Salvation Man's Way or God's Way? - II Kings 15-16 and John 3:1-18
Most of the kings of Israel persisted in the sins of Jeroboam, who led the people to worship the golden calves. They were judged by God for changing His way of salvation, and many of them were murdered to end their reigns. It looks like they could have seen their sin and returned to God, but it is human nature to try to secure salvation in another way besides following God's way. Even with the kings of Judah, there was not complete obedience to God's way. They allowed the high places, instead of having people only worship at the Temple. Then, Ahaz came to the throne, and he made a treaty with the Assyrians to help him with his enemies, Israel and Syria. After going to Assyria, he decided to remodel the Temple and change the sacrifices and other things that God had dictated in the Law. What a brazen act of arrogant rebellion! How could a man remodel God's Temple? How can we feel that we have the right or authority to change what God has said? I am afraid people do it all of the time. It must break God's heart and make Him very angry when we ignore His clear plan for us.
That is what Jesus said to Nicodemus. He pointed out that there was only one way to God's kingdom and that was to be born again. Nicodemus was searching for answers, but he could not understand what Jesus was trying to say. The problem was that he and the other leaders of Israel had been going by man's way of salvation so long that they could not see God's way when it was laid out before them. Jesus laid it out to Nicodemus, and he had to decide. We know from the end of the Gospels that at some point he trusted Jesus and was born again. What about you? Are you trying to reach God's kingdom in your own way, or are you submitting to God's way? Jesus makes it very clear that there is only one way, and He is it. (John 14:6) Please, don't live your life trying to remodel the Temple or rewrite the Bible. It is futile to go against God's way of salvation.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 17-18 and John 3:19-38.
That is what Jesus said to Nicodemus. He pointed out that there was only one way to God's kingdom and that was to be born again. Nicodemus was searching for answers, but he could not understand what Jesus was trying to say. The problem was that he and the other leaders of Israel had been going by man's way of salvation so long that they could not see God's way when it was laid out before them. Jesus laid it out to Nicodemus, and he had to decide. We know from the end of the Gospels that at some point he trusted Jesus and was born again. What about you? Are you trying to reach God's kingdom in your own way, or are you submitting to God's way? Jesus makes it very clear that there is only one way, and He is it. (John 14:6) Please, don't live your life trying to remodel the Temple or rewrite the Bible. It is futile to go against God's way of salvation.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 17-18 and John 3:19-38.