Because Joe Carter apparently has an impulse control problem (I think), I’m going to have to get ahead of myself here in my “proclaimers” theme and give up the Gospel thing now — you know, since we ought to be “proclaimers”, and as “proclaimers” we ought to be giving up a solution and not a suggestion, why not just fight for a solution in which the Supreme Court ponies up a 6-3 decision that makes all our dreams come true?
Well, as I said last time, it’s because government is not our savior. It may have a ministry of the sword which God wants to have in charge of things for a little while, but it’s not hardly what God wants for the world.
What is happening is this: for a while, God was patient with the ignorance and pride of men, but now that Jesus has done the utterly-impossible — now that Jesus has died and risen from the dead — there are no more excuses for those who keep themselves in darkness. Jesus will return as the judge of all men, and each will be judged either by his works or by the worthiness of the sacrifice which has been made for sin.
You need to know for certain that Jesus is both Lord and Christ — he is the one who has the authority to judge you and the power to save you. Turn to Him and trust in him, or else get under his footstool — get ready to wail and gnash your teeth.
There is forgiveness for repentance — for an anti-catholic bigot like me, and for you who are still hopeless sinners without this good news who are not quite in my league of depravity.
That’s the Gospel. Receive it, believe it, repent, and live it.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
