According To Their Real Character

Why is our nation in the state it is? Many blame this political party while that party blames the other party. The church blames the atheists and the atheists blame the church. Seems like there’s a lot of finger-pointing going on these days. The concept of personal responsibility long ago left American society with Dr. Spock’s admonition to not spank children, the government enabling bad personal behavior, and the mainstreaming of immorality, just to name a few.

But these are merely symptoms of a greater illness. The bottom line to all of this is sin, but not sin in the lost. Of course lost people do a multitude of evil on this earth and particularly here in America. But a sinner sins because he or she is a sinner, unredeemed by the blood of Christ.

But what about the saint, saved and washed by the blood spilled at Calvary, who sins and tries to condone such behavior? Would God look differently upon such sin? What too many pulpits across America fail to preach on and most self-professed Christians refuse to listen to is the Biblical truth of God’s righteous judgment. The early Roman church was the same and the Apostle Paul had to correct them:

    “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the TRUTH, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” [(Romans 2:1-11) emphasis added]

For some reason, American Christians think our nation is immune to God’s righteous judgment. I have actually had Christians tell or write me that there is no way God is going to punish America because of the special relationship we have with Him. I’ve yet to have anyone of those people biblically defend that statement. The fact is there is evidence to suggest the opposite, such as in this video:

When an elementary Biblical study is done it is clear that people will be judged according to their works. Even Christians will be brought before The Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of our Christian life:

    “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)

I have been privy to many an email that are Biblical appeals to men and women in seats of authority and influence to repent of their sinful ways, mostly stinking thinking and fleecing the flock, and yet they refuse to either acknowledge these pleas or rebuke and/or try to justify such behavior. It is sad really. In fact men I admire call many of these people Pharisees, which might be true in that they act holier than thou. The only difference is the Pharisees weren’t saved and I believe most of the present-day people are. It’s almost as though these people feel they’ve earned their platitudes and positions, which is exactly for what Paul was admonishing the Roman church. Matthew Henry puts it this way:

    The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to sinner’s own thoughts. In every willful sin, there is contempt for the goodness of God. And though the branches of man’s disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil.

OH! Would to God that there be a change in my state of mind, one so Holy Spirit wrought that I choose always good and refuse to do evil.

Let it be so in my Lord Jesus!

There is no good within me, only the miracle of your mercy precious Jesus.

I need more of you Jesus, more of you…

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2011 David Jeffers

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