Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: GAMBLE (04/14/16)
-
TITLE: A Matter of Math Mercy and Grace | Previous Challenge Entry
By Holly Westefeld
04/21/16 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
materialized from somewhere, perfectly poised far enough from Sol
not to be scorched, yet not so far that it would be a ball of
ice? Could it possibly be chance that positioned Luna in just
the precise proximity to Earth to provide the exact gravitational
balance to keep Earth stable on its axis, preventing cataclysmic
weather instabilities? Is it remotely reasonable that an
interdependent food chain/eco system could have developed over
billions of years, when the very nature of its interdependence
precludes that? Since the mathematical likelihood of any of
these, never mind all of them, is astronomical, the only logical
conclusion is that the universe was intelligently designed. That
being the case, it behooves us to consider who designed it, and
to seek to discover any specific intentions or instructions for
our role in the universe.
Throughout the centuries, many texts have been touted to answer
the most pressing questions of life. "What is my purpose?" "Why
is there evil in the world?" "Will there ever be justice for
evil?" "Is there anything I can do about the evil within me?"
While all religious texts address most or all of these questions,
their conclusions are at odds with one another, thus cannot all
be true. Only one stands out as being vastly different from the
others, The Holy Bible. All other religions are works based,
claiming that adhering to certain criteria or rituals can make us
acceptable to their god(s), or help us obtain godhood. Only
Jesus taught that He was God in human form, reaching out to us,
taking our just punishment for evil/sin upon himself, providing
all that is necessary for us to be reconciled to the holy Creator
of the universe. Another uniqueness of the Bible is that the Old
Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about Jesus, all of
which were fulfilled. These prophecies were so detailed, many
involving the actions of others, that it would not have been
possible for even the most astute student of the Hebrew
Scriptures to have contrived to fulfill them all. The
possibility of fulfilling even a few dozen is minuscule.
Thus, what Jesus has to say about our sinful condition, God's
purpose for us, and eternity, is of paramount importance. In
John 3:19-20, Jesus describes the human condition this way:
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men
loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into
the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." He had,
however, already spoken those renowned words of hope in verses
16-17: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Once
faith has been placed in Jesus atoning sacrifice and
resurrection, He gives us power to live in the light through Him,
described in verse 21: "But whoever lives by the truth comes
into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has
done has been done through God." The Gospels are filled with
practical applications of living a life that pleases God,
especially Matthew chapters six through seven, the Sermon on the
Mount. Jesus does not hesitate to confirm what eternity will
hold for those who reject him and persist in their rebellion in
verse 18: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever
does not believe stands condemned already because he has not
believed in the name of God's one and only Son." He provides a
further description of what that eternity will look like in the
story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31.
Only you can decide. Will you gamble that their is no God to
whom you are accountable? Will you gamble that being a "nice
person" will be enough to satisfy a holy God? Will you gamble
that Jesus was just kidding about judgment and Hell? Or will you
admit your inability to escape darkness on your own, believe that
Jesus has satisfied the penalty for that darkness, and confess
your desire to let Him be the Lord of light in your life? It is
no gamble at all to trust in God's mercy and grace. It all adds
up to a joyful eternity.
*****
Scripture quotations are from the NIV.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Blessings~