Opportunity

Possibility: What if someone really, truly, had never heard? What if they were not privileged to read the book or hear from someone who had? What if it were actually the case for someone? What if it was you and I didn’t say something, anything? What would their liability be then? Or mine?

Paul addressed this concern when writing in Romans chapter one verse twenty: “so that you are without excuse”. Without proving a thesis here, what that says is that each one of us bears our own responsibility for our choices and eventually our destiny.

Responsibility: Since, I have, read the book and heard the story and know of the truth it proclaims then I might address this situation with you. And if I was able to contact you I could have a couple of choices.

First I could remain silent and hope as so many do that your ignorance would protect you. That would be one choice. Yet as we have heard many proclaiming their innocence replied to, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse”. Even so, it is possible the consequences could be mitigated but considering the consequences, that’s a pretty big risk.

Another option is that I could make sure that you had access to the book and read it for themselves. Although it does not relief my responsibility or assure you will receive the message, I could claim I satisfied the letter of the law.

Or I could tell you. Yes, you would have to be where you could hear from me and I would need to be prepared to address your concerns from a Biblical basis, but that is probably the most appropriate response. So just in case it happens, here is my short version of what you need to know to make the choice.

Causality: God Himself is referred to as the uncaused cause. Anything before Him has never existed. In the beginning of our existence as man knows it, the Lord Jesus created everything. He made light and air and the environment and placed all the plants, animals and eco systems in His creation. He made one man and one woman and put them in the garden which He called Eden with one rule. If they would obey Him they could live with Him forever. They broke the rule. The consequence for disobedience was a horrible separation from God forever, unless…

Acceptability: So He removed them from the garden and explained the “unless”. They knew they were wrong because they saw themselves as naked. They had not realized that was an issue before they disobeyed. When God put them out of His garden He covered them with skins of animals so their nakedness would be covered. The animals did no wrong but had to die to provide their skins as coverings for the nakedness of the guilty ones. The animals had their blood spilled when they died for man’s disobedience. God made a rule for everyone that the only way to undo the effect, the consequences, of the disobedience was that innocent blood had to be shed.

Availability: The man and the woman had many children and many generations were born. God loved them. Each of them had this struggle with disobeying, God called it sin. Then in a time in accordance with His plan from the beginning, God said that since He made the rule and He was the only one not guilty of disobedience, He would shed His innocent blood to cover their sin. So He sent Himself that had always been alive. He became a man, actually a baby. He called this man who was also God, Jesus.

He allowed His creation to kill Him so His innocent blood would be shed to pay for their sin. The only way for them to be clean from their sin was to accept God’s blood was shed for them personally, then to ask God to forgive them and let His sacrifice pay the price for their sin. God said anyone who asked would be forgiven and could live with Him forever. The alternative was to be cast out of God’s favor and presence forever.

So that’s it. The book says you must believe that He did this for you. You need to ask Him to forgive you. He said He will. Then you must repent, or turn away, from your sin and turn toward God. He will even help you to live for Him from then on. But you must ask. You must believe.