OUT OF THE FRYING PAN
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Every person is or has been an enemy of God. It is amazing how this world expects God to be lenient and merciful with us, God’s avowed enemies; yet affords only severity and intolerance in return for anything remotely of God. The man who walks the street plying a trade of addictive allure to an unfortunate humanity will as swiftly excuse his behavior with a smile and speak of God’s goodly, forgiving, and welcoming embrace.
Is there any sense of justice in this world or has this benevolent endowment of God also fallen to the advance of ungodliness? A favorite hero and comic book character used to say, “Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” There is no superman today which can return these bastions of American character, only the supernatural man of yesterday, today, and tomorrow can accomplish such a daunting task. Yet, this supernatural God-man's primary business is not restoring nations, but of restoring souls. We lack an American character because there is a lack of reconciliation to God in the people of America. Without reconciliation we remain enemies to be loved by God but separated from Him. Would you allow your worst enemy into your home? Would you let a criminal enter your home? Many expect this of God when they accomplish sin and get away with it in this world. For God to practice the brand of justice expected of the world He would have to accept any and all measure of wickedness and evil into His Kingdom.
No one wants to pay the penalty of consequence. Penalties are usually only paid when we are caught and forced by others through some form of judiciary. According to God’s benevolent, merciful, and righteous judiciary system we can pay our penalty when we are caught out by death or let another pay the penalty in life. When a person speeds down the road and ignores the speed limit he gets away with it as long as nothing interferes with his decision to speed. When the blue lights flash and fill his view he suddenly has an interference with his bad decision. His only opportunity to avoid justice is to go back and re-do the entire incident and obey the law. That is impossible! God has control of the blue lights in our life of bad decisions. There is no white light at the end of the tunnel; they are blue, flashing, and imperative. The only question of death’s blue light is who will pay the penalty? There are many signs along life’s highway. These signs dictate laws and advocate reconciliation. What would happen if you knew the man with the blue lights? Suppose he was the closest, dearest, friend; closer than a brother? Would such a relationship help? Oh, but suppose this close, dear, friend had scruples and integrity? Wouldn’t it be great if this friend had limitless resources and could pay any price you owed? Jesus did just that! He paid the penalty of sin on our behalf and extends a hand of unparalleled friendship. But, that just keeps us out of trouble or out of the frying pan of the fires of Hell. What next?
Because of the life of Christ we observe the signs posted on life’s highway by God and man. Every occurrence of misdeed is paid with a check written in the blood of Christ and drawn on the Grace of God bank. Yet, as we travel along life’s way in this new way of renewal and reconciliation we seek to avoid the pitfalls of misread signs, ignored cautions, and willful indulgence. It is a reconciliation bought with terrible price. The One with everything gave up everything to pay it. Every day that we take from the Grace of God bank, the account never decreases because it is filled not only with the deposit for our every contrivable debt but with the life of Christ in abundance. Not only does God’s Grace pay our debt but we can withdraw from the limitless supply of Christ’s life for our own use. God’s grace is sufficient to meet all our needs. Having looked upon Christ and gained only a small understanding of the cost, we can acknowledge the great imposition of our salvation; which was no imposition at all. God’s love is only understood in the magnitude of our incomprehension.
Where to now? Our life is assured. We’re out of the frying pan. Shouldn’t we jump into the fire of this life and tell others of this great gift of eternal life? A lifeguard jumps into the same water that will drown the foundering man. A fireman rushes into the same fire that will consume the trapped child. A soldier fights the battle on the field for the embattled man at his side. The world isn’t Hell, but we’ve got to get in it to save anyone from it. The Bible says that the lost world is condemned already. It is as if they’ve already drowned, been consumed, or fallen to the enemy. We are no longer condemned which makes us not of the world. We must, though, be in it. Jesus got in it! How do you think you got out of it?
Go ahead, - into the fire!
See what you get out of it!
