HOW BAD IS BAD
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the scriptures said. (1 Corinthians 15:3)
God told Ezekiel, “No more delay! I will do what I say.” (12:28) If you read Ezekiel, it is very clear that God was fed up with their behavior. You might also think that you are glad you have not been that bad! How bad is bad?
Anything that requires the death and resurrection of Jesus so that we can be forgiven is bad enough. We are not called to compare ourselves; we are called to look at ourselves.
As I read Ezekiel earlier, I was prompted to write, “I was lost and not thinking.” Obviously if I was thinking I would not have stayed lost for so long. What do you think? Not about me, but about you.
If we hear or read or think about the gospel and we feel like we are not so bad, perhaps we need to think again. Paul thought he was not so bad when he was called Saul, but then Jesus gave him something to think about. Suddenly he saw that he was the worst of all sinners!
We can never forget the truth. We should always rejoice in the truth. It is what is most important!
We are surrounded by people who are lost and not thinking. They are just like we were. We were stuck and had no knowledge of, or desire for the truth. We could sit and comfort ourselves as we listened and did not hear. But Jesus kept saying, let those who have ears to hear listen to what He was saying!
God told Ezekiel from the start that no one was to listen to him. We might think that if we were told what they were told we would listen! But wait, God does not change. We can learn from His word no matter where it is in the Bible!
Once our eyes are opened, we need to keep them open. Sin is bad. We may have needed to cover it up at one time, but not anymore! We know better. We know He knows and knowing that He knows sets us free to be free. Lord forgive me for secret sins. David prayed that! I don’t want to miss forgiveness!
Forgive and restore before they are no more! That was my note as I considered the people who are stuck and lost with no knowledge of or desire for the truth. So many are blinded by the wiles of the devil. Until we see, that is where we are all stuck.
Amazing grace saved a wretch like me. I was lost and not thinking. I was blind but now I see. I will never stop looking to our Lord. I will never stop praying for Him to keep me close. I love His closeness. I am so thankful. I am so hopeful that everyone will turn to the Lord and be saved. Don’t settle for, “Not so bad.” Run to Him and receive your robe of righteousness. He took our blame and our shame. Thank you, Jesus!