As a kid growing up in the 1960s; television for both adults and children was all basically built upon unrealistic life scenarios (the perfect families of the Cleavers, Father Knows Best and the Donna Reed Show) or they were westerns (Gun Smoke, Wagon Train, Raw Hide and Daniel Boone). There were also some detective shows like Mannix and Hawaii 5-O. One absolute about all of those shows was that Good always won out over evil. There was another underlying theme; that was that justice had to be served. Even though this was supposed to be carried out by “The Law;” there was a constant theme of getting even that was programming young minds like my own.
Television was greatly restricted and regulated by Dad. Even movies that we went to as a family; it was not uncommon for Dad to make us get up and leave the theater at the first questionable language or theme. With Dad, there was no compromise! Whatever liberal and non-Christian value that was being taught through school, classmates and the media; Dad was there holding the line on Holiness which is God’s standard.
As a youth, forgiveness was taught countless times in sermons and Bible Studies. Through all of this; God has blessed me with a soft and forgiving heart. Vengeance belongs to God as His WORD says. Forgiving seventy times seven seems to suggest that there is no end to God’s forgiveness; and indeed there is no end. Looking at forgiveness and mercy seemed to make eternal punishment in hell fire seem out of character for the God of love.
The Bigger Picture
We were created to endure great sorrow and suffering. It truly is through our trials that we grow in God’s character. God has promised us that we would never be tried more that we can bear. God does allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear; but He gives us greater ability to bear it or He makes a way of escape. It is only through bringing us to the breaking point that we are stretched so that we can grow.
1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Muscle training is common knowledge. If you want greater strength, then you have to stretch the muscle just to the braking point. An every other day exercise regime is recommended; because it takes a day to recover and rebuild. The constant process; of ripping and healing muscle mass; increases strength.
Ripping and healing our spiritual, emotional and mental fiber makes us stronger and more like Jesus Christ.
We must remember that we were created for God’s good pleasure; and we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We belong to God and He wants to give us eternal life with Him. The less than 100 years that any of us suffer in the flesh is preparing us to live for a billion years and beyond. The value of eternal life would be very little if it were not so costly to prepare for it.
My daughter spent 5 years going to college fulltime and she had to sacrifice her time and a great amount of money to achieve her diploma from Loyola University in Chicago. She went beyond; sought out the best school for her chosen field and she landed the perfect job; her dream job working for one of the world’s largest and most prestigious law firms in Chicago. She paid a high price to reach the first level of her career. If she had chosen just any college, she would not have landed the job.
One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is that, “God will not be mocked.”
Galatians 6:7 KJV Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Justice will prevail! Not just any justice; but Godly Justice! It seems that evil wins out over good; but we haven’t seen the fires of hell yet. We haven’t seen who is going to be in hell. People can amass great wealth in this life; at the expense and suffering of others. Some day they will pay. That is what the fifth seal is all about. Justice is coming, just wait a little longer.
Revelation 6:9-11 ESV When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. (10) They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (11) Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Those who have been martyred for the Gospel so that we could believe; those saints are the foundation of our Christian sacrifice today. They cry out from under the altar for justice; but their number is not complete. Some of us will be martyred before Jesus returns; but God promises justice; innocent blood will be avenged by God! Only God knows the full story of ever person who has ever lived. Only God knows who has accepted and who has rejected His call; but the value of the glory that will be revealed in us demands justice be paid by those workers of iniquity. Only God knows all! This is certain; no innocent, Godly person will ever go to the lake of fire!We live in exciting times. God is holding out to each of us an invitation for an eternal gift and also a reward. We can’t earn the gift which is eternal life; that comes by grace; but we can earn an eternal reward. What we will do for all eternity will depend upon the character that we develop now in the flesh. Belief and baptism are how we accept the gift of grace; we must claim our gift. Works of faith and living, growing and being transformed in Christ will earn us a reward. Do not lose hope; overcome the world just as Jesus Christ overcame the world! Glory awaits you!
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