REPENT OR PERISH

Luk. 13:3 ... "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

      Not long before Jesus issued this warning two calamities occurred among the Jews that were the subject of much popular discussion.  First, some Galileans had come to Jerusalem to worship.  While they were engaged in making a sacrifice, the Roman governor, Pilate, sent troops among them for some reason.  The worshipers were slaughtered, and their blood was "mingled with their sacrifices."  Second, in the Siloam neighborhood of Jerusalem a tower had fallen and killed eighteen people, who were probably the men building it.  It became the opinion of the people that these tragedies happened because the victims were guilty of egregious sin.  From that time until now it has often been the prevailing conclusion that terrible things happen to particular individuals as divine retribution for their overindulgence in sin.

      In this case Jesus did not deny that people may suffer tragedies as the consequence of sins they have committed.  What He is refuting, however, is the popular idea that the sins of such victims exceed those of people not stricken.  Of the people whom Pilate slew, Jesus said, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?"  And of those who were crushed by the Siloam tower, Jesus also said, "Do you suppose that [they] were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?"  The reality is that sin is common to everyone.  We are each convicted of sin in Romans 3 by such declarations as, "There is none righteous, not even one," (v.10); "All have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one," (v.12); and, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (v.23).  While these statements probably apply to the unwashed and unregenerate world at large, Christians are addressed directly in these words, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us," (I Jno. 1:8).

      The point to Jesus' teaching in Luk. 13:2-5 is that it is unprofitable to survey the disasters which befall others and credit them as payment due for sin committed.  Such conclusions may sometimes indeed be right, since "the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption," (Gal. 6:8).  Nevertheless, how are we to know it is definitely the case in a given event, and not just an accident after all?  We also need to consider that our act of judging may breed within us a sense of self-righteousness that will blind us to our own sin.  Thus, Jesus issues to all a warning, not once but twice, "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish," (vs. 3,5).  He did not mean that all sinners will be executed at worship by soldiers, or crushed to death by a falling tower.  He did not even mean that the lives of sinners will end in tragedy as a general rule.  What He did mean is that each person must pay a severe penalty for his sin.  For some that will involve violent death, but for everyone it will involve eternal death in Gehenna, the inextinguishable "lake of fire," (Rev. 20:14).  We all face the terrible pronouncement of the prophet, "The soul who sins will die," (Ezk. 18:4), since each one of us is a sinner.

      As we stare into the abyss of certain destruction, each of us cries out with Paul, "Wretched man that I am!  Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24).  Then, through the darkness we see a bright ray of light.  It comes from Jesus, who reveals to us one corridor of escape.  And that is the way of repentance.  If we will renounce our sin, turn decisively away from it, and walk the Way of Truth illuminated by Jesus in His teaching and exemplary life, God will withhold the judgment of destruction.  We are assured that the Lord "is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance," (II Pet. 3:9).  Those who will repent can be victorious over sin, but the impenitent will be vanquished by it. 

LIFE'S BEST INVESTMENT

Luk. 12:15 ... "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."

      Evaluation, the process of putting a value upon something, is an activity in the daily routine of everyone.  It is as vital to commerce as breathing is to the body, for businessmen must state the value of their goods and services.  If customers and clients accept these values,  they may purchase the products.  If they do not agree with them, they usually try to persuade the businessman to reduce the prices to a level which they will accept.  Because our activities are so dependent on such transactions, we easily come to the conviction that nearly everything has a value that can be assessed in terms of money or other forms of wealth.

      It is often said that "everything has its price," meaning, of course, its material value.  From this we deduce that people can also be assessed in monetary terms in accordance with the amount of wealth they have.  If someone has an annual income of a million dollars, lives in a mansion in the elite part of town, has an impressive portfolio, and is well connected via his wealth to other affluent people, we count him as worth a great deal to society.  He is often honored, favored, and publicly recognized.  On the other hand, if the annual salary of another is only a few thousand dollars; if he lives in a common rental house between a warehouse and the railroad; if he has no investments and is perhaps in debt; and if he is known only among people like himself, then we count him as not being worth very much to society.  Only when businessmen need cheap labor is he noticed, but then only by his employer with evident condescension.  Only when a war is to be fought is he appreciated as a patriot who will sacrifice his life and limb to preserve the affluent world of those who hold wealth and were probably responsible for the war's inception.  Even then, when the war is over, he is quickly forgotten and relegated to obscurity.  If he returns disabled, he is often despised by the wealthy, who view him as a burden to be borne from their coffers.

      In the lead text above, Jesus refutes this common conviction that a man's value is proportional to his wealth.  God's view of what constitutes wealth is radically different from ours.  What we esteem is often contemptible to Him, and that which God treasures often seems worthless to us.  Notice how this contrast is brought out in the Letter to the Laodiceans:  "Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eyesalve to anoint your eyes, that you may see," (Rev. 3:17-18).  The limits of this brief essay prevent the development of the interpretation that "gold refined by fire" means "loyalty to Christ in spite of severe oppression," that "white garments" means "righteousness by virtue of adherence to divine law," and that "you may see" means "the ability to discern good and evil."  These are things that make one rich in the value system of God.  Jesus would surely say, "A man's life does consist in the abundance of his covenant loyalty, his humble righteousness, and his keenness in discerning good and evil.

      Most people dream of building an investment large enough to enable them to live on it securely in comfort until life's end.  This is admittedly desirable, but Christians must never let it become their primary goal.  Above all else, each day of our lives, we must be building in our souls deposits of loyalty to Jesus, righteousness through adherence to His teaching, and training in the ability to discern good and evil.  Material wealth we shall leave behind in this world, but spiritual treasure will accompany us into heaven.

EXTERNAL RELIGION vs. INTERNAL RELIGION

Luk. 11:39-40 ... "The Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees clean the cup and the dish; but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.  You fools!  Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?'"

      These words of Jesus were provoked by His treatment in the house of a certain Pharisee who had asked Him to dine there.  Jesus accepted the invitation and was about to start eating when the host "was astonished to see that He did not first wash before dinner."  If this had been a matter of sitting down to eat with dirty hands, we too might be shocked.  But this was rather a matter of complying with a ritual having strong religious connotations that was of human origin.  It is reported that "the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches," (Mrk. 7:3-4).  It was not Jesus' desire to offend just for the sake of being offensive, as some people do.  Neither did He desire to be an iconoclast just to be reactionary toward social conventions and institutions, as modern reactionaries have so claimed.  To the contrary, Jesus was not about to legitimize a practice through His participation in it which really amounted to the circumvention of the law of God.  In fact, He boldly proclaimed to those present, "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men," (Mrk. 7:8).

      There was, however, another issue here.  Jesus also addressed the problem of the dichotomy between external and internal religion.  The Pharisees were greatly concerned about the impact their religion had upon the outer person.  That is, they made sure their religious practices were high profile.  They wanted their deeds to be very visible so that the public would take note of them and praise their obvious piety.  Jesus said that "they do all their deeds to be seen by others," (Mat. 23:5).  He also said they gave alms with fanfare in public "that they may be praised by others" and prayed on the street corners so "they would be seen by others," (Mat. 6:2,5).  Referring to their external religion, Jesus then commented, "Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward."  It was the reward of recognition and praise from the public for whom it was designed in the first place.

      The person who values the recognition and favor of God must have primary concern for internal religion.  His greatest interest must center on the degree to which divine teaching is penetrating his heart and converting it into the spiritual likeness of Jesus Christ.  He is far more concerned with the goal of Rom. 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect," than he is with the goal of impressing those who behold his "piety."  The object of an authentic Christian is to grow "to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," (Eph. 4:13).  Jesus' stature is spiritual rather than physical.  To attain it, one must give diligent attention to his spirit within.  He must devote his energy to perfecting his soul in those qualities which God approves, no matter if people support and approve his efforts or not.  The approval by men of an external religion that meets their criteria can bring nothing more than popularity and prestige.  But the approval by God of an interval religion which converts one's soul into a Christlike image will bring one eternal life in heaven.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GREATER OPPORTUNITY

Luk. 10:13-14 ... "Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes."

      Concerning the limit of His ministry, Jesus said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," (Mat. 15:24).  In other words, His field of labor was confined to the nation of Israel.  And so He traveled from region to region and town to town where Jews lived, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.  As He preached, He also confirmed the power behind His message by performing what He called "mighty works."  Jesus Himself pointed out what these mighty works were when He said, "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up," (Matt. 11:5).  The Gentiles did not have the benefit of hearing Jesus' authoritative sermons or witnessing these supernatural demonstrations of power, for Jesus faithfully observed His limitation of going only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Had it been His mission to do so, however, He assured us that the people would have "repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."

      An incident reported by Matthew indicates the truth of Jesus' assurance.  On one occasion He "withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon."  This means He traveled along their border with Israel rather than actually entering their territory itself.  But in such close proximity to the Gentiles, Jesus met a woman of that racial identity.  She was a Syrophoenician, having ancestors who were both Syrian and Phoenician.  While discussing with her His ability to heal her daughter, Jesus was greatly impressed with the woman's spiritual perception and said, "O woman, great is your faith!  Be it done for you as you desire," (Mat. 15:28).  Jesus perceived that such a response of faith would be general among the population of Tyre and Sidon.

      In contrast, the Jewish people of Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin who had been privileged to hear Jesus preach and witness His great demonstrations of power had, to a great extent, rejected Him in stubborn disbelief and impenitence.  And so He warned them that "it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for" any Jewish town that rejected Him, (Luk. 10:12).  Jesus did not say that the sins of Gentiles would be excused at the Judgment, but that the disbelieving Jews would be judged more severely than they.

      There is an important lesson in this for us today.  We must conclude that he who has the greater opportunity also has greater responsibility.  The Jews had the greater opportunity in being the direct objects of Jesus' personal ministry.  Therefore, they will be the more responsible, and hence more accountable, in the Judgment than the Gentiles.  Are we not today in the same position as those 1st Century Jews?  More than ever before we have opportunities to respond to God in faith and obedience.  By means of radio, television, the Internet, and mass printing we are able to present the Gospel to greater numbers of people in shorter time than any Christians before us.  We have freedom of religion and speech such as few people have ever been permitted.  And we have greater material resources (wealth) with which to serve God that make us quite rich in comparison to most of God's servants in previous generations, even in this country.  With all these unprecedented advantages and opportunities there seems no doubt that we have more responsibility than Christians before us.  And what about those poor people who have lived in conditions that precluded their ever having received the Gospel?  We must seize our opportunities and utilize them as much as possible lest the Lord also look upon us and say that, because we have had the greater opportunity, the judgment upon us will be more severe.

THE ULTIMATE FAILURE

Luk. 9:25 ... "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"

      A question everyone should ask himself is this, "What is my major goal in life?"  It seems everyone has an objective of some kind toward which he is aiming, and it is important to identify it clearly to determine its worthiness.  It is also important to become aware of such factors as the cost involved (not necessarily financial) and the nature of the rewards it offers.  Although it may be argued that some people have no discernible goal and only drift along from day to day, it may also be counter-argued that their objective is quite real, that it is to avoid responsibility with its exacting involvements.  It may therefore be said that literally everyone of sound mind indeed has some kind of goal toward which he is pointing his life.

      In the text quoted above Jesus addresses this fundamental concern by indicating that certain objectives are not worth achieving.  In other words, among the goals for which people strive, there are some that cost too much for the effort and pay rewards that will not satisfy.  The objective one might have is that named by Jesus, to "gain the whole world."  But the cost is the person's very life, and the reward is being forfeited.  This seems to mean losing one's present physical life and also giving up his future spiritual life.  In essence Jesus asks, "Is it worth it?"  The stark reality of this choice is critical, because all of us are to some degree involved in it.  Few will ever construct the design of literally gaining the whole world, but each of us has some vision of a small, limited "world" we would like to conquer and then possess.  Without evaluating our priorities and being critical of our own ambitions, it is easy for us to commit our lives to such a goal without realizing, or even caring, what it will cost or what consequences will ensue.

      Many people set their sights on a "world" that encompasses a particular career or profession that seems glorious, prestigious, and lucrative.  So, they sacrifice their family, religion, and sometimes their health to gain and possess that little world.  The glorious aura that surrounds being powerful and prestigious as a statesman, business executive, entertainer, professional athlete, or whatever, may be intoxicatingly wonderful.  But what lies beyond that?  Many who have excelled in these positions finally tired of it, turned away, and sought something else while enough of life remained to seek it.  Others who succeeded also lost interest in what they gained, but nevertheless continued in it to a bitter end because it seemed shameful to repudiate and abandon it.

      This is not to say one should not desire to have such goals and even make great sacrifices to achieve them.  How could civilization continue without physicians, educators, business leaders, and statesmen?  What is vitally important is the recognition that such goals (or any others) must never be the primary ones in our lives.  To gain and possess any of the small "worlds" as a singular objective is to ignore, and forfeit, the infinite world that begins at death.  Our greatest objective must be that infinite world and make every sacrifice to gain entrance into the part of it that Scripture calls "eternal life."  The sacrifice required is clearly stated by Jesus in His statement just preceding Luk. 9:25, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me."  Above all things one should submit his life to Jesus, develop his character according to the teachings of Jesus, and serve Him on a daily basis.  Or, to paraphrase an ancient directive, each of us should reverence God to the utmost and devote ourselves to living by the guideline of His gospel, (Ecl. 12:13).  Those who do not devote their lives thereunto come out as a failure in life, no matter what else they may achieve.  Success in any dimension of human activity is ultimately bankrupt if it is not secondary to devotion to God.

THE SEED IN GOOD SOIL

Luk. 8:15 ... "As for that [seed] in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience."

      With this statement Jesus concludes the Parable of the Sower.  The sower is the Christian teacher or preacher, and the seed he sows is God's word.  The ground into which the seed is sown is the heart of anyone who listens attentively.  In the parable Jesus describes the condition of heart of four types of people who hear the word.  First, there are those who surrender to Satan so easily that the word never takes root within them.  Second, there are those whose minds are so shallow that, although they receive the word with joy, it cannot penetrate deeply enough to become a part of them.  Third, there are those so captivated by sensuality and materialism that the word is choked out of them.  Fourth, there are those with receptive hearts who let the word root easily, nurture it to maturity, and then yield its fruit in their lives.

      It should be the desire of everyone to please God who created him, sustains him, wills to save him, and holds his eternal destiny in his hand.  There may be many people with this desire, albeit often feeble, alive in their hearts.  Nevertheless, they have no idea what to do to win God's approval.  It should be recognized that the Bible generally, and the New Testament specifically, reveal what God desires in man.  But the size and perceived complexity of the Bible discourages so many people from making the attempt to discover this revelation.  There are, however, occasional brief summaries of God's requirement, and the text featured above is one of them.  Although one should not stop with it alone in his effort to discern God's will for his life, it does serve as an excellent doorway that opens to the right path of life.

      It reveals that God looks first for "an honest and good heart" in the person who will please Him.  Since honesty relates to truth, one must train himself to love truth, seek truth, and promote truth.  Along with that he must learn to hate deception, oppose deception, and expose deception.  A "good heart" is one full of kindness, caring, and sympathy.  One must train himself to think and act in a kind, caring way with others, and generate toward them sympathy as they suffer physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.  The heart must be conditioned by honesty and goodness before there can be any hope of pleasing God.

      God next looks for the individual to listen seriously to His word, be deeply moved by it, and then treasure it in his heart.  One who seeks to please God must have an active appetite for knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures.  Thus he will study them diligently in private and regularly with the church when it assembles for that purpose.  Bible study for him will never be an onerous task, but a joy and privilege.  God's word is "a lamp to [the] feet and a light to [the] path," (Psa. 119:105), for it leads those who use it into the presence of God.

      Finally, God looks with pleasure upon the one who will "bear fruit with patience."  This "fruit" includes "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness [and] self-control," (Gal. 5:22).  Collectively, this fruit constitutes a character that is fashioned by the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within the life of faithful Christians.  It is manifested in behavior that is clean, peaceful, and constructive.  It will not allow itself to be compromised by "the desires of the flesh" that continually try to enter the Christian's soul.

CHOOSING JESUS OR ANOTHER?

Luk. 7:19 ... "John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, 'Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"

      Because John the Baptist had publicly condemned the adulterous marriage of Herod the Tetrarch, that ruler imprisoned him at a remote place east of the Dead Sea.  It was after suffering such deprivation for perhaps several months that John called a couple of his disciples to him to take to Jesus the strange question, "Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"  This is something we would not expect John to say.  While he was preaching, and baptizing in the Jordan River, he had boldly and insistently proclaimed that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah who would take away the sins of the world.  He had humbled himself before Jesus at His baptism and had even rejoiced when Jesus' ministry eclipsed his own.  Above all things John had witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus and had heard that great Voice from above proclaim, "This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased," (Mat. 3:13-17).  

      Some have suggested that the protracted loneliness and inactivity of prison had dulled John's perception to the low point where he had begun to doubt the authenticity of Jesus' ministry.  Others have thought John was subtly hinting to Jesus to prove His power by releasing him from prison.  Most, however, have concluded that John, realizing his own destiny, was making an effort to point his remaining disciples toward Jesus as their proper Mentor and Master.  Whatever his reason, John did the best thing by appealing directly to Jesus.  As God's Son, with all power given to Him, Jesus had the answer to every question and the ability to apply that answer to the ultimate solution of every problem.  Yet, when problems arise now in people's lives, rather than go to Jesus for the solution, they begin to search only within the realm of human experience for help.  While authorities in the various sciences are indispensable in helping us survive, we must not think they diminish our need for Jesus.  For He has said, "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it," (Luk. 17:33).  Even if one should save his life from physical or mental deterioration through the wisdom and skill of human science, he would yet lose the fulness of life if Jesus were not an integral factor in his existence.

      It is lamentable that so many people give little more than a cursory glance at Jesus and then go to "look for another."  They pass right by the One who has all the answers and all the power to implement them unto the greatest good for our human condition.  While Jesus yet walked the earth, many looked past Him to Moses and the Law for their guidance and salvation.  Through the ages since then people have looked past Jesus to others who set themselves up as religious leaders, and even in several cases, as saviors.  Others outside the context of religion have formulated philosophies that appealed to many as the vehicle for interpreting life and existence, all to the exclusion of Jesus and His gospel.  The number of alternatives to Jesus and the Way He offers are legion, and new ones make their appearance each year.  It is axiomatic that the question, "Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?," faces everyone on earth who hears of Jesus Christ.  And as often as the question arises, the individual decides what his answer will be.  Either he will yield in submission to Jesus to be reformed and redirected into the Christian Way, or he will pass Jesus by to yield his life to someone or something else.  As each of us ponders that momentous decision, our destiny virtually trembles in the balance.  To choose Jesus and His Way will lead to everlasting life in heaven, but to bypass Jesus "for another" will lead to eternal destruction.