TEARS
In our previous blog we spoke about “TEARS” and what the Scriptures say about tears. We mentioned that even our Lord Jesus Christ shed tears during his public ministry while He was here on this earth in a human body. And this was especially when He was being tempted by Satan to sin and disobey God. We are living today in what the Scriptures call the “last days” – days just before the return of our Lord for His saints. We are exhorted by the Apostles, but especially so by the Apostle Paul who warns us of very terrible and difficult days ahead of us. “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Beloved friends, these words were written more than two thousand years ago, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. Pablo mentions that these kinds of people had a form of godliness, but denied its power. The question which each one of us needs to ask ourselves is this: Do we have this kind of form of godliness and denying of its power here in Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, and other parts of the world? The answer is simple and clear for us in the Scriptures: saying we are living (then already) in the last days, how much more so now? Open any newspaper today, and you can see and read how we are drifting away from the truth!
Our Lord, who authorized the Apostles to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life, warned of the falling away from the faith, and note especially that the Scriptures say “the faith”. This is happening on our islands this very day and around the world – O how much religiosity there is! What outward kind of godliness! Is there any power, any change in our lifestyle? Are we new creatures in Christ? When the Scriptures speak of “the faith”, it speaks of something very unique. This faith is inseparable from the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are speaking of a personal faith on the part of a sinner (you and I) in the One Who died in our place, paid our death penalty for sin, and was resurrected on the third day. And this faith comes from hearing and obeying the Gospel by the help of the Holy Spirit of God. That is why we are being warned in the Scriptures to not allow our hearts to be hardened towards the Good News that comes from God Himself.
Friends, it is only possible through Jesus Christ that we can be reconciled back to a Holy God. The Scriptures talk about tears of repentance.(2 Cor. 7:10; Job 42:6). Oh that our tears today will be tears of repentance, and faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Remember this: our days are short, death can visit unexpectedly – yes, that is a fact. Therefore, do not delay!