God repented of the evil. Jonah 3:10
This week on the Comedy Central series “South Park,” a characterized Jesus was part of a cartoon counsel in “Imaginationland,” along with truly fictional characters such as Popeye and Morpheus from “The Matrix.” The implied message: Jesus is a completely fabricated character. The new album by Kid Rock, titled “Rock N Roll Jesus,” announces: “It’s all sex, drugs, rock n roll; A soul sensation that you can’t control … And I’m gonna save your soul if it’s really what you want me to do; Get on your knees; I’m your rock n roll Jesus.” (FALWELL CONFIDENTIAL From: Jonathan Falwell, October 26, 2007)
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not” Jonah 3:10.
We understand God in human terms in that He has a heart, He hears, and He has helping hands. We understand God moving in physical ways to help us to know Him as He wants to be known. We also understand God in what is known of man is ascribed to God—we are sorry for our sin, we confess our sin and turn from our wicked ways. We move from the wide path that descends down into to hell to the straight and narrow path that leads up to heaven. God can not repent of evil for there is no evil in Him, neither is there any variableness or shadow of turning. God is immutable—he changes not, He is the same yesterday, today and will be forever more. If He could change, he would have to get better or worse. For Him to get better, we do not have a perfect God. If He could get worse, we have no hope!
God does not repent of evil, he relents of evil. God has and may alter His course of action and direction. As in the case of Nineveh a wicked, perverted, and corrupt city of more than 600,000 strong. When they repented of their wickedness, God relented of His sternness. When Nineveh believed God and repented in sackcloth and ashes, God who is rich in mercy moved from a God full of wrath to a God full of compassion. It is because of His mercy that we are spared of His judgment. Our God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, He is not willing that any perish, and His heart is grieved over one soul that perishes.
The soul that sins will die. The wages of sin is death. If a person dies without having Christ as his Savior, that soul will forever live in the lake of fire that was prepared for the Devils and his angels. He says to the world, repent or perish. Draw near to God and he will (turn) and draw near to you.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8. How many did Christ die for? When Jesus died on the cross of Cavalry, he died to atone the sin of unbelief for all man kind. “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin (singular) of the world”. Jesus shed His blood as He was nailed to the cross, He suffered at the hands of men and was abandon by the presence of God. He would die a criminal’s death so that criminals like you and me could go free. The death of God’s only Son turned God from His degree to punish all men forever in a God-less place where the filthy forever will remain filthy. He stands at the gate, He stands at the door, He stands in congregation of men waiting for the likes of Kid Rock to come in faith and trust as He embraces them in His arms of compassion and keeps them in His eternal hands.
Visit: www.cliffhartley.com