Friday, June 29, 2018

Salvation By Grace In A Sinful World

Our world is sinful, imperfect and bad. It is a choice by Adam and Eve. They had lived in a world that was created good and perfect.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31 ESV)

They chose to eat of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. They chose to believe in the serpent who told them half the truth.
"God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." (Genesis 3:5 NLT)

Before eating this fruit, they only know good. After eating the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and they knew something additional. That additional knowledge was evil.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:7 CSB)

Henceforth, sin, injustice and death came into the world.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT)

So this question is always asked, "How can salvation be only through Jesus Christ? What about those who have not heard? Why is God so unfair?"

Let us look at it from another perspective, called karma. You reap what you sow.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:7 ESV)

A man visited a prostitute and got infected with AIDS but he did not know. He had sex with his wife and a baby was born. Both the mother and the baby were now infected with AIDS. Is it fair that the innocent mother and child is infected with AIDS? Maybe? Yes? No? Whatever your answer may be, you have to accept that this is a natural consequence, right?

Two man committed the same traffic offence and were fined the same amount of money. One man had no money and was sent to jail. Another man had a rich father who paid the fine for him. Was justice not served to both men? Or was it not fair that one man had a rich father? Should we all be equally rich or equally poor? Would that be justice?

God is not obligated to save all men. But God is obligated to be just. Every man will be judged justly according to his works at the great white throne judgement.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12 ESV)
And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 ESV)

So for those who have not heard of the Good News of Jesus Christ, they will get God's justice. For those who heard and believe, you are saved by the grace of God.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

So please do not neglect such a great salvation.
So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? (Hebrews 2:3 NLT)
Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." (Hebrews 3:15 NLT)

God has offered a choice of life or death.
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; (Deuteronomy 30:15 KJV)

This offer is open to all.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13 ESV)

But the opportunity to response is limited by the opportunity to hear.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 ESV)

This is the grace of God, working in an imperfect world of sin.

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