Lessons From a Confrontation – Part 4, Different and Eternal Realities
2005 : June  |  Website Version  

The past couple of messages have not been written with a joyous or light heart. It’s never easy to delve into matters of darkness. As S. Lewis Johnson, the brilliant preacher once said: “Some messages are very pleasant; others are very unpleasant, yet both may be necessary.” We have had the unpleasant task of composing messages about our adversary, but we understand these have been necessary. God, in His sovereignty, determined before time began that these passages would be in the Bible, so we should pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, instruction and revelation on them. These passages are meant to educate Christians, but we should not focus singularly on the description of the adversary; the verses contain many more lessons. Learning about Satan is not the end of the lesson: it is the beginning. It’s once that we have an understanding of what Satan is like, that the other lessons fall from these verses.

If we read these descriptions and get a chill, they should awaken our eyes to two more lessons. They are not written in the text, but they are there if you meditate on the verses. Each lesson describes completely different realities: one for the Christian and one for the unsaved.

For the saved, these passages teach us again of the blessing of our salvation and the grace of God. We are reminded that we were lost in clutches of sin and darkness, and our sin meant that we were on a path to eternal suffering and pain. While we might shudder in horror at the description of the adversary, we must not forget that we to were once at war with God. By turning from God and sinning, we had set a certain path to destruction for ourselves; however, eternal suffering is no longer ours to share. The Christian is on a path to eternal life. We have been cleansed by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, and, not because of anything we have done, we will spend eternity with God, our loving Father, in Heaven.

Sin no longer separates us from God, because Jesus Christ has reconciled us to the Father. One cannot help to think of the beautiful reality of the verses Paul wrote:

	1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God…. 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
	Romans 5:1-2, 5-11 (NASB)

How amazing and unfathomable is the grace of God. The words from Romans should give us incredible joy. While we were vile wicked sinners, Christ died for us, and, instead of receiving punishment, God has poured His love into our hearts. We are at peace with God, and we should praise Him eternally for this.

As much as these verses bless us and remind us we are no longer headed for destruction, they should also remind us of a second reality; there are unsaved people to be reached. The unsaved will feel the wrath of God if they do not repent. If they remain as an adversary of God, their eternal home will be hell. That is the horrible reality for the unsaved; they are not at peace with God. Unfortunately, despite the Bible’s warning and God’s pleading with men, the adversary has led many astray:

	8 8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
	1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

Christians must marvel at the grace of God. We are all so sinful that the thought of God loving us should humble us. That He sent His Son to die for us should break us with grief, and when we consider that Jesus Christ willingly accepted the Father’s plan, despite all the suffering He would endure, we should be utterly and completely silent before the cross. We know no obedience, like that obedience. We are loved beyond comprehension, and we will be blessed beyond comprehension for eternity. This is marvelous, but what about the others? What about those who, if they remain in rebellion from God, will suffer a different eternal reality from ours? There are many who remain in allegiance with the adversary. Will we try to reach them or remain silent? Will you tell them to cast their lot with the One who loved them enough to die for them? God has given us so much, why would we want to keep such a blessing to ourselves? Let’s share it with others. There is a world full of sorrow waiting to hear truth about Jesus Christ – perhaps they could hear it from your lips…

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…

*** Words of Jesus Christ appear in red