Giving Meaning to God's Grace
Tonight I'm reading Revelation ch.14. It says in v.6 that an angel having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to all people, says,"Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come;....". I often think of why I'm drawn to such Scriptures. Could I be one of those doom and gloom Christians that just doesn't mature and doesn't look forward to in hope to the promises that God offers for the future? I think I do have the uncanny ability to talk about things that people just love to avoid. I mean who likes to think about Hell(a fleeting belief in the "Christian" community). Isn't that depressing. I have these moments when I realize when I'm wrong, and this usually happens when my wife points it out. I hate that feeling when that happens. The reason why I hate it is because I have pride. I have self-esteem to teach me otherwise. I'm not wrong to that degree(so I'd like to think). Yet when I have time to think about it, lick my wounds, admit that I'm wrong, say I'm sorry and repent, then I can say I'm right. How's that for an evil heart? Saying I'm right for what I do for the sole purpose of being right is very prideful. What makes God's grace meaningful? Could God's grace be made meaningful by His righteous wrath, anger...judgment?v.10 "the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength....He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb....with no rest day or night". Do I really believe that's what I deserve? This is God's last resort, His peculiar work. Every soul will glorify God, whether by being judged or by being forgiven, by surrendering(repentance) to His kind offer of forgiveness by believing in His Son Jesus. If you take away God's justice, anger towards sin, judgment, then His grace wouldn't mean anything. As ugly as Hell is, people have to know that they are in danger of it if they ignore it especially "Christians". Of course, I could never mention it to someone I witness to for fear that they would close their ears.