Our culture does not understand forgiveness and it's purpose. Superficial forgiveness based on forgiving even when someone is not repentant is not Biblical. Our culture likes to forgive without accountability because we hate the whole matter of confrontation when it is needed. We sweep things under the rug, while rarely growing or fixing a matter.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
God is in Charge of the Results
I am reminded of the story of the rich man in hell, who asked the Lord to send Lazarus to warn his brothers who were not dead yet, of the horrors of hell.
God told him that they have the prophets, that if they would not listen to them, they would not listen to someone coming from the dead.
Often we think "if I had just done this or that, the person might have listened more to me." The devil likes to make us think we are responsible for the decisions of others, but we are not, he lies to us.
We are only responsible for obeying what the Lord tells us to do and where He tells us to go, He is in charge of what the hearer does with it.
Luke 16:19-31
"19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
20 And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Next time you are tempted to kick yourself because someone refused the gospel message when you delivered it, remember the story of Lazarus.
Most people will not listen, if we focus on our obedience much more than whether or not someone rejected the words of God, we will be at peace about it. We will feel sad they did not respond to become saved, however, their response will not be on us. We can continue to pray for others, as led by the Holy Spirit, remembering that God's Word does not go out void, He may bring our words to mind later and others may be led to speak to that same person. Since we do not know the future and God does, we can relax peacefully, knowing God is in charge of results.
Matthew 7:13-14
"13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
God told him that they have the prophets, that if they would not listen to them, they would not listen to someone coming from the dead.
Often we think "if I had just done this or that, the person might have listened more to me." The devil likes to make us think we are responsible for the decisions of others, but we are not, he lies to us.
We are only responsible for obeying what the Lord tells us to do and where He tells us to go, He is in charge of what the hearer does with it.
Luke 16:19-31
"19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
20 And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Next time you are tempted to kick yourself because someone refused the gospel message when you delivered it, remember the story of Lazarus.
Most people will not listen, if we focus on our obedience much more than whether or not someone rejected the words of God, we will be at peace about it. We will feel sad they did not respond to become saved, however, their response will not be on us. We can continue to pray for others, as led by the Holy Spirit, remembering that God's Word does not go out void, He may bring our words to mind later and others may be led to speak to that same person. Since we do not know the future and God does, we can relax peacefully, knowing God is in charge of results.
Matthew 7:13-14
"13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
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