Weekly Devotional 11-12-18 God Holiness Will Not Allow
A sister in the Lord recently stated that she didn’t understand why God would create someone and then not grant him or her salvation from sin, preventing him or her from being eternally separated from God, and from being sentenced to eternal suffering.
To begin an answer, we should first understand that God has not created every person. He created Adam and Eve, and He created them in perfection. They began life without sin. However, all other persons are the offspring of Adam and Eve. They are born with a sin nature. Adam and Eve, even though they were created in perfection and in a holy state of being (without sin), became sinners. They were disobedient to God’s only prohibition for them. In doing so they gained a different nature than that with which they had been created. A nature that became self-centered with a focus on their own supposed glory and not the glory of God. Rather than serve God, they began serving the desires of their fallen natures. This new nature was passed seminally to their offspring, all of their offspring.
We read from Genesis 5:1-4; “1This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. 3And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Even though Adam retained somewhat of the image of God, he passed on to Seth, and all who followed, his own image. From this point on, man had a fallen nature. A nature bent toward sin. This sinful nature separates all persons from God. The result of man’s sinful nature prevents them from being in the presence of God. In support of that conclusion I draw your attention to 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15. “14Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” In this passage the apostle Paul was giving instruction as to how Christians should live. They should not be unequally yoked to unbelievers. Because, in essence, there is no compromise between holiness and un-holiness. If the creature should be separate, so should the Creator, and so He is. God’s holiness separates Him from unholy man. Which actually prevents man from being in His presence. To deny this is to not understand the holiness of God.
But, God is loving and He provided a remedy. A remedy that man must accept if he is to be forgiven of his sin, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. Thus, no one has to suffer eternal separation from God in torment. God Himself, who is the Son of God, paid the price of sin and made provision once for man to have the nature with which Adam was created. The only prerequisite is to believe God, trust in His provision and turn from sin.
But, say some, not everyone has heard of this provision. This is true, but man is not lost or sentenced to eternal separation from God for not trusting in the provision they have not heard of, but they are lost because of sin. Remember, sin separates one from God. The sinner cannot be in the presence of Holy God. A person is a sinner whether-or-not he or she has heard of God’s provision.
Again, some may ask, “How is this fair? How does anyone even know that they are a sinner?” Because of four testimonials, the testimony of nature and the testimony of his God-given conscience, the testimony of His laws and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. We read from Romans 1:18-23; “18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” The antediluvian people (all persons before the flood of Noah) were given spiritual insight and had been given a conscience that told them of right and wrong. All persons after the flood were given these same insights. But like their forefathers, their love of sin, their love of the things that pleased their fallen natures, they refused to repent. If nature and conscience were not enough, God gave man His laws via the nation of Israel. Israel was God’s showcase of what a benevolent God would do for people who trust in and follow Him in faith. In our time God has commissioned His Spirit to enlighten man of his need of repentance and of turning to Him for forgiveness. We read from the Gospel of John; “7Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:7-8).
What more could a loving, benevolent God do? If anyone, far or near, does not turn to Him, it is not because He hasn’t left Himself without witness. God will grant salvation to anyone who will turn to Him for mercy and grace. Remember, God’s holiness will not allow the unrepentant man to be in His presence. In truth, He cannot have this and remain Holy Himself. The new heaven and the new earth will be void of sin with all the hurt and anguish that comes from sin. The new heaven and new earth can only be gained through the payment of sin. Jesus, the Son of God, paid the price for those who cast themselves on Him.
We understand: People in hell are not there because God didn’t want them, they are there because they didn’t want God!
Blessings
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
All Scripture usage is from the NKJB