Happy Tuesday! It’s November 26, 2024. Today, here’s a thought for theology students and fishers of men: Does God send people to hell, or do people choose eternal separation from Him? Could they have been deceived into believing they’re free from the consequences of their appetites? Read on...
Today's Reading:
Matthew 23,24,25
Scripture
“… Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
Observation
Several times in this chapter, we encounter three stories about those who made poor choices—and those who didn’t. In each case, the door was shut for some and opened for others. Some were caught, while others were set free.
Application
We live in a society where the prevailing thought is that people don’t need to be accountable for their actions. They believe they are “free” to do as they wish. However, they are like fish on a line, having swallowed what seemed like a pesky bug floating on the water. But now, a barb is lodged in their stomach, with a line attached. That fish is at the mercy of the angler, who temporarily lets it run "free."
The fish swims, twists, and turns, tiring itself out. Then the fisherman sets the hook and reels it in.
Similarly, many have made poor choices yet expect society, science, or the government to give them a pass. They think they are running free, but they don’t realize that the enemy of their souls has used their appetites to lure them. They assume they are “free,” and in a sense, they are—but only temporarily. Now, their eternity hangs in the balance.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, only You can set us free from the barb of sin. You have called us to be “fishers of men,” but our fishing is like “catch and release.” Like the four who tore a hole in the roof to bring their paralyzed friend to You, we must do the same for as many as we can. Only You can grant freedom from the barb of sin.
It is by Your truth that we are set free. What an honor it is to be part of Your eternal plan as “fishers of men.”
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