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Point of Reference
by Fred Price
One reason Christians don’t feel compelled to lead friends and family – let alone those they know less well – to Christ is lack of understanding as to the true nature of the One they claim to worship and follow.
Scripture teaches us of God’s love. It also describes how God’s grace and mercy is applied to our lives through Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross. Scripture likewise describing how God will react to those who are unconvinced, unconvicted and unredeemed; transgressors worthy of punishment up to and including death. (Romans 1:18-32) Our unrepentant life-style causing separation from Him, scripture characterizing that unregenerate state as making us enemies of God. (Romans 5:10 & Colossians 1:21)
Paul clearly states that, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,…” Romans 1:18 Which is not an arbitrary declaration against an unsuspecting people; Paul further asserting, “…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain,…” Romans 1:19 As even those who have never had direct or prolonged exposure to the gospels have “seen” the basic nature of God displayed for all to see. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
All of us face the dire consequence of God’s wrath until we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, as “All of us also lived among (unbelievers) at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.” Ephesians 2:3,4 John declaring “Whoever believes in the Son has sternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36 The difference being the application of God’s mercy, welling up in our lives as a result of his great love for us (Ephesians 2:4); triggered by a repentant heart, confessed sin, and a resolve to live for him. But for those who, “…deliberately keep on sinning (even) after (they) have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sin is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement…” Hebrews 10:26
God’s all-embracing love and his just wrath never operate exclusively of one another, although the one can – and does – supersede the other when we respond appropriately to God’s offer of salvation. In fact, we can all be saved, but not everyone is. Not because God hasn’t done everything necessary for universal salvation, but because people – in their pride or ignorance – often fail to recognize his plan of redemption as being the only way to live, love and be saved for eternity.
The starting point of any relationship with God is the understanding that God hates sin, not only because of what it does to those who are often its target, but for what it inflicts on those who wield it as a weapon. Scripture depicting those who conspicuously, intentionally sin as someone, “…who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace…” Hebrews 10:29 And then without going into detail, it describes their fate as being “dreadful” (Hebrews 10:31 See also Matthew 10:28)
And yet, many have convinced themselves that this kind of thinking is old school – by which we refer to most Old Testament principles as well as New Testament teaching that seems too strict or demanding to our super-sensitive, rights-conscience society. The God of the Old Testament almost always portrayed as harsh with friend and foe alike. But the God of the Old is the same as the New, the characteristics attributed to God in the first 39 books of our Bible applying to him in the following 27. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob likewise being the God of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (See Genesis 7:23; Deuteronomy 7:1-6; 1 Samuel 15:2,3; Acts 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 11:30 & Revelation 2:20-23)
All that heaving been said, it must be noted that it was God who then instituted a plan whereby sinners could be saved and a right relationship with him re-instituted. That plan – and our hope – centering on something other than our annihilation, going beyond even the rudimentary teaching of the tabernacle and temple; which was a forerunner or shadow of the final solution found in Christ and his church. (Colossians 2:17 See also Hebrews 8:5 & 10:1) Thus John’s assertion that, “…God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Reiterating that, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already…” John 3:17,18 That’s what should compel us to share his gospel story with our family, friends and the world; even if it feels awkward at times or some find the message less than palatable.
One of the central tenets of our faith is that of propitiation. At its core it the idea that sin, especially to a sinless, holy God, is intolerable. (See Habakkuk 1:13) And yet, despite his absolute aversion to sin, he has done all he can possibly do to communicate the overwhelming love he has for the sinner. Leon Morris stating, “It’s the combination of God’s love for the sinner with his uncompromising reaction against sin which bring about…propitiation.”1 Which encompasses the ideals of redemption (Colossians 1:14), reconciliation (Romans 5:11), and atonement (Is. 53:5); conveying the principle of substitutionary sacrifice – a buying back or paying of a debt someone else has failed or finds impossible to pay themselves – re-establishing relationships that have become strained and broken. In this case – with God.
J. I. Packer called propitiation “The heart of the gospel.”2 Brian James explaining, “The biblical idea of propitiation is rooted in the character of God. Propitiation is needed, not because God is angry, but because God is holy. Wrath is simply God’s response to the presence of sin. Sin and a holy God cannot co-exist in the same universe… Since God obviously will not change, the sinner must. The two options are either God causes the sinful person to be permanently shut out of the presence of the Lord in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:9), or he satisfies the demands of his holiness another way. Propitiation is that second option. (Which) satisfies God’s need for holy justice.”3
Paul pointing out how, “God presented (Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:25,26 Carl Henry insisting that, “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.”4Instilling in us a sense of urgency in relaying it to others. (See Romans 12:11)
1 The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, Eerdmans Publishing
2 Knowing God, University Press
3 Hell Is Real (But I Hate To Admit It), Cook Publishing
4 From, Mission Resources, www.ywamorlando.com
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Fred Price - married (50 years), father of two grown children, grandfather of six.
Fred retired earlier this year after 42 years as a factory worker. He has always had a heart for young people and the challenges they face today. Over the years Fred has taught Discipleship Groups for High School and college students.
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