Showing posts with label Salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salvation. Show all posts

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Confusing Deeds of Saving

Greetings Scholars and Warriors.

This season of Doctor Who has been very interesting (I almost used "quite interesting" but I didn't as that has the opposite meaning in Brittain as here in the US). I think it is confusing to see who he saves and who he doesn't save. Time after time we see the Doctor saving people, and sometimes people he shouldn't save. Other times he is accused of ignoring deaths.

Found at www.kasterborous.com

Think about it:

He went back to save Davros, whom he knew would create his worse enemy.
When facing the ghosts he seemed to try hard to save people yet was accused of allowing some to die.
He saved Ashildr/Me (Maise Williams) even though he felt he was breaking rules.
Then, he worked to redeem her when he met her later on.
He told soldiers this last episode to kill as few Zygons as possible, even though they were starting the war.

I think we get way more confused by God's salvation. We look at the death in the world and we think He isn't doing enough. We hear stories of people's lives changed by Him and wonder "why that person and not my friend/brother/etc.?" In both cases, God and the Doctor, the subject of our confusion is doing a lot more than we can see.

Think about what we have done since God created our species: We have lied to each other and tried to lie to Him. We have cheated. We have damaged the planet He put us on. We have killed each other and blamed God for death/suffering that comes from our own poor choices. We have a terrible track record. Some claim He is doing nothing for those in droughts and natural disasters.

No news station is going broadcast huge stories on God's miracles of salvation. They don't talk about that. When someone is healed of cancer miraculously, you don't find TV cameras trying to film it. The news just won't show us that part of life. We could come up with a lot of excuses and blame for this, but that won't help.

God told Moses in Exodus 33 that he would "have mercy on he whom I will have mercy". In other words, God won't let you decide his plan of salvation. But here is the amazing thing...God does want anyone who is willing to come to Him. Jesus called for the "weary' and the "sick" to come to Him (i.e., those who were filled with sin and would admit it). During Matt Smiths reign as the Doctor he once said that he had never met anyone who was unimportant. That is how Jesus will respond if you tell him you are unimportant. If you ask for salvation for your friend, well, God wants that to. But he won't force it on your friend.

Those who are around the Doctor have to choose between trusting him or not. "Me" had to make the same decision at one time. She had been living a life of crime after the Doctor had given her a way to live for a far longer time than she would have gotten. At first she chose to ignore her life as Ashildr and use the Doctor to help a dangerous alien. Then, when she realized she was helping with an invasion, she changed.  We have the same choice with God. We can either work with Him in salvation just as a parent expects a 5 year old to help clean their room, or we can throw a tantrum and see what it gets us. What will you choose?


Saturday, May 3, 2014

Free Comics and Free Salvation

Happy Free Comic Book Day!  Today is the day.  Thousands of people all across the US and maybe Canada and who knows where else will walk into comic shops to get free comics today.  This only happens once a year.  It is exciting and fun and a celebration of the art and the stories found in the comics, and particular comics are free this one day a year.

During the days of the Temple, the Jews celebrated something else once a year.  The Day of Atonement.  This one day a year the High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for Israel by splashing blood of a sacrifice onto the mercy seat, or the cover, of the Ark of the Covenant. But this was not enough for God.  He wanted more access to us and he wanted us to have more access to Him.

So, Jesus came.  Along with setting an example for us of how to properly live and respond to the law, and along with experiencing the normal troubles and struggles of man, he became the sacrifice.  Isaiah had said that the Messiah would need to be pierced for our transgressions and He went exactly through that.

He bled and died a shameful, painful death so we could draw close to God.  So we could be redeemed.  Have you asked Jesus about this?  Have you asked Him for redemption?  Have you asked Him to bring the same power that resurrected Him to help you live a life to the fullest as you were created for?  All you have to do is ask and repent.  You don't have to earn anything or pay for anything...you just have to ask and change the things that need changing.  But then, He will be there to help you change those things.

I hope you get to go get some free comics today.  When you do, remember the price Christ payed so your salvation could be free.