Have you ever heard of a husband who "loves" his wife and children but never tells them so, never demonstrates it? Let's say he defends himself: he provides food, clothing, rent; shouldn't they get the point? Why should he say, "I love you"? Or act like he does?
God says in the Bible that He "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). And Paul seems to say that thoughtful people should get the message simply because through nature "God hath shewed it unto them, ... so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:19, 20). Is that enough? If God expects a loving husband to demonstrate his love and say so, shouldn't He also tell the world about His love? Is it enough for Him to allow "nature" (whatever that is!) to tell it and then in the Judgment Day say, "You 'are without excuse' if you didn't understand! Too bad for you!"? Have the people gotten the message of His love in devastating hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes? And billions in their hunger and poverty?
You will probably agree that God wants to tell the world about His love in a clearer way than through "nature," that is, He wants to tell them through the proclamation of the gospel.
But that raises the question, Why doesn't He send literal angels to tell it? Why entrust the message of His love to His church, which is all too often sleepy, worldly, "lukewarm"? Fact: "the world is dark with misapprehension of God." It needs to understand what His love means, what happened on the cross, what it cost the Son of God to "save the world." Doing "good works" is wonderful--that's the duty of all Christians. But the Red Cross is also doing those good works! (Thank God! there's plenty of room for more.) Shouldn't there be a church, a "body" of Christ that is "lighting the earth with glory" (Revelation 18) in proclaiming the cross so clearly that every candid soul can sense the motivation that the love of Christ "constrains" in us? Or should we fold our hands and expect "nature" or the "angels" to do it?
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.------------------------------
