Warning labels exist to tell us that danger is ahead. They tell us to think about what we are doing in that moment and that a wrong decision could cost us dearly.
I heeded the warning not to take pain killers before driving after I’d had my knee surgery. I’m sure many of you have behaved similarly. The warning label made it abundantly clear to us that this was not a safe choice and so I heeded the label.
I am careful when I see the wet floor warning.
I take a “No Trespassing” sign as a warning that if I walk onto this land I may be in trouble.
I take these warnings seriously.
The Coronavirus is here in the United States. It has already wrecked havoc upon the world. The horrors in Italian hospitals are terrifying to consider. And the same thing is beginning to happen in other countries as this thing spreads. And we have been hearing the warnings for weeks now.
The warnings seem to come from everywhere, and they are a tremendous help. Wash your hands, be clean, avoid people, or the whole country could be thrown into mass panic, horrible chaos, and many people could die. These are good warnings that if heeded could possibly stem the tide of this virus and avoid some of the horror that is going on in the rest of the world.
But there is another warning that we should see in the Coronavirus and it is an eternal warning.
There’s a Warning in Every Tragedy
One day Pilate went into a place of worship with military and killed people who were offering sacrifices. He decided that killing them was not enough. He wanted to mock God and mock the people he’d just slaughtered, so he mingled their blood with the blood of the sacrifices they’d been offering. This is a horribly ugly picture. These people were worshiping God and this Roman authority waltzes in, slays some of God’s people and mocks them as well. Some people wanted to know what was going on and decided to ask Jesus.
Jesus’s answer was incredible. It was a warning.
“Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all of other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3 NASB)
Were those who died at the hands of Pilate worse sinners than the people asking the question? The obvious answer to the question is “No”. And Jesus goes on simply to say, but you do need to do something. You need to repent. And Jesus didn’t stop here. He wanted to really drive the point home.
He decided to talk about another tragedy that happened. Apparently a tower fell and killed 18 people. Think of how random an event this must have been. A tower fell and landed on 18 people and killed them. And look at what Jesus says.
“Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:4-5 NASB)
Again he asks the question. “Do you think you are less of a sinner than those that the tower fell on?” And again, the obvious answer to the question is “No.” Then Jesus tells them they must repent or they will also perish. What on Earth is going on here?
So, What’s the Point?
Jesus pointed out to the people their own inherent sinfulness. They, like everyone else has “sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) They deserved to die just as much as those slain by Pilate or those that the tower had fallen on. They, like us, were all sinners who were in rebellion against God. And the warning here is abundantly clear. We are all going to die and we all deserve the punishment that is due us.
We are all going to die someday. The Coronavirus may pass over you, but something else will take you. And you’d better be ready to meet your Maker when that day comes. As Jesus puts it here, “repent”.
What Would You Do?
In my best John Quinones voice I am asking a “what would you do?” question.
What would your response be if tomorrow you stood before God and He said to you, “Why should I let you into my Heaven?” What would your answer be?
Would you assert that your better than most people and should be let in? Here’s the problem, you “fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 NASB) You don’t meet His righteous standard.
Would you plead that you’ve done a lot of good works in your life and should be let in? The Pharisees did the same and Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27 NASB)
Would you plead that your ties with religious family will get you in? I’ve never read of a secondhand believer in Christ.
I’ll tell you where my confidence is. It is in Christ. I was born a rebel against God, the same as you. We didn’t just barely miss the mark of making it into Heaven, we transgressed the holy law of God Almighty. We earned the punishment of God’s holy wrath. This would be the end of the story if not for Christ. He came and lived a perfect life, paid the full punishment for the sins of all who would believe, and rose from the grave. He lived a perfect life for me, died a sacrificial death for me, and rose from the grave for my justification.
Have you trusted Christ? Have you turned from ruling your own life or trusting in your own self for a right standing with God? That is what repentance is. If you do not repent then you will perish.
Don’t lose sight of the warning. For, unless you repent you will likewise perish!
R. Dwain Minor
Leave a Reply