Help for New Orleans Part II
One of the remaining issues now along the gulf coast in the wake of hurricane Katrina's devastation is what the final "body count" will be. By some estimates it will be as many as 10,000 dead. One of the questions frequently asked of someone who believes in God is, "Okay, so we ask God for help. Well, what about them. What about those who died. How come God didn't help them?"
The funny thing is that in all the media-generated discussion about whether God is responsible for this or for that or for none of it or for all of it, it is never brought up that Jesus addressed this exact question.
Look at the book of Luke, chapter 13. The account is not in any of the other gospels, it is only in Luke. Here some people ask Him, essentially, "Hey, Jesus, what's the deal with that tower that fell on a bunch of people killing them? And what about the people who were sacrificed for pagan rituals, what's the deal with that?" (In other words, "Why do terribly bad things happen to good, fine people?")
Read Jesus' response for yourself. Right there. Read it. Then you'll really know what the deal is. Paraphrased here for you, Jesus basically says that whether any of them was good or bad is beside the point. Oh, what is the point then? To Jesus, the point is
Are you, the one asking these questions, good or bad? And if you are bad, then you should probably think about being good. Because someday you're going to die, too. And where will you be then?
In fact, Jesus doesn't pull any punches. He says here--as He does in other places-- that no, you're not good. You really need something, ahem, Someone, to make you good. Indeed you're so bad you're dead already. So that stuff about falling towers and human sacrifices? Pointless really.
You're already dead.
So maybe you should think about being alive.
And the only way to be alive is with Him.
"I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, even though he dies, will live." That's from the book of John. Check that out too, while you're at it.
It can't get any more clear than that.
And it can't get any more urgent, because if you're asking that same question, He's talking to you.
For a bit more on why Jesus is the only way to life, click here.
The funny thing is that in all the media-generated discussion about whether God is responsible for this or for that or for none of it or for all of it, it is never brought up that Jesus addressed this exact question.
Look at the book of Luke, chapter 13. The account is not in any of the other gospels, it is only in Luke. Here some people ask Him, essentially, "Hey, Jesus, what's the deal with that tower that fell on a bunch of people killing them? And what about the people who were sacrificed for pagan rituals, what's the deal with that?" (In other words, "Why do terribly bad things happen to good, fine people?")
Read Jesus' response for yourself. Right there. Read it. Then you'll really know what the deal is. Paraphrased here for you, Jesus basically says that whether any of them was good or bad is beside the point. Oh, what is the point then? To Jesus, the point is
Are you, the one asking these questions, good or bad? And if you are bad, then you should probably think about being good. Because someday you're going to die, too. And where will you be then?
In fact, Jesus doesn't pull any punches. He says here--as He does in other places-- that no, you're not good. You really need something, ahem, Someone, to make you good. Indeed you're so bad you're dead already. So that stuff about falling towers and human sacrifices? Pointless really.
You're already dead.
So maybe you should think about being alive.
And the only way to be alive is with Him.
"I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, even though he dies, will live." That's from the book of John. Check that out too, while you're at it.
It can't get any more clear than that.
And it can't get any more urgent, because if you're asking that same question, He's talking to you.
For a bit more on why Jesus is the only way to life, click here.
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