Day 3015 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Proverbs 1:32 NIV

This cuteness being shown toward complacency is earning nothing for humanity aside from a sort of recompense that we cannot possibly satisfy.

What's strange is that we're not asked to satisfy it in the general understanding. We've been graciously gifted an opportunity to have our debts absolved by the blood of another. Yet, for some reason, of which I think we all likely know without divulging too extensively, most aren't interested in that gift. It's likely because, as we've talked about lately, this gift carries with it the expectation of a particular response.

And seeing as how that response is expected to be a clear combination of humility and repentance which inspire change, it's fairly easy to see why much of society remains disinterested in accepting His mercy or disingenuous as to their claims of having chosen to accept it.

But still, as yet another topic it seems we've discussed in recent days, our ability to ignore, deny, debate the need for something or to assume another, in this instance God, will agree to our display of ignorance in this specific matter does not achieve that selfishly foolish victory we hope it to bring. Instead, as I said up top, it's only setting our souls upon a trajectory for a violent crash into a wall of truth and morality and the reality that contains both from which we'll not be able to walk away.

No, those who arrogantly opt for that opportunity will find themselves cast from His presences, no effort or movement required on their part.

This is the clear promise, some may say warning, that is found in Scripture. God is in no way pleased with our fallen condition nor our choices given unto either embracing it or even going so far as to seek ways in which to further it. That's what we discussed yesterday. It's no longer enough for folks to enjoy their dirty deeds done alone in the dark of their depraved minds and destroyed lives. No, now they demand that all around them join in their wicked games. And sin is flourishing in ways not seen before as a result.

But what's to be made of this clear influx and indoctrination of all things morally reprehensible? Well, that, like many topics, just so happens to be covered clearly in Scripture. The making of this filth is making it certain that God is not welcome in the lives or minds or goings on carried out by the simple and complacent who clearly refuse to move from their current calamities as they see no reason to stifle their selfish indulgence in all manner of abomination that they've long saw fit to enjoy.

In short, the simple and complacent are provoking God to show Himself, and because His kindness has saw fit thus far to relent, those doing such monstrosities are basking in the assumption that there's no consequence.

Guess it's easy to assume an unchanging of the status quo when one is entirely lost in a life of endless delusion.

The fact is that there's a day coming when God will have had His fill of this world's filth. And because we know not the day nor the hour upon which Christ will finalize forever the victory over sin and wickedness, many have chosen to assume either its delay or its nonexistence. Thus they're living it up as if nothing is going to change simply because they've not witnessed change so far nor felt the dire need to do so as of yet.

Humanity still keeps ticking like the time-bomb it is under the naive assumption that if God is there, He's weak enough to adhere to our timing, our expectations, our selfish semblance of authority with absolutely no concern being given to the possibility of being proven wrong to the ring of a judgement that levies eternal misery unto those who refuse to back away from such arrogant assumptions. We think we're the ones in control and have the right to make all others agree.

And while the simple see no issue in that mindset or way of life, again, it doesn't mean we've truly the authority to sway the court of eternal truth. In fact, all of our attempts to forgo or ignore His divine decrees will be met with a kind of reckoning that we've all thought, or hoped, or assumed to be impossible. After all, there are even those among the faithful who struggle with how hell could exist if God is as loving and kind as He claims to be.

The issue in all of this is that it's not on us to understand Him, because attempting to do so would require we contain Him within the feeble thoughts our minds are capable of thinking. And friends, contrary to our often lofty opinions of ourselves, we can't come close to containing Him. And that right there spells the ultimate danger faced in a life spent living as if He's either not there or entirely able to be swayed.

And it also points to the reason as to why hell is both very real and promised to be very full. Wide is the road. Hell exists because humanity chooses it through thinking that God’s not there, or that if He is, He’s not worth our consideration or humility. It’s not God’s choice. It’s not His wish that all would suffer. It’s not His hope that all will hold fast to their foolishness and wind up in misery neck deep. If this were the case, if God were nothing but wrath and vengeance, then it’s Christ who wouldn’t exist. It’s the cross which wouldn’t be possible. It’s the hope of having hope of more than we know we deserve that shouldn’t be available.

Hell exists because He gave us the freewill to choose when and where we seek our freedom. And sadly, as is more clearly obvious every single day, many are in fact choosing to play as if hell can’t exist, won’t exist rather than accepting the love of the One who came to kindly save us from the possibility that it really does exist and that our sins really do deserve our inhabitance of it for all of forever. Many are choosing their freedom now, and therefore choosing their chains later. So yes, hell is real, and He is serious when He says that many will stubbornly follow through the wide gate onto the wide road which leads them there.

But you’ll notice a semicolon stands at the end of this verse in Proverbs. A semicolon means there’s more to be said, more that needs to be addressed, more that the writer or speaker wishes someone to know. It’s a particular punctuation that seeks to keep the reader’s attention whilst retaining the importance of both statements being separated. The two statements are altogether united and unanimous, but it bears they must be apart for sake of displaying the difference held between.

More on that semicolon later.

We live in a place where things like truth and reality and even morality are all considered fluid. They're changed and changing on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. Society just keeps this firm grasp on this theory that we've the authority to write life as we see fit at any given moment. And so many are so set in those ways that they cannot see beyond the lies that they've constructed to uphold that desire to fulfill their desires. They've become too simple, too naive, too engrained within themselves that they cannot contemplate the very idea of a being higher than they.

And so sadly, they remain on course to meet face-to-face with said higher being when that day of His wrath unfolds as He's so clearly tried to make clear is impending.

My point is that a lot of people would just as soon die in their current state of affairs than actually accept the gift of salvation that brings with it the promise of eternal peace, all because accepting that gift demands change. And people just don't want to change. They don't want to stop having fun. They don’t want to realize that they’re sitting in prison cells of their own selfishness right next to doors which have been ripped off their hinges granting access to something so much better than what they’ve always thought was as good as it gets.

And that’s the problem! Society sells sin as being as good as it gets. It allows us to determine for ourselves the path that proceeds toward the fulfillment of as many selfish pleasures as possible. And so it’s no wonder that sin is so widely celebrated: it’s literally everything that anyone could ever want.

And society’s complacency within the seedy offerings of selfish indulgence, and the furthering of the lies which make it seem both harmless and necessary in order for happiness and fulfillment to ever be possible is causing many a soul to buy their own ticket to endless misery. Because sin is death, and just because the world thinks it’s the best way to live life doesn’t mean that the Giver of life agrees. We can be most certain that He does not because He sent His Son to show us what He thinks of our wayward wanderings. The cross shows what sin deserves. The cross shows what we deserve.

But arrogance refuses to agree. Arrogance refuses to consider that we might end up losing so badly. Arrogance doesn't want us to put down our weapons and admit defeat, because as of now, sin has many thinking they’re winning. At least on the surface.

And that's the stumbling that keeps so many tripping over themselves. Looks can truly be deceiving. And so many are falling so hard for this idea that society is winning simply because sin and self are reigning. They can't imagine such a radical shift as the chance of Truth coming back and hell's gates being flooded shortly thereafter. Because when you've been convinced that nothing you're doing is wrong, there's no reason to stop.

Problem is that there is reason to stop. There is warning against the many transgressions being done in this place. There is a message contending for the souls against the sin controlling them. There is a promise, and while that promise brings the opportunity of Heaven, it also brings the guarantee of misery for all who refuse that gift.

And nothing anyone does, says, tries, believes or tries to believe will change the fact that His Word will come to pass and the wide road that many refuse to turn away from following will lead them all the way to the fulfillment of His warnings.

He gave us His Word for a reason. He warned us what would happen for a reason. He asked us to humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wickedness and accept His Son and agree to His truth and embrace His mercy. But, He doesn't force us to do so. He allows that choice to remain our own so that we alone will bear the fullness of the prize or the price.

When it's all been made as clear as He's made it, going so far as to walk among us and die a death we could all see and feel and have the opportunity to share in ourselves, there's no excuse that will be enough to cover a clear refusal to move and change and repent. Nothing. Should anyone choose to remain in their sins, their death remains upon them as they've not accepted Christ's offer to take it from them upon Himself. And thus, sin is still death, and many will lose it all because they just won't see it.

He doesn't want that for any of us. That's why He sent Christ. It was to pull us back from the ledge we'd been racing toward. It was to save us, to heal us, to help us find home, a home filled with peace. It's obvious He prefers that all be saved and find themselves in Heaven forever. But it must come down to a personal choice. We chose to sin, we have to be the ones who choose to change.

Please take that opportunity. Please. The Bible is truth, His Word is truth, His promises are truth. They will all come to fruition. And that even means this one right here in Proverbs. If we keep following our wayward paths seeking our hearts many fallen desires, we'll be killed because those wayward desires only lead us away from life. And if we refuse to let loose our complacency and accept the chance to change, we will be destroyed because that's what happens to sin.

Sin is trampled under His feet, and friends, if we're still in our sins, trampled is where we too will be. It doesn't have to be that way, and it doesn't have to be hard. Turn. Repent. Seek Christ and let everything else go. Because there's only life in that choice. The other, the other option, the normal option, the comfortable option, it only brings death. And while that death may be off in the distance, it's coming closer.

Do something about it before it overtakes you with no time nor chance to change once it arrives.

Oh, and about that semicolon, “but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Death and destruction or safety and no fear of harm. Should be pretty easy to see the dire difference held between staying the same or accepting the gracious opportunity to be something entirely different.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold