The Goodness And Severity Of God
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Matthew 18:1-14
Matthew 18:1-14
Leonard Ravenhill, a wonderful instrument of God, said this.........when speaking on evangelism: “will you remind them of the goodness and severity of God?”
I spoke sometime back on believing in Jesus for the desire to be in His presence, rather than be scared of hell......however, I do believe that the judgement of God is terrifying!
Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
In the looking into the severity of God....basically His justice......He is the Creator of all and therefore always right! We are the ones that have went astray........
The severity of God is scene, in what Jesus tells us that we should do to avoid hell.
Obviously, he is not speaking literal, but figurative.........sin is produced from the heart! From the desires of the heart!
He tells us that it would be better to be maimed on earth than go to hell........
Jesus is speaking of seriousness and urgency........
Hell is everlasting where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die.......It was created by God for satan and the fallen angels........Matthew 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
In Mark’s acct of what we just read.....Mark 9:42–48 “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Isaiah 66:24 “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, And from one sabbath to another, Shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look Upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: For their worm shall not die, Neither shall their fire be quenched; And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”
In the tribulation period there will be a time where God’s wrath is poured out on the earth and people will seek to die but cannot!
Understanding this judgement and severity of God, I think in no way we should take sin/offences unto God, lightly!
Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”
Jesus speaks of this here of the urgency of our condemnation and how we come out of this judgement!......
This is serious......it is glorious and we will look at that, but understand, that God told Moses, that He will in no wise clear the guilty!
2 Thessalonians 1:6–9 “............when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
Jesus said in John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ, trusting in Christ, believing in God’s way, God’s essence, God’s holiness and understanding that we have nothing redeemable, only Christ!
We follow Christ, we then become a new creation, our fruits bear witness of our belief, our trust in Jesus Christ!
In knowing the severity of God, we see the Goodness of God.......Mercy and Grace! Understanding the severity of sin and that the result of sin is spoken of in Isaiah 59:1–2 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
Separation and has his God’s face from us..........No God, No Love, No Power, nothing but torment........
With what we know about hell and the seriousness of it, we should see the offering that has been made to us from God through Jesus Christ......2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Acts 4:10–12 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Romans 13:12-14............Awake, awake..............Let’s start treating our salvation with the same seriousness as the judgement.......with reverence and fear of God!.......Loving Him because He first loved us!!!