Today…
For many, today is just another Friday. In fact, 68% of the world sees it this way. There’s no celebration, there’s no reason to pause or consider. It’s another day at the end of an already busy week, and it simply does (to them) what every other Friday does–usher in the weekend. The simple fact is, the majority of the world doesn’t care about what 2.18 billion people (in theory) consider to be the 2nd most critical date in fulfilling the Creator-God’s redemptive narrative.
The fact is, mankind was born with a need–a spiritual need–that left unattended unto death separates him from God forever. In fact, talking in present day terms, if the world were to stop right now, then 4.72 billion people would be eternally separated from God. What separates man from God? What is mankind’s intrinsic spiritual need? Sin. Some people say, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard this before. You preachers want to use some sort of manipulation to bring about your own agenda. Just look at history. We’re a mess because of you and your religious talk of sin. In fact, they say, the world would be better off if religion would just go away–and all this talk of sin. Conversation over. Don’t bring it up again.
But, what do they do with the nagging sense of right and wrong? What do they do with the reality of their finite life? What do they do with their ability to create–as even in a sense similar to the way the Creator creates? Their simple answer…science. Or the quest for truth utilizing instruments such as science. That’s the purpose of living they say. Sounds good, doesn’t it? At least on an intellectual level? They vehemently employ the scientific method…a systematic research method in which a problem is identified, relevant data are gathered, a hypothesis is formulated from these data, and the hypothesis is empirically tested to determine if problem is solved–repeat and repeat and repeat. However, the variables in which the scientific method is tested are rigged. They’re rigged because within them is order–an order reflecting their Creator–how could they even reach a conclusion if this wasn’t so? Think about that for a minute. And so, the bottomline problem with their answer to man’s need is authority. The simple question to them is, “Says who?” How many Millenia need to pass before the realization that the ultimate Authority is not them or their systematic measurements of intrinsically ordered element(s)? It’s a circular echo-chamber–something has to get them out. Something with ultimate authority.
Ultimate & Final Authority
God is the ultimate and final Authority. And as the Authority, He has spoken in His Word. The concern I have in our present culture, however, is that like them–those outside of the Christian faith–we too, the so-called Christians, are employing similar practices. We say we believe, but often our behavior can contradict with no repentance. In other words, the fact that the temptation to doubt God, His Authority, and His Word is there doesn’t mean that one is succumbing to the doubt. In fact, to doubt is to be human, because we’re broken and not self-sufficient. That’s not the point. The point is then, because we are broken and not self-sufficient, we need to moment-by-moment go to the unbroken God. How do we do this? Confession (acknowledge sin) and repentance (turning away from sin) through the power of the final Authority, God Himself. We do this in faith. Faith in Authority bigger than us–because we’re not self-sufficient or authoritative. So then, the Christian living under the Authority of God is the Christian who is walking in dependence upon God for everything. That’s right, everything. They demonstrate this through confession and the seeking of the face of the Father. How do you seek the face of the Father? His Word. How do you confess? With your mouth and believe in your heart that God forgives you…in faith. However, this struggling well can be forgotten or even dismissed as a necessary part of living–of being human and needy. It was no different in the times of the Old Testament. Men have been questioning and doubting God and Authority (His Word) since He has given it to man. Take for instance a king in Israel…
“Now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.” …The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king. Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’”
2 Kings 1:1-2a, 15-16
But, There’s Still a Problem…
Modern Christians may not be going after the god of Ekron–Baal-zebub, but we rely upon other gods of entertainment, position, status, financial health, keeping legalistic rules, doing or not doing things, laziness, food, comfort, bodily health, control, etc. etc. We may not be seeking help from Baal-zebub, but we sure find it easy to seek help from substances that dull the senses or through entertainment that eclipses reality. And so, we go through our lives stagnate and without deep and resolved conviction on the things of God…until it’s too late. We wake up with a headache, we are informed of the diagnosis, we learn about the tragedy, and then we cave. We haven’t learned to trust God and His Word to be our all-sufficient satisfaction–to be our Authority we run and cling to. We turn to the things of this world by default, but they don’t satisfy. They’re empty. They cannot answer life’s ultimate questions when the inevitable realities of life strike. And so, we falter just like modern secular humanists and just like Ahaziah before them.
So, What’s the Answer–Where is Hope to be Found?
Thankfully, we have Good Friday. Glory to God for Good Friday. This day, this glorious day, is a day that God provided His solution to all of mankind’s needs–their spiritual needs…
“Therefore, He [Christ] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:17
“…being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
Romans 3:24-25a
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Romans 5:8-9
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
1 John 4:10
And so, God, the ultimate and final Authority did what no man would do, or could do, or even considering doing. He emptied Himself of glory and became a man, lived a perfect and sinless life that we couldn’t live…and on THIS DAY…HE died the death we would not DIE. He died for His enemies to pay the penalty for their sin–solving their ultimate need–and making it possible to have an eternal relationship with a sinless and holy God. He satisfied God’s righteous wrath stored up and ready to be poured out upon mankind. He took the blow and we received His mercy. And so, it remains the simple fact that God has made a way for mankind to have the righteousness of God because of what Christ did for them. But, it must be received in faith. You simple can’t have it given to you by default. It’s a transfer of trust from yourself to God. It’s a recognition of your need as a sinful human and finding your solution to this need in Christ and His death upon the cross for you. Believe and receive forgiveness of sins.
May this day, this Good Friday, bring you to a place of worship of the One True God and Final and Ultimate Authority who makes a way for a broken sinful humanity to be reconciled to an eternal relationship with Him through the pouring out of His wrath upon His Son, so that we would not have His wrath poured out upon us. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, PEACE, because the Authority of God is known in Christ!
— April 13, 2017