NCC Q19: Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God’s favor?

Ahhh. We should all be exhaling with a big sigh of relief. After the last 13 weeks of focusing on the need for, and demands of the law, we now begin to look at the One who paid the price for our inability to keep the law...try as we may.

The law has done its perfect work in God's economy. It provided a means for covenantal relationship with a loving God intent on restoring man to fellowship with Himself, and simultaneously it drives us as men to the end of our proverbial ropes as we strive to keep it consistently . Yes, the law had more than one purpose in God's mind, and it did not fail.

What is the answer for a burdened, guilty, tired and shamed man? We need someone who can lift the burdens we carry; someone who will somehow free us from the guilt and shame; and then in what seems too good to be true we must have someone to fulfill the requirements of the law on our behalf. This man could not fail...he must not sin...not even once. He had to fulfill all the requirements of the law, and then pay the price for the sins he himself did not commit. 

In chapter 53 of Isaiah the prophets record, he speaks of such a man. Fittingly he begins the chapter by asking, "Who would have believed what we heard?" It's too good to be true. Isaiah speaks of the man we needed, the one who is the suffering servant of God. We will learn much more about him as we continue this lesson, but for now we stop and stand in awe of the One God provided for us.

⁴ But he took our suffering on him
    and felt our pain for us.
We saw his suffering
    and thought God was punishing him.
⁵ But he was wounded for the wrong we did;
    he was crushed for the evil we did.

Jesus Christ, the Redeemer...God's provision for every need of man.

NCC Q18: Will God Allow Disobedience and Idolatry to Go Unpunished?

...Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." 2 Peter 3:3,4

It's becoming more and more common to hear the phrase, "the big man upstairs", or to hear Jesus referred to as "my buddy". How many times have you heard (or even thought of it yourself) that heaven will be a boring existence of clouds, harps, and little chubby angels. Even worse, hell is either mocked or ignored completely as far fetched. So the thought of any future judgement is surely not possible...is it?

Surprisingly for most is the truth that one of the most prevalent themes in Scripture is the reality that there will be for all men a day of reckoning. The Bible calls it "the great and terrible Day of the Lord", when everyone will stand before the judgement seat of God. Revelation 20 describes a great white throne, with God Himself seated on it.

From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small standing before the throne...and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation 20:11,12

We often feel the pain of injustice, but more often than not, we are the usually just observers of the great injustices that are done on this earth. When sin and injustice seem to be unchecked and unaccounted for, it's easy to fall into the same mindset that Peter described. Even Christians begin to lose hope that the injustice will ever be called to account. But be assured saints, it will. Because our God is loving, righteous, and He is just. 

But we have to remember that Peter's admonition isn't just for the ungodly, but also for the believing. 

But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be disolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the Day of God...? 2 Peter 3:10-11

May God give us grace to live with eternity in view...always.

NCC Q17: What is Idolatry?

Because man was created to live in fellowship with God, he has an innate desire to worship. That desire was intended to be expressed toward and for God alone. Sin changed all that. As we learned last week, sin at its very essence is the unwillingness to give God what He is worthy of and fully deserving...our love and devotion.

Because we have this need and desire to worship, and because sin has broken man's relationship with God, we now worship all sorts of other self-made, man-made gods. This sin, the Bible calls idolatry. To put it another way, idolatry is the universal tendency to value something or someone in a way that replaces our love and trust of God.

Before I came to faith in the Lord Jesus I had many idols in my life. I didn't know they were idols, but I thought they were what gave me happiness, significance, and meaning in life. One by one, as I came to realize they were "false lovers", I became more and more aware of my emptiness and lack of true happiness and satisfaction with life. That's when grace drew me to what I know now is true life.

Can a Christian still be an idolater? Unfortunately, all too often, yes. When you find yourself just wanting to "check-out"; when you look for something that you think will fill a sense of need or lack by eating it, drinking it, swallowing it, watching it, smoking it, or buying it, you can be sure your heart is either ready to, or has already wandered into a place of idol worship. It begins often with a disinterest in worship and devotion toward the One true God. Prayer and Bible reading seem tedious and boring. Gathering with the rest of the church seems burdensome and inconvenient. No, there aren't little statues of gods like a shrine in a corner of my house...but I still may have them in corners of my heart.

What is the remedy? As with any other sin, confess it as sin (or at least realize the temptation that is before you to sin), and move on in the grace of God. And learn to recognize the vulnerabilities in your life that lead you into idolatry. Each of us has warning signs. The Holy Spirit will show you what yours are...and He will keep you if you ask Him.

Rock of Ages, you have brought me near

You have poured out your life-blood, your love, your tears

To make this stone heart come alive again

Rock of Ages, forgive my sin.  

Rock of Ages, when in want or rest,

My desperate need for such a Savior I confess

Pull these idols out from my heart embrace.

Rock of Ages, I need your grace. 

Sandra McCracken

NCC Q16: What Is Sin?

Three letters...making up one little word...sin.  What's the big deal?

This week's lesson answers that question by pointing out that it is a big deal because it leads to the death and disintegration of all who choose sin over obedience to God, and who live without reference to Him.

Here are some basic thoughts on sin.

• It is rebellion against God's known will and law.
• It can be commited both by what we do and by what we don't do (commission and omission).
• It isn't just violation of God's law, it is also violating our own conscience (even though there may not be a clear commandment from God in that area). 
• Some sins are more serious than others, in that they have greater and more serious ramifications.
• Though the impact of some sin is more serious, all sin no matter how great or small leads to death.
• We sin because we were born sinners...sinning doesn't make sinners.
• Sin is deceptive...it can seem to become "less than sin" through on-going hardening of our conscience.
• Continuing in any sin leads to the potential of becoming a slave to that sin = slavery and bondage.
• The most frightening condition a human can experience is a hardened conscience regarding sin, because God will give a man over to the sin.
• Continued sin will always lead to disintegration...and ultimately death.
• The path to freedom is through calling sin what it is...sin (not "weakness", not "a mistake", but sin.)
• There is a remedy and solution for sin...and it isn't due human effort, through the human will, or attainable from anything pertaining to man's devices.

For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 3:23

NCC Q15: Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?

We've all heard someone say, "I'm sure I will go to heaven. I'm a good person." It's true there are a lot of "good" people in this world. People who are kind, compassionate, benovelent, gentle, and all kinds of other qualities that would endear them to you. When we think of "bad" people, we think of people like whoever it was that placed those bombs in Boston this week. We would all agree, that is a bad and evil person.

But the human dilemma as it relates to God isn't whether or not we are "good" (however we may define that), but rather if we are righteous...as He is righteous. 

Righteousness is defined as: acting in accord with divine or moral law; free from guilt or sin.

It's one thing not to place a bomb in a crowded public area with the intent of killing as many people as possible. It's quite another thing to live free from the guilt of sin of any kind. It's completely different to live consistently and continually in a manner that is in accord with God's divine, moral nature and standards.

Goodness is arbitrary; righteousness is not. It is defined by God's law which He has given to man. That law stands as the final arbiter over our behavior, actions, and even our thoughts. You see, idolatry, covetousness, and lust are, after all, a matter of the heart first. Only after they have first conceived in the heart are they then made known through our actions. The law gets to the heart of the matter...and to matters of the heart.

That is why Paul says that "There are none who are righteous; not even one." When any and every human being stands before the law's demands and gaze, the final conclusion is that each of us is guilty...in thought, word, and deed. 

As believers in Christ, we should not be afraid to allow the law's demands to confront the hearts of those we speak to who are not yet believing. We shouldn't sugar coat God's demands, holiness, and righteous expectations as we speak to people. We shouldn't cower before the "but I'm a good person" mentality, and acquiese to their demands for understanding and acceptance.

No, lovingly and boldly we must explain to them that will not be enough on the day they stand before His holy throne of judgement. On that day, only the righteousness of Christ will suffice.