WICKEDNESS HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES

© 2020 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” (Acts 2:22-23)

Here we discover that Man is responsible for his own wickedness.  When they conspired together to crucify Christ, they were acting wickedly.  What does this mean?  It means they were doing something wrong.  They were violating the principles of Truth.

This introduces an interesting question which Pilate asked at the trial of Jesus Christ.  Jesus had just declared that He was speaking the truth to Pilate.  He had further declared that those who were of the truth would pay attention to the truth He was speaking.  Pilate’s response was classic!  He said:

“…What is truth?” … . (John 18:38)

For millennia, men have discussed this question.  Some say there is no absolute truth.  To them I ask, “is that statement absolute truth?”  Hmmm!  The argument that no absolute truth exists always leads to a logical inconsistency.

The fact of the matter is that God, creator of all, has established absolute truth.  God the Son, Jesus Christ said,

“… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

God, as creator of all, has authority over all.  What He says is true, is true!  What He says is right, is right!  What He says is wicked, is wicked!  Because God has all authority, He, alone, has the right to tell man what is right and what is wicked.  With this same absolute authority, He has the right to allow men to choose according to their fallen natures.  He also has the right to choose to rescue some from those fallen natures.  Yet in all of this, if men perform actions contrary to God’s command to do right, God has absolute authority to declare them wicked.  They voluntarily choose their wicked actions!  Because of this same authority, God also has the right to use their wickedness to fulfill His own eternal purposes.  Thus, there is no inconsistency between God’s absolute authority and man’s responsibility for choosing wickedness.  When man chooses wickedness, he does so voluntarily.  He must therefore accept God’s consequences for those wicked choices.

Jesus said,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

If you don’t come, that is your choice – but – you are responsible for the consequences.

“For the wages of sin is death; … .” (Romans 6:23)

 

See God’s Unbreakable Chain of Election for other articles on this subject

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