monergist, whatever,
Great posts!
Everybody,
There is a certain wrath to come. Meager storms are as nothing. Sometimes God causes such things as storms to bring people to Him.
God may storm the earth as He pleases.
For Christians, death is the door to life. Where is it's sting? Are we afraid of our future glory? What has this earth to offer? God may require our lives at any time He wills.
We all can sit here and speak of all these terrible things that an angry God can do to sinful people. Sin is serious with God.
As I was reading over the posts I was reminded, who among us is with any excuse of our own? For ALL have sinned and fall short.
Are we any better than other sinners?
Which of us could have stood and fought against what was due to us? How could we have resisted the wages that we have earned?
Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, 'THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE.'"
In Romans 3:10-19 we are told all about the rotten human heart.
We ALL have a sinful nature! We are just as guilty of a sinful inner and outer nature.
Storms, famine, plagues, floods, etc. All of these are as nothing compared to the wrath that God poured out upon His very own Son.
Wasn't this done because of OUR sin? He who had no sin became sin for us. My sin alone was enough to merit the full wrath of God upone ME!
Do we have ANYTHING at all to boast about!
Don't you know that the wrath of God due us has been taken by someone else?
It pleased God to bruise Him.
Scripture says things like;
I give my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pull out my beard. I do not hide from shame, for they mock me and spit in my face.
The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!
Many were amazed when they saw him--beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person.
Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.
He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins--that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.
But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.
Oh people! Do not think that we are any better or more deserving of any favor! We were not! We are not!
You are SAVED ONLY by GRACE!
Nothing more! Nothing more!
God bless! KJB
