Is There Right and Wrong?
Is there right and wrong? Do you know what’s right? Do you know what’s wrong? Are you sure? If you say that there is no right or wrong, wouldn’t you agree that it would be wrong if someone robbed you right now? Wouldn’t you agree that it would be wrong if someone beat you up? What if a drunk driver killed your loved one tonight, wouldn’t you know that was wrong? Wouldn’t you admit that the driver should be punished?
That ex-swimmer for Stanford raped an unconscious student. It was a horrible crime. You and I know that raping someone is wrong. Raping an unconscious person is even more wrong. But the wrong in this story continues because the rapist only received 6 months in jail for raping an unconscious woman. That is horribly wrong. That is an outrage. It makes me angry. Why? Because that young man is guilty, yet he received a slap on the wrist. That poor woman was ruthlessly taken advantage of, but yet he only received 6 months. That was wrong! I know it was wrong and you know it was wrong.
Why? Because we know right from wrong. God created us this way. He created us in His image. We are not animals that evolved over millions and millions of years. We were created by God and we’ve been on this earth around 6,000 years. Don’t believe the lie tonight – evolution is a lie. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1). We are created beings and God has given us a conscience. Now some people’s consciences are seared over, but we all have a conscience.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
God’s Law
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (Hebrews 10:1-16).
God has written His law on our hearts. You know right from wrong because God made you that way. You can stand there all night long and claim that everything is relative, but you know that’s not true. You know it was wrong for that swimmer to rape an unconscious girl. You know that it was wrong for that wicked judge to just sentence the guilty student to 6 months in jail. You know that was wrong.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel (Romans 2:1-16).
Again , God has written His law on your heart and He’s given you a conscience. Your God-given conscience either accuses you or excuses you. Which is it tonight? Are you a guilty sinner with the wrath of God abiding upon you? Are you a God-mocker and a God-scoffer? Are you storing up more wrath against yourself on the day of wrath? Are you contentious with God? Are you disobedient to God?
If so, then you have tribulation and wrath waiting for you. God is the righteous Judge. He will punish all unrepentant sinners. Is this you tonight? Are you foolishly barreling down the broad road to destruction? Are you living your life for the pleasures of the flesh? Are you serving Satan tonight? Are you bound to the devil?
Are you lost and on the road to Hell or are you saved and on the road to Heaven? If you say you don’t know, then you are still lost and under God’s condemnation and wrath over your sins. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (1 John 5:12). Jesus is either your Lord and Savior and you have life, eternal life or He is your Judge and you are still a guilty sinner who has not bowed the knee and confessed with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. If you have not been born-again, then you do not have life. You are working for physical death and eternally spiritual death.
No Longer The Same
When you confess and forsake your sins, when you repent and put your trust in Jesus, then you are no longer the same. You are no longer under God’s condemnation . You are washed, you are cleansed, you are sanctified by the shed blood of Jesus and God no longer holds your sins against you. This doesn’t give you a license to sin. You can’t claim Christ and continue living for the devil and make it to Heaven. No, a saved life is a changed life.
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised (Romans 10:17-23).
God will remember your sins no more. You will become a new creature in Christ. Jesus will be your high priest. He will be your Advocate instead of your Judge. When Jesus truly saves you, He changes you. He changes your heart and your desires. You can know that you know that you are saved. You can stand firm in your faith. You can stand firm on the solid Rock – on Jesus Christ because He is faithful and just.
Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. You know right from wrong. You know that you have broken the 10 Commandments. You know that you deserve the eternal flames of Hell. But you can be saved tonight. You can become a new person, right now, right here on the square in downtown Springfield. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Believe in the risen Lord.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:14-15). Come to Jesus tonight. Come to Him humbly, confessing and forsaking your sins. Believe in the Lord Jesus; He will in no wise cast you out. In other words, He won’t push you away. Repent and surrender your life to Jesus. Do this tonight and be saved. Be ye saved.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, Mo on June 10, 2016)