“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 5:30-31 (NIV)
Whether we choose to believe it or not, one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (whether it is a forced bow and confession or not from those who are perishing). There is going to be a day of accounting for every life. Every life. We are not our own. We were bought with the highest price by the blood of Jesus. Therefore, we are to honor God with our bodies in all we say, and do, and think. The Bible states we will reap what we sow, God will not be mocked. If we sow to please the sinful nature from that nature we will reap destruction yet if we sow to please the Spirit from the Spirit we will reap eternal life. We must not become discouraged in doing good through His power for we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary and loose heart.
God desires for none to perish but all to come to repentance. It was for the entire world that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have life eternal. We are all born broken with a sin nature, without hope and without God in the world. Jesus came and lived the perfect life – the life we could not live - and became the perfect sacrifice, shedding His blood for our sins, bridging the gap between God and man through His blood shed on the cross. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Those who believe in Jesus are now clothed in His righteousness. For this reason the Apostle Paul pleads in 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” “Amazing love how can it be that Thou my God shouldst die for me?”(Wesley) “Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” (Watts)
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)