When I was a child the belief that God exists was almost universal. He was honored in almost all walks of life. Here in the United States He was talked about, was on display by one venue or another, was worshipped, was celebrated by holiday and looked to for direction by many, including our governmental leaders, but this has tragically changed. Today in many parts of the world He is no longer believed in or is relegated to not being of any relevance. Here in the United States, humanism has become the religion of many. Many of those who still believe in Him view Him as being impotent, or at best not being interested in the affairs of man. However, there are many of us who still believe that “He is” and not only believe that “He is” but also believe that He is sovereign over all there is. He rules in our hearts and we believe that He rules over all of creation.
In our hearts He rules bringing about the change to our lives that He desires. As the Apostle Paul wrote, He is conforming us to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28). And in that conforming He has regenerated in us new spiritual life, a life wherein He resides; giving direction, purpose and an appetite for that which is good. In the world He restrains evil to the point where life and order is sustained and the accomplishment of His will is being worked out.
If God were to remove Himself from the world and from the hearts of those in whom He resides, there would be utter chaos. He has established His laws and most of humanity lives by a similarity of those laws. Again, returning to the Apostle Paul’s writings, we read that the Antichrist whom Satan controls is being restrained by God until God removes those restraints (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8). He will do this someday to bring about the destruction of all unrighteousness and the establishment of His kingdom on earth.
John the Revelator writes that there is coming a judgment when all men and Satan will be judged and receive their just rewards. Consider, “1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
4And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
7Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:1-15 NKJV).
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection but woe unto the person who has not believed in God and has not allowed Him to rule over his (or her) life.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The work of God on Behalf of Man