At that time, some people came and reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And He responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!
Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!” - Luke 13:1-5
When death comes from the hands of evil men or inexplicable events, we rightly grieve deeply for those killed as well as those left behind. For ourselves, who among us does not try to make sense of it all; while considering our own last day as well as the end for those we love?
In mercy, Jesus speaks here to the survivors and witnesses of these two shocking types of deaths in stark and plain terms. He does not mince words, have them ponder for another day the mystery of ‘why’ to be revealed in time, or give us riddles on life or spiritual gibberish about a better place for all whose time had come in these events.
Enough denial, enough fairly-tales. These matters of life and death and what is to come demand the truth! God has not given us confusing nuance, played any games, or left us with feel-good inventions of man that would feed us more sweet-tasting lies today that would leave us in Hell’s bitterness and the darkness tomorrow and for all eternity.
Jesus calls us to either choose to believe in Him, His words, and His commands by coming in faith to Him as Lord and as Savior. In Him, we are made anew, born-again with our sins paid for by His suffering for you and I on the cross that we might live this life in glory to Him, to our joy, and to the good of our neighbor and to be received on that final day into the House of the Lord forever.
Or, we choose to hold His work and His sacrifice in contempt. We dismiss Him and deny Him despite HIs mercy and provision of life and breath in our lungs to us day after day as He patiently awaits our decision at a deeper cost to Him as our sins add up day after day. On their last day, some will dismiss Him with a sneer and a curse, some will deny Him with a shrug and a yawn.
This devotion writer makes this plea to those today who are not sure of where they stand with God. The plea today is to read the Holy Scriptures and choose. Don’t believe what anyone else says they say. Read them with your own eyes asking and praying only this: That God to show you the truth.
The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. - Romans 10:8
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