Is There No Hope?

My lovely wife read my blog article yesterday and advised me, "You've left them no hope."

In a way, that is true. When a nation defiantly shakes its fist in the face of God, trampling under foot the spiritual heritage He has given them, they can not long endure. One only need to read of the judgment of God toward a rebellious Israel. Thoughout the scriptures God judged His people. It was a big cycle. God's people would turn away from him. Their sin would become exceedingly great. God would judge them. They would realise the error of their way and repent. God would turn His heart back toward them. Then God's people would walk in His ways, for a while. Then the cycle would continue as they once again turn away from His precepts.

In thinking back on the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, a couple of thoughts come to mind. God was willing to save both cities if (ultimately through Abraham's pleading) only 10 righteous were found in the city. Now, I'm not sure what the population of Sodom and Gomorrah was, but I'm pretty sure that it was much smaller than the entire population of the state of California. If God's mercy was a matter of percentages, then it is likely we need a lot more than just 10 righteous in that state in order to appease God's wrath. There is one big fallacy in this view, however. Our mediator is much greater than Sodom's mediator was. Christ is our high priest. He is entirely God and entirely man. Abraham had a sinful nature that he inherited from Adam. Christ did not.

So, the answer to the quandry and the doom and gloom I left you with yesterday is found in the very same chapter of Romans.

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
-- Romans 3:22-26

So then, while there is none righteous, no not one, we can, by faith, apply the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to our account. Stop and let that soak in for a minute. Though born a vile and wretched sinner, I can be counted righteous in the eyes of God. This is possible only through faith in the blood of Christ.

I believe that it is solely due to the remnant of God's people, that He has scattered throughout this country, that this nation avoids catestrophic judgment. Don't be fooled. You may see a church on every corner, but only a tiny remnant can truly be called "God's people." You will not find God's people among the "ministers" performing sodomite marriages. You will not find them among the "Easter and Christmas" only crowd. God's people seek His face daily. They walk in His ways.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
-- Luke 9:23

Friend, turn to Him today. Deny yourself and take up your cross daily, and follow Him. It may well be that either:

1) You will be counted among the righteous so that the nation can be saved from the impending doom of judgment

...or...

2) God may provide a way of escape for you and your household, as he did for Lot, when the judgment comes.