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After reading about the tragic case of the treatment of Alfie Evans in the National Heath Service in the UK and recent nudging from the Lord to be a witness to Him and His plans in the days we live, I have resolved to initiate this blog. I am indebted to God, my pastor Vic Francis and fellow believers like Bill Muehlenberg and Michael Brown for their encouragement to take a stand. This first article is based on a comment I put at Bill Muehlenberg's website.
It is a terrible state of affairs that has led to the death of Alfie. It speaks of a Western society that is dying and in many places in the grip of none other than the devil himself. However, this is not the first time this has happened in God's world. They did this two thousand years ago – in the Roman world if a baby girl was born then many times she would be left to die of exposure. That is, the parents left her to die. We are also familiar with Herod's murder of all children under the age of two when Jesus was growing up and, in our own day, countless doctors have killed babies in the womb. A spirit of murder inhabited our lands back then, and is present now.
In my reading of the book of Job and his perplexity that the wicked are not necessarily punished in this life (even though his friends mistakenly assume this of him), it is vital that we as Christians in 2018 show compassion to Alfie parent's, Tom Evans and Kate James and be aware of the unimaginable grief (in time, journey) they will be in now. At the same time, the unjust actions of some stand as a testament of the evil that befalls our world and has been present ever since the Fall. And as hard as it can seem to us all, the sun will still rise tomorrow and there is no guarantee that perpetrators of this injustice will experience God's direct judgement then.
Yes, the unrepentant do suffer in themselves the consequences of their sin. They become less and less of the image of God’s creation, more apathetic, and filled with a hatred for righteousness. However, despite the inhumanity of these actions that have resulted in Alfie's murder, salvation is still available to anyone, including these doctors and judges. However, that salvation is still available for all leads to a warning of what will happen to anyone who dies in an unrepentant state before God. The consequences that sin leads to in this mortal life are infinitely small to God's eternal judgement. Judgement at the Great White Throne Judgment is a terrifying thing. It brings finality, no appeal and gives a perspective on God that I do not think we clearly understand in this life. This is what they will be subject to if there is no repentance leading to salvation. In closing God's Word gives us clarity as the final arbiter and determinant on the eternal destiny of all. Please repent, believe in Jesus Christ today, and live by His grace because you do not know when your life is over.
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds towards each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:3 – 10)
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue and people – saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” And a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast or his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14: 6 – 11)
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 11 – 15)