the things of God. Just when I’m sure I’ve figured out life, something totally unexpected or unknown about life occurs. I used to feel that it was “back to the drawing board” time when these moments came, but I’ve come to actually welcome them because it gets me to dig deeper into the things of God and His Holy Word.

Ignorance is not always a bad thing; it reveals areas where we need to learn and grow. If we ignore our ignorance, then we can oftentimes find ourselves in hellish situations. Instead of peace of mind, we end up on paths that take us away from God’s will. The Prophet Isaiah says that it separates us from God to the place of evil:

    “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.” (Isaiah 59:7-8)

Those who oppose God and His people, especially Israel, are God’s enemies. I know it’s nice to think we are all God’s children, but nothing could be further from the truth biblically. The Bible clearly teaches God has enemies and that He will bring them to judgment. Right now Israel is surrounded by enemies and yet her future is certain:

    “Now also many nations have gathered against you, who say, ‘Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.’ But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they understand His counsel; for He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” (Micah 4:11-12)

Sin always has consequences. The Apostle Paul teaches that the only thing we can earn in the things of God is eternal death:

    “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)

Our sin is what earns us eternal separation from God. It is our sin of disbelief that keeps us from everlasting life with Jesus Christ and God the Father in Heaven forever. Again, the lie that we are all children of God is not Biblical; it is diabolical:

    “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:18-21)

For the record, those are Jesus’ words as recorded by the Apostle John, not just some fable made up by man. It is important to understand that we sin because we are sinners, not the other way around. We are born with a sinful nature and left to our own designs and desires, we are capable of committing every evil thing under the sun. Commenting on our passage from Isaiah, Matthew Henry writes:

    “See sin here in true colors, exceedingly sinful; and see sin in its consequences, exceedingly hurtful, separating from God, and so separating us, not only from all good, but to all evil. Yet numbers feed, to their own destruction, on infidel and wicked systems. Nor can their skill or craft, in devising schemes, as the spider weaves its web, deliver or save them. No schemes of self-wrought salvation shall avail those who despise the Redeemer’s robe of righteousness. Every man who is destitute of the Spirit of Christ, runs swiftly to evil of some sort; but those regardless of Divine truth and justice, are strangers to peace.”

Is that you? Is your life void of peace, so much so you are a stranger to it? Are you guilty of self-wrought salvation, scheming of ways to cover your sins, hoping your good outweighs your bad? God doesn’t grade on a curve dear friend. Salvation is a gift. I purposely left off the second half of Romans 6:23. Read it in its entirety:

    “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Did you see that? Eternal life with the Lord Jesus Christ, living life in Him, is a gift of God. You cannot earn this. Paul not only taught this to the church in Rome, but also in Ephesus:

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Go back and read that again; could anything be more clear? I started out saying there are many things of God of which I am ignorant, but God made salvation simple to understand. The only part I can play in it is placing my faith in Jesus Christ, but not just a head belief, but a heart belief. I have to commit my life to Him and trust Him to be my Lord and Savior.

It’s called grace, unmerited favor from God Almighty through the subsitutionary work on the cross by His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

Do you know Him as Lord and Savior?

Are you tired of running swiftly to evil?

Then repent, that is make a 180, and run swiftly into the arms of Jesus. Why not accept this amazing gift of God…eternal life.

Please know that I am praying for you. May each of you have a blessed weekend and please remember to go to church on Sunday.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2013 David Jeffers

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