Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

Yes. That verse says those words. But what you are doing with them is vile, reprehensible, and not merely an offense against Christians, but an offense against a holy God.

You have your bias, and your heart is hard-set against Christians. You claim to be one of them. You claim moral superiority. You do not claim to represent Christ, to uphold His Word, or to care to rightly interpret and apply it. You know its power, its influence, its authority. So you claim to be what you are not. You take the holy Word of God upon your lips, and you blaspheme Him.

Wicked man. Oh wicked man.

You have no fear now. But when holy fear strikes hard against you, you shall either fall face down in repentance, or you shall know terror for eternity. You will fear Him. You will face Him. You cannot escape Him.

Laugh now. Mock now. Find pleasure as far as your sinful and wicked heart will take you. Sear your conscience. But it will not satisfy the craving within you for more. It is never enough. And you will die in your sin to face the holy God and enter into your rightful judgment, where you will face the holy, righteous wrath of God for eternity.

Yes. Eternity. Yes. Conscious torment. Why? Because He is holy.

Your sins are not minor offenses against mere men. You sin against holiness. You blaspheme holiness. You take His Words upon your lips and with a wicked heart claim to be in Christ, speaking His Word while perverting it and twisting it for your sinful purposes.

Yes. You will give an account. You will have nowhere to hide. You will lash out with your wicked tongue against holiness even as wrath is poured out upon you for eternity.

Your heart is wicked. You are not good. You are not more loving or more moral than God.

Oh wicked man. You now hold yourself in opposition to the very God who created you, the very God who has spoken authoritatively, and you dare to take His Words upon your lips and pervert them. Boldly and willingly you sin against Him.

You are not a hero. You take up causes in the world that appeal to your wicked heart, and you take His Word and use it for your wicked purposes.

Yes. You are guilty. Yes. He is just in His punishment. Yes. You deserve His holy wrath.

God is not emotional. He does not lash out in uncontrolled rage. He is righteous. His wrath is holy, perfect, good, and just. Unlike you and me, who sin in our anger, God’s wrath burns against the wicked and is good.

We deserve it. You. And me.

Yet He is gracious. And you spurn His grace.

You dare call yourself a Christian. You dare identify yourself with perfect righteousness and perfect holiness.

Oh wicked man. You do not merely live in sin and have your fill, sinning against the God who created you. No. You go further. You dare identify yourself with Christ and take His Word upon your lips while scheming in your wicked heart how you may claim the righteous position, present yourself as morally superior, and call it love.

You think you do not deserve His wrath? Deceived you are.

Wicked.

You crave and lust after wickedness and have not its fill. You love it. You enjoy it. And when terror strikes your heart, and it will, you have only this now to hear: repent of your sin and flee to Christ for the salvation of your soul.

The One against whom you have so wickedly sinned has come into the world to save sinners. Just like you. Just like me.

That is grace. Not what you promote in your wicked heart. Not what your depraved mind calls love.

He, whom you and all men as image-bearers blaspheme all day long, came into the world to save, to redeem, to live the righteous life we could not live, to die the death we deserve, taking upon Himself the holy, righteous wrath of God for sinners. He rose from the grave. He is seated at the right hand of the Father.

And hear this: He is coming as Lord and King.

He will receive unto Himself all who are truly His. And He will judge in perfect, righteous judgment all who are not.

Repent.

Flee to Christ for the salvation of your soul.