From Gabbatha to Golgotha: The Awful Sentence at The Pavement

John 19:13

I became interested in the passage in John 19:13 after watching the movie, The Gospel of John (Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Disney, 2005). In the movie scene, Pontius Pilate is in the courtyard sitting in the judgment seat as Jesus is brought out to him and the angry crowd. It is here that Christ was sentenced as Pilate had already made his politically expeditious judgment in the inner chambers of his palace.

Gabbatha is an Aramaic word that means elevated, or platform. In the Hebrew, it was also called "Pavement," where the judgment-seat (or bema) was placed, from which Pilate delivered our Lord to death. It was a place paved with a mosaic of colored stones and stood on an eminence, so that the judge sitting on his throne might be seen and heard by a considerable number of people. The modern-day bema is the judge’s bench, which is typically elevated and located at the head of the courtroom.

Interestingly, for hundreds of years, scholars used the “myth” of Gabbatha to reject John’s record of Jesus and the trial by Pilate, because there was no historical record of a court called Gabbatha or “The Pavement” in Jerusalem. However, famous archaeologist William Albright revealed that this place was in fact the court of the Tower of Antonia, which was destroyed by the Romans in 66-70 AD. It was left buried when Jerusalem was rebuilt in the time of Hadrian, but it was uncovered during excavations there [William Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine, Penguin Books, 1960].

So, when Pilate had sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called the pavement, the decision had been made. All that was necessary was to make it official. It may have been the seat of judgment, but it was not the seat of justice. It may have seemed expedient to hand down the sentence but it was certainly not the seat of equity. There is often no justice and equity in the judgments of men.

And bearing His cross, Jesus went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha. The skull has been a symbol of death. This spot was outside of the gates of the city on the side of a hill, which has the appearance of a skull. It was a sad but needful reality: Had not Christ been rejected of men, we would have been forever rejected of God. So, Jesus was delivered into the hands of wicked and unreasonable men and nailed to the cross as the necessary Sacrifice to reconcile men to God.

Consider the cross from five viewpoints:

1. From the viewpoint of God, the cross was the propitiation for sin. There the full holiness and justice of God was satisfied. Now God can forgive man’s sin without violating His justice.

2. From the viewpoint of Jesus, it was an act of obedience unto the will of the Father. Becoming a sin offering and giving Himself as a sacrifice for man's sin.

3. From the standpoint of the believer, it was substitution. He was there in my place, dying the death that I deserved.

4. From the standpoint of Satan, it was a "victory" as he bruised the seed of the woman, but it also became his ultimate defeat as through Christ's death, He destroyed him that had power over death.

5. As far as the world is concerned, it was an unjust, brutal murder.

Christ’s death means life, eternal life for you (John 3:16)! Gabbatha, the Stone Pavement, is a Place of Decision. It is a place mentioned in the Bible where Pontius Pilate judged Jesus. Gabbatha is where the question was first asked and it is the the one Question we must all ask ourselves, "What will I do with this Jesus, called the Christ?"

Just One Commandment

Genesis 2:16-17

The Garden of Eden is described as created the Garden specifically for Adam, the first man, whom God had formed (Genesis 2 and 3). The Garden of Eden was perfect. It offered both beauty and sustenance, being home to every tree "that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, "and a source of freshwater from the river to drink. As for man, God "put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. " (Genesis 2:15)

Genesis 2:16-17 states that the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Now comes along the wily serpent and logically trips up Eve by twisting words around and asking, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" From that point forward, it is all downhill for humanity.

And with a single act, both are tossed into darkness. It was just one Commandment: Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve had their pick of trees: grapefruit, apple, peach, mango, lemon, coconut, you name it. Instead, they chose to go to the tree of forbidden fruit. Isn’t that just like human nature: self-willed and prideful.

By obeying just one Commandment, man could have had eternal life in the garden of earthly delights. Think about it: Just one Commandment!

Just to get an idea of what Adam and Eve were going to be missing out on, Ezekiel 28:13 gives further detail of the garden: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.” Talk about the model of ideal loveliness. Talk about the marvelous light arrayed through these precious gems and jewels, bedazzling and brilliant!

As a race, humans have not fared any better because of our sinful nature. We have remained in darkness. Indeed, our heart is dark. Consider the state of world affairs to get a taste of how low and ugly our nature really is.

So, by the time the Lord summoned Moses in Exodus 19:3, God wanted to take the Israelites into a close and peculiar relation to Himself. This blessed Sinai Covenant was granted out of God's own free grace. The conditions God made on the people were that they must obey His voice and keep His covenant, which are the Ten Commandments. They are the Divine Standard:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or likeness of heavenly or earthly things to bow down to them.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

The purpose of the Law was not so that the Israelites could use it as an instrument to make them righteous, but to show what righteousness is. Once the Law is violated, it can only condemn us. And that’s the problem. If we couldn’t keep just one Commandment, how then can we hope to keep ten?

Enter Jesus Christ.

His advent brought forth a new covenant, which was sealed with His holy blood when Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man (i.e., Adam), how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Rom 5:15)

So, the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law (Galatians 3:24-25).

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:17). It is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam (i.e., Christ), a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45).

The only Mediator is Jesus Christ; (1 Tim. 2:5); For there is one God and one mediator between God and men. That man is Christ Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! No one approaches the Father except by Him! Won’t you come to Him and accept Him as Lord and Savior? He is ready to receive you!

Table In the Presence

Psalm 23:5

On April 10th, 2003, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, faced with the task of seizing the presidential palace in downtown Baghdad, ran headlong into "the worst day of fighting for U.S. Marines." Hiding in buildings and mosques, wearing civilian clothes, and spread out for over a mile, Saddam Hussein's militants rained down bullets and rocket propelled grenades on the 1st Battalion. But when the smoke of the eight-hour battle cleared, only one Marine had lost his life. Some said the 1st Battalion was incredibly lucky. But in the hearts and minds of the Marines who were there, there was no question. God had brought them miraculously through that battle. This account is told by the 1st Battalion's chaplain, Lieutenant Carey Cash, who had the unique privilege of seeing first-hand how God miraculously delivered, and even transformed, the lives of the men of the 1st Battalion.

Lt. Carey talks about King David, a man who he says knew danger, and the title of the chaplain’s book refers directly to Psalm 23:5 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup over-flows.” Lt. Cash took every opportunity to encourage men who were facing battle, to assure them of God's love, God's presence and the prayers of Americans. Talk about full armor of God and encourage believers in their daily battles.There was a telling moment for Chaplain Cash. The order arrived to enter Iraq to protect the oil fields, so he was able to call his wife hours before their departure, to let her know that he would be out of touch for a while but that she should not worry. God was taking care of him. He also asked her to tell their five kids Daddy was safe and right where God wanted him to be. Knowing that the life of a Christian is the same: Being in the center of God’s will despite the knowledge that a battle is about to ensue.

As they headed toward Baghdad, they passed by many people who were happy or frightened. Near Saddam City Iraqi civilians approached vehicles, frantically waving their arms back and forth in the air, so Lt. Col. Padilla ordered his driver to slow down and see what they wanted. The civilians kept making hand signals that the Marines couldn't understand until finally someone heard, "pree-zun, pree-zun", then holding their hands at knee level until the Colonel began to think, "Not a prison of children?" But that's exactly what it turned out to be. A prison full of malnourished, filthy boys between seven and fourteen years of age. During a battle to take one of Saddam's presidential palaces, situated on the banks of the Tigris River, Marines were fired on from windows of previously darkened buildings and from mosques. After an hour of fighting the casualty list had grown to about 40 wounded. One Marine reported that his helmet had a bullet entry and exit, but he had sustained no injury. The chaplain stated that the perfect will of God may be the best place to be but it isn’t necessarily the safest. Following Him sometimes means that we are led into the shadow of death.

Interestingly, Cash strikes a sharp contrast between Islam and Christianity by pointing out:

“…[E]xtreme manifestations, such as the actions of suicide bombers and crazed gunmen, don’t arise out of thin air. They are part of a religious tradition that from its very birth has used the edge of the sword as a means to convert or conquer those with different religious convictions.”

Later,

“In Christianity, it is not the grandeur of our sacrifice that earns us heaven. It is not our ability to strictly follow a rigorous religious code. Jesus Christ has already accomplished the single greatest act of obedience and self-sacrifice that this world will ever know...His death, not our own, assures us of eternal life.”

I’m not going to ruin how God delivered the men of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Read the book! You’ll read for yourself that God’s righteous right hand is in everything that He deems His! Until we’re called home, the battle is ours to take the enemy. Day by day. Step by step. Breath by breath. All in faith, prayer and love. Come to Christ today!

A Token of Innocence

Matthew 27:24

This morning my little girl came down the stairs to use the bathroom. I could tell it was my four year old because my two other daughters – the seven year old and nine year old – come galloping down the steps like runaway horses. In contrast, my four year old shuffles softly down the stairs. It’s amazing how in the stillness of the morning every sound is magnified: the creaking of the house, the muffled voices and laughter in the children’s rooms, the hum of the heater and the calibrated ticking of the clock. So, it was as I worked on the computer that I heard my little girl go potty, flush the toilet and click the bathroom light off. But, I didn’t hear the distinctive sound of water splashing that comes from hand washing. I called her into the study and asked her if she had washed her hands. She said no. I explained to her that it was the germs that got us sick and that the way to get rid of the germs was to wash our hands with soap because the soap made the germs slide off the hands. She nodded and went back to the bathroom to wash her hands. After she was done, my daughter padded up the stairs and resumed her play.

That’s when I began thinking of Pontius Pilate’s infamous line, “I am innocent of this man's blood. It is your responsibility!" as he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd (Matthew 27:24).

What a true politician! Talk about a logic that’s twisted as a pretzel! Pilate’s futile attempt to exonerate himself was to wash his hands and deliver up the guiltless One to the will of His enemies. At the same time, Pilate declared that he found no fault in Jesus. The final insult by Pilate was to release to the Jews a man guilty of sedition and murder: Barabbas. After all, Barabbas was the expression of the spirit of Satan who was a murderer from the beginning, and of rebellion against the authority, which ironically, Pilate was there to maintain.

The multitudes and the throngs chose the world, rather than the Son of God. In their blindness, they claimed to see. In their ignorance, they professed to know. In their flesh, they chose flesh over Spirit.

Pilate had decided to compromise by giving the crowd the choice. When that didn’t work, he then tried to elude the responsibility by ordering a basin of water to be brought to him and, before the crowd, washed his hands declaring his innocence of this man's blood. Unlike washing off something unpleasant, this one thing, i.e. the consequence of Pilate’s choice, could not be washed away.

Not only did Pilate know that Jesus was innocent and that justice demand-ed that the innocent man go free, but he also knew that the charges being made against Jesus were false. Yet, Pilate acquiesced. Isn’t that some-thing? Many times the pressure of the crowd is more than we can bare, and we find ourselves doing things we really do not want to do. Even when our hearts are telling us what is right.

And so, we arrive at the question "What shall I do with this Man Jesus who is called the Messiah?" This is the question of the ages. It is one that cannot be evaded. Neither can you wash your hands from the res-ponsibility of the consequences for the decision that you make about Jesus Christ. Though the question was asked by a Roman procurator almost 2000 years ago, it is a question that you must deal with and answer for yourself today. You can receive Him as your Lord. Or you can reject His lordship over your life.

Consider this Scriptural passage –

“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good (Titus 1:16).”

I say again: What you can't do is ignore Him. You cannot wash your hands of this man, Jesus. Not to receive Him is to reject Him. Not to believe in Him is to disbelieve in Him. Not to confess Him is to deny Him. Have you already taken your position? Are you satisfied with it? Here’s a final sobering thought:

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)”

What say you?

Birthday of the Unconquered Son

Luke 2:13-14

No one really knows when Jesus Christ was born. Some say in the fall; others, in spring. What is known is that Christ was indeed born. Certain groups of people who are anti-theistic (I refuse to call them atheists because God doesn’t believe in atheists) like to point out Christmas is celebrated on a pagan holiday and that the Christians are really partici-pating in a cultish festival.

In 336 A.D., Christian leaders set the date of Christ’s birth to December 25th in an attempt to eclipse a popular pagan holiday in Rome known as Saturnalia, that celebrated Natalis Solis Invincti, or "Birthday of the Un-conquered Sun." It was, therefore, the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours.Along with honoring the god Saturn, the use of the title Sol Invincti allowed several solar dieties to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian (AD 270-274); and Mithras, a soldiers' god of Persian origin.

So, Saturnalia was a time of general relaxation, feasting, merry-making, and a cessation of formal rules. There was drinking, gambling, and singing, and even public nudity. It was the "best of days," according to the poet Catullus.

While it may be true that no one on earth knows when exactly Christ was born, I encourage all of you who believe in Jesus Christ to hold this day holy because of He who made the heavens, the stars and all underneath it. Celebrate it because it was the advent of our salvation. It brought forth a Savior in a world too dark and too busy with itself to make room for Him on that special, holy night. His arrival brought great promise: peace to all the world. As Prince of Peace, Christ brought the only lasting peace—not with the world, but with God. Celebrate it because in Him there is hope, peace, love and redemption that were purchased with His blood.

During this Christmas season, remember that a young Jewish virgin woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior, who would become our Lord and Savior, whose birthday continues to be celebrated thousands of years later because of His redeeming work at the cross and because He conquered death.

That's the heart and soul of the Christmas message. Back then, there weren't many worshipers around the original manger; only a handful of shepherds. They were considered lowly because of their work. But, they were the first ones to see Christ. They saw and believed and humbled themselves before Him. Over two thousand years later, there are those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. But one day every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Those who doubt Him, those who are His enemies, those who merely ignore Him, all will one day bow, too, even if it be in judgment.

I pray that God grants you the life-changing spiritual experiences that only Christ can bring. I pray God gives you an ongoing attitude of joy, thankful-ness, and responsiveness that causes you to tell others that you, too, have seen Christ the Lord. And that He dwells in your heart. Truly, we celebrate the birthday of the Unconquered Son: Jesus Christ!


Jesus is the greatest gift you could share with anyone this season!
Spread the Good News and Merry Christmas!

Happy Endings

Exodus 14:26-30, Luke 24:49-53 & Revelation 21:1-4

Imagine a world without happy endings. No transformation of frog to prince. No magical kiss to awaken a spell-induced slumber. No grand slam home run at the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded. No last second swish at the NBA Finals with the game on the line. The bad guy makes off with the girl and the loot. Dorothy doesn’t get to go home to Kansas. At the end of It’s A Wonderful Life, George Bailey commits suicide. And, Darth Vader crushes the rebel alliance and controls the universe. After all, life is meaningless, right?

The happy ending is timeless because at heart we are the good guys. There’s an eternal appeal about the hero overcoming obstacles and love conquering all. Unlike life, these stories resolve themselves with triumphant endings and all that is left is a still life of a relationship. And then the credits roll and we leave the cinema to face the problems we checked in at the door. We close the book and there’s the garbage that needs taking out.

And yet, we feel that there’s more to life than just living (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We search high and low, near and far for that elusive happiness. Drugs. Sex. Achievement. Fame. Self-esteem improvement. Money. Education. Yet, nothing can fill that hole of unfulfillment. In a way, we go on wandering and searching for that happy ending.

The good news is that life doesn’t have to be this way. There is a Hero who took on the weight of the world and overcame it (John 16:33). You’d like this Hero because He serves others rather than Himself, helps those whom others have ignored, and by His death allows you to be resurrected from a dark life. Of course, I'm talking about Jesus Christ, who is your advocate in Heaven and approaches God the Father on your behalf (1 John 2:1). All you have to do is accept Jesus as the Lord of your life. To be sure, your new life will have storms, and some may even rattle you to the core, but Jesus will not abandon you nor forsake you.

But, in order to understand why Jesus had to die, you have to understand how we live. Go back to the Fall to see why Adam and Eve lost fellowship with God (Genesis 3:1-6). Go back to the Flood to see why Noah built the ark (Genesis 6:11-13). Go back to Moriah to understand why God tests men’s hearts (Genesis 22:12). Go back to Egypt to see why Israel needed a deliverer (Exodus 3:7-8). Go to the rugged, old Cross and try to fathom the depths of God’s love (John 3:16).

The happy ending is timeless because at heart that’s how we’d like for our life to end. Those who sour their faces at happy endings have that attitude because they’ve been let down one too many times. They sneer, That’s not real life! Of course, it’s not real life because Christ isn’t in the story, your story. Once you allow God into your life, you are no longer a slave to sin and its consequences (Romans 6:23). What a wondering ending to be truly joyful about!

I invite you to walk with Christ. Accept him as your Lord and Savior and see the difference He will make in your life. Like the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea, like the disciples seeing Jesus one last time before the Ascension, like the Christians whose hope is in the New Jerusalem, you will see that happy endings are possible. Not only that, in them, there is the promise of new beginnings. And that’s something to cheer about.

On Suffering

Job 42:5-6

A friend asked me a difficult question about something she saw on tele-vision the other day. There was a commercial about children who have cancer and St. Jude’s Hospital asked for donations to help them fight this disease. And the question was: How can there be a God who allows children to hurt and be in pain?

Suffering is a problem in life that comes home to everyone. A child is born blind, deformed or physically afflicted and the question comes: Why? After all, the child has done no harm.

Millions in the world are suffering from starvation and disease in countries with vast populations. Others perish or are made homeless in floods and earthquakes. It is asked: Why should they suffer?

These questions imply that suffering in human life is inconsistent either with the power of God or with the love of God. That is, as a God of love, He doesn’t have the power to prevent the suffering, or if He has the power then He doesn’t have the will. It is assumed that the prevention of suffering is something we should expect from a God of love who is also Almighty.

One basic assumption is that suffering is evil in itself. It is this belief that suffering is the essential evil that lies at the root of Buddhism. The Bible view is radically different; suffering is not evil in itself, but a symptom of a deeper evil. The Scriptures portray suffering as a consequence of sin, not necessarily the sin of the individual who suffers, but sin in the history of man and in human society.

There was a time on this earth when suffering and sorrow did not exist. When God first created man upon the earth, everything was perfect. There was no sickness, no pain, no sorrow of any kind. It was God's plan for man to live in peace and harmony. According to Genesis 3, it wasn't until man chose the way of Satan, rather than the way of God, that sorrow entered the world. Man sinned against God and He revealed to Adam and Eve the consequences of their sin in Genesis 3:16-19. God told man: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

The teaching is simple. With man's disobedience there came a separation in the relationship between the Creator and man. The relation between God and man is broken. The first sin brought a fundamental change, not only in the relationship with God but also in the environment itself, which affects everyone with the evils which are common to man. Death is universal in man and also the world. That is, disease, famine, droughts, floods and other natural disasters are a reflection of the fallen world. God does not modify it for the particular individual or region.

Sometimes God has to allow tragedy to enter a life in order to get someone to look to Him for Salvation. As someone has said, "Some people won't look up to God until He puts them on their back." This is sad, but true. There are many people who would still be lost in their sins if God had not brought some tragedy into their life to get their attention. I can personally vouch for this.

At the same time it is true that in the Bible, for those who seek to serve God, suffering takes on new meaning; they are in a new relationship to the Creator, and will learn to see tragedy in a new light. What is it?

Suffering can be a way in which God works with men for their own spiritual development and to bring them to a knowledge of Himself; and the outcome for Job was a new and intimate knowledge of God. He could say: "I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear: But now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6).

This working of God with man must in its nature be individual; only the man who suffers can gain this as a personal experience. The larger problem of suffering remains, and the only answer to be extracted from the Book of Job is that man cannot question the majesty and wisdom of God. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all life, and His works are beyond man's know-ledge. It is this answer, which is elaborated with such power and beauty by the Voice from the whirlwind in Job 38-41.

While, therefore, the Book of Job offers no simple answer to the problem of suffering, it has been raised to a wider level. Only by loss and suffering could Job know that he did not serve God for the sake of houses, lands, flocks and herds, or even children. He did not even serve for the sake of his own skin, his health and well-being. He worshipped God for Himself, in spite of all the tragedy that befell him. It was only when stripped of everything that he really knew that God was his only refuge, and in that discovery he was triumphantly vindicated against the slander of the Adversary epitomized by the three friends, who believed that Job’s suffering was a consequence of God’s punishment. Job's faith in God was put to the test under trial, and by trial it was tempered as steel when put through the fire. It was by his final acceptance of the wisdom of God, and by learning that faith could be developed through suffering, that Job came at last to the fuller knowledge of God.

So it was that, about 2000 years ago, God intervened in the lives and history of man. In other words, God has not abandoned the world to eternally suffer the consequences of sin. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide ultimate freedom from the consequences of sin. By giving His Son Christ Jesus to share in human suffering to the uttermost extreme in order to bring about redemption from sin and death, we have an Advocate and Comforter who understands our suffering. It is wrong to indict God because suffering is not yet eliminated, just as it would be wrong to indict a doctor who treats a gunshot wound he didn’t cause, simply because the wound is not healed instantly.

So, by Christ suffering and dying, the whole problem of man's suffering was raised to a new level. Without faith in God, suffering is an evil to be endured or dampened with drugs. With faith, and the example of the Son of God, suffering brings us closer to God, drawing the sufferer nearer to Himself. It can be truly a divine education.

Also, the assurance that God will eliminate suffering is not the only comfort God gives us. Through suffering we can learn patience, self-discipline and trust. When we suffer we can experience the love, compassion, and self-denial of those who help us. When we help someone who is suffering, we find significance in our own lives as well. The best way to witness about Christ is by showing love through our suffering. Glory be!

We must concede this: For God to rid the world of evil NOW would require ridding the world of all of us! Each one of us has fallen short of the God’s glory. In the future, God will indeed rid the world of evil, since He is too Holy to tolerate evil forever. Remember, sojourners, this world is not our home. We are just passing through. For believers, there is another world we are going to.

But if you are unsure about your standing with God then it is of crucial importance to make certain you know where you are headed for eternity. Jesus talked about hell more than heaven. John 3:36 says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Please repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ. Accepting Him as your Savior and Lord is a decision that only you can make for yourself. He is ready and willing to come into your life, forgive you, and be your Savior, your Lord, your God, and your Friend. There is none like Him.

On Being Set Free

Luke 4:18

It is said that upon his death bed, Sigmund Freud, father of psycho-analysis, [which shaped how the world perceived how humanity was motivated by sexual (eros) and death (thanatos) drives], was in agonizing pain in his final days. Apparently, he suffered from jaw cancer that plagued him for the last 15 years of his life. He underwent over thirty operations to remove it. After specialists finally reported that it was useless to operate again, Freud pressured his doctor for relief. After all, Freud had difficulty hearing and speaking and could no longer eat. Freud’s final words to his doctor were, “You promised me that you would help me when I could no longer carry on. It is only torture now and it has no longer any sense.” So the doctor gave him large doses of morphine and Freud slipped into a coma, dying peacefully the next day.

It is noteworthy that Freud’s own theorizing provided him little solace in the winter of his life. He spoke of religion as an illusion and maintained that it was a fantastic structure from which a man must be set free if he is to grow to maturity. In his psychoanalytic theory, Freud isolated two main princi-ples: thanatos is the drive towards the disillusion of all life, whereas, eros is to strive towards stopping the death drive. When one goal is reached, the other becomes out of reach, and vice versa.

At best, when wisdom degenerates to rationalism, our walk with God is reduced to an intellectual pursuit rather than a living relationship; at worst, we become indifferent, atheists or agnostics. All of these conditions are antagonistic toward God. In the Old Testament, wisdom was not under-stood as our ability to reason independently of God. Instead, it was an acknowledgement of divine revelation. Biblical wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. Proverbs 3:5-7 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understand-ing. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”

In contrast, Freud said that we may find less consolation, but the truth, harsh as it is, will ultimately set us free from false hopes and unrealistic expectations. But if the Everlasting God is true then so is His Truth, and as a consequence, all other truth fades in significance. Nothing has more profound and more far-reaching implications for our lives. Since all unbelievers are outside the moral boundaries of God, they can expect judgment. Christians living outside the moral boundaries can expect discipline. Truly, God’s love is a beautiful gift in the Son, Jesus Christ, who restores fellowship with God.

Consider, beloved, the thief on the cross — condemned by both God and man — was just hours away from death. But before he took his last breath, something glorious occurred. In the very process of dying, the criminal was rescued by Jesus, right in front of the mocking crowd. The thief’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and all of heaven rejoiced. Jesus promised him a place in paradise in the presence of God. The other thief died in his sin.

In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis said, "Divine gift love in a man enables him to love what is not naturally lovable — lepers, criminals, enemies, morons, the sulky, the superior, and the sneering." Man’s philosophies, with its best intentions, cannot attain this attitude. It is solely the blood of the Lamb that one is transformed, that one is set free (Luke 4:18). Praise the Lord!

A final sobering thought: Every one of us is just a heartbeat away from dying. Have you examined your life? Are you living the darkness? Are you alone and lonely? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Are you in anguish and can't carry on any longer? If so, friend, trust Jesus. Accept Jesus Christ now as your Lord and Savior. He will make all the difference in the storms of your life. Will you come to Him now? It will be the most important decision you make in your entire life.