Christ offers to RESTORE LIFE to the lifeless.
A young artist had toiled and struggled in his work upon a piece of statuary, until at last the block of marble which held his thoughts imprisoned had given way to the statue of an angel which appeared quite perfect to the beholder. The young artist wished the criticism of those of greater renown than himself, so he sent an invitation to Michelangelo.
The young artist had hidden himself behind a screen, and wanted to hear the criticism without being seen. When the Michelangelo came to look the work over he was heard to say to one of the young artist’s friends standing near: “It lacks one thing.” The poor artist was well nigh brokenhearted as he heard this criticism. He hurried away from his studio and refused either to eat or to sleep, and at last one of his friends made his way into Michelangelo’s presence to ask what it was that the statue lacked. “Man,” said Michelangelo, “it lacks only life. If it had only life, it would have been perfect as God Himself could have made it.”
This is the picture of the man who is without Christ. He has many things to commend himself to the world; his disposition may be good, and his character may be beautiful, but if he lacks eternal life, he lacks everything. –J. Wilbur Chapman
It’s scary how easily a blessing can become an idol, isn’t it? What could be greater, better, purer than the laws given by God himself? What could be better than devoting your time and energy to knowing and obeying God’s will?
But if you trust it to get you to heaven you might as well be bowing down to Buddha, because no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law according to Romans 3:20. In the same way, for instance education is a blessing, but education apart from Jesus is idolatry. It’s not just the education that takes place in Christian schools, Jewish synagogues, or Islamic mosques. Though they would like you to believe otherwise, government-run schools today are religious schools also, that are right now today indoctrinating children in the religion of secular humanism.
(Secular humanism teaches that there is no God, that evolution explains the origin of the world, that humans are all in all good, that we are accountable to no one, and there is no such thing as moral absolutes.)
And the scariest thing of all is that these idols don’t just lurk out there, they can lurk in our own parenting and teaching too. If we think our job is to raise children of good “character” then we have taught our children to trust the law for salvation. If by word or example we are teaching them that getting good grades so that you can get into a good college so you can get a good job and good money and good stuff is the source of happiness, then education has become god. If our children can recite the 10 commandments but haven’t a clue about justification, redemption, and forgiveness, then we have raised little Pharisees.
That’s exactly what the Pharisees in Jesus day refused to believe. They believed they were serving God by their sincere and devoted efforts to keep the law but they were really serving the devil. This is why Jesus condemned their educational efforts, by saying you diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40) He came to them to bring them forgiveness of sins and peace with God and they rejected him, despised him, assaulted him and crucified him. Apart from Jesus, everything we do is meaningless because apart from Jesus every path leads to eternal death.
Blessings to all!
Have a great Sunday!
Paul Anthony
