Understanding Faith by embracing the Hard TRUTH

Let me ask you a question: If you had a terminal disease that was going to kill you, would you want your doctor to tell you?

• Scenario 1: Even though there is a treatment for this terminal disease that could cure it, your doctor knows how hard it will be to tell you and your parents about the deadly diagnosis and how much sadness and pain it would cause.  So, convincing himself that he is doing the what is in your best interest, he just gives you a hug and a lollipop and tells you that you are as healthy as a horse and sends you home.

• Scenario 2: This time your doctor decides not to tell you because he knows you will not agree to do the treatment that is needed to cure you.

So here’s a truth I think we can all agree on... If you don’t know you’re sick, then you won’t take the medicine that could cure you!

Now let’s look at this example in comparison to what the Word of GOD says in Roman 3: 9-18:

"Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.  As the Scriptures say, 'No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.' 'Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.' 'Snake venom drips from their lips.' 'Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.' 'They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them.  They don’t know where to find peace.' 'They have no fear of God at all.' (NLT)

These verses summed up simply say this: God, Who is Truth, gives us the hard truth: You and I are sentenced to death and eternal condemnation because of our sin.

Pretty grim, eh? Yes...

but then there was JESUS!

And through Jesus, God will justify ANY sinner who puts their trust in Jesus Christ, and the Redemption He secured for all sinners on the cross.

Jesus Christ is the Great Physician, and He has diagnosed the "sicknesses" of every person in the world: All are sinners and in a hopeless and helpless condition.

But will they (will you) accept His cure, His remedy? 

If you only think you are sick, you may not call a doctor.

But if you know you are sick and still don't call a doctor, well that's pretty foolish don't you think?

Furthermore, if we don’t understand how severe our sickness is, then we won’t actively seek for the cure.

Hard Truth #1: Unless we admit our that we are indeed sinners, God cannot save us.

Jesus said, "They that are whole have no need for the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." - Mark 2:17

Romans 3: 9-18 gives us some other pretty "hard truths" regarding sinners.

Hard Truth #2: When it comes to being a sinner, there are no exceptions.

All people, even so-called “good” people, are sinners. (v. 10)

Hard Truth #3: Our sin separates us from God.

The sins in our lives negatively affect the relationship we have with God and the relationships we have with others.

Hard Truth #4: Sin always has destructive results.

Living a sinful life will never get us what we want in the end. It is simply instant and fleeting gratification. Sin leaves only a trail of destruction and misery.

So yeah, there doesn't seem to be much hope in these verses.

But understanding the "hard truth

" about sin is imperative, because unless we fully acknowledge the awful disease of sin within us, we won’t seek out and accept the cure!

Like I said… these verses about the terminality of sin seem dismal, but that is so the “Cure” for sin can be truly grasped and appreciated for the unimaginable gift that it is!

The Cure

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." - Ephesians 2:4-9

The greatest news in the world is that although we all are under and sentenced to the terminal diagnosis of sin, by faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive God’s gift of eternal life.

Have you received that gift?

If you want to know more about how to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please email me at amy@youthnetwork.life.