Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”** Matthew 11:20-24 (NIV)**
Jesus desires for His children to walk in a manner worthy of the great Gospel we profess and to do so with a conscience earnestness of heart. Jude tells us in Jude 1:20-25 (NIV): But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
If anything is excellent of praiseworthy we are called to embrace it, to think on it, Amen? And if anything is dubious and doubtful we are called to flee from it as we would a serpent. We can be far too easily ensnared. We are told by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV): “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”
Remember as well, our Savior was arrested and crucified in apparent weakness and yet all things are in His Hands even the destines of those who crucified Him. Our Lord redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us. Christ delivered us from our penalties of death. It is He Who gives believers life anew in Him making us a child of the King. He took upon Him the penalty of all the guilty lawbreakers – the curse of the law being transferred from sinners (which all of us are) to Christ. Paul pens in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) these amazing words: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We cannot know God apart from the Son, He and He alone gives believers life anew. He gives us His own life thereby making us a child of the King. Our hope is not in man rather in Christ Who redeemed us from the curse of the Law. He is our Blessed assurance.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:20-25 (NIV)