Statement #10: "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will" (Luke 10:21).
Often times we only focus on the latter half of this statement (God revealing truth), overlooking (or ignoring) the first half (God hiding truth). In this passage, Jesus actually thanks God for hiding the truth of salvation ("these things"). Notice Jesus doesn't say, "Father, it's such a pity that you had to hide these important truths from the hardened unbeliever. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but you know what's best so I'll concede to your will." No. Jesus thanks the Father for hiding them from the hardened unbeliever. Jesus, unlike many evangelicals today, thanked God not only for his salvation, but his judgment. That's because judgment is justice; it's right and good. It also saves the world from further corruption. Therefore, even in judgment God is saving! David said, "I will sing of steadfast love and justice" (Psalm 101:1). There are all sorts of songs and prayers where God's people celebrate God's judgment on the wicked. Are you willing to sing of God's love and His justice?
Friends, we should not deny or even downplay God's judgment. It is right and just. But we do mourn over man's unwillingness to repent, and we do not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek.18:32). We pray for them and love them and call them to the truth of Christ, but we also recognize that the judicial blinding that a hardened unbeliever receives is good and right and even worthy of our gratitude. But we also use this as a warning to examine ourselves and "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil.2:12).
0 comments:
Post a Comment