Submission for Twin Falls, Times-News column for April 4, 2020
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The Fear of God Is Far From Us
From the last time I was in the rotation for writing this column, there were no cases of COVID-19 in the state of Idaho. Today, there are hundreds. What does this mean and what do we do now?
There is much to say about the personal responsibility every citizen has toward each other. You will hear often today that the most loving thing that can be done is to love your neighbor as yourself. There is something majestic that an otherwise selfish human would set down a personal pleasure to better serve a neighbor. It is one of the things that marks the Christian faith around the world. It’s what causes the people who respond to disasters around the world to not just send money, but by going and serving.
There is no mistake, that while there is much unknown about how COVID-19 will ultimately impact the world, there is one thing that is currently missing today. That is the call to the nation to repent.
This happened quickly, didn’t it? Within days, normal is no longer normal. No one was thinking this would be what April of 2020 would look like.
How did it happen? That may take time to unpack. What the Christian must do now is bless the Lord for the opportunity to recalibrate life. It’s good to consider the things that matter most to us and be careful that we don’t become trapped by loneliness, worry, anxiety, depression, or become easily distracted from the good God is intending to come from this.
When will God wake up His church? When will she no longer give in to the God-hating culture? God is good and everything He does is for His glory and our good. Even days filled with temporary affliction. This is evident when you keep the splendor and the glory of the Living God in front of you. When you don’t know this God, everything is more attractive to you. When John the Baptist was preaching repentance and the kingdom of heaven in his day he pointed to Jesus and declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of men.” Look to this Jesus today!
Today is a day filled with sorrow, a day filled with pain, a day filled with heartache; live it with joy. The only way you will be able to do that is to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of men. If you are to ever be forgiven from your sins it will only come from the one qualified and capable of paying for that sin, satisfying the requirement of death. Otherwise, there is no hope.
If you are going to put your hope in false gods, that hope will give you eternal sorrow. If you are going to put your hope in the religions of men, that hope will abandon you in the grave. If you are going to put your hope in the Governor’s hands, the government’s hands, or the President’s hands, that hope too will most assuredly disappoint, that hope will only give you increasing debt and never-ending taxes.
There is only one who can save you, but the fear of God is far from us today. The world has no fear of God, this nation has little fear of God, and the state is paralyzed with the fear of men. The church; well the church looks so much like the world that the world rarely turns to her anymore for direction. The world sees the church among the nonessentials. The church must exercise with mercy and grace today and be bold enough to say once again, “behold the Lamb of God!”
We are days away from celebrating that historic Resurrection Day! Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of men! Look to the only begotten son of God. Read the Bible. Turn from your wicked ways. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, as described by the Bible, and be saved. There are God-fearing churches in the valley who are prepared and able to point you to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of men.
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