Lamentations 2:1-4:22
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, recounted the terrible situation in
Jerusalem after its fall to the Babylonians. The picture he painted was grim,
indeed. “In all the world,” he wrote, “there has never been such sorrow. I have
cried until the tears no longer come. My heart is broken, my spirit poured out,
as I see what has happened to my people” (2:11, 13).
How could this disaster have been avoided? Jeremiah answered,
“Jerusalem, your ‘prophets’ have said many foolish things, false to the core.
They did not try to hold you back from exile by pointing out your sins.
Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope. Instead, let us
test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the Lord. Let us
lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, ‘We have sinned and rebelled, and
You have not forgiven us’” (2:14; 3:40).
The repentance of sin would have prevented the judgment of God from
falling on His people; but, repentance of sin requires
acknowledgment of sin, which first requires exposure of sin. People will not repent
of their deeds if they do not know that they’re wrong. However, they will not
be convicted of their wrong if those deeds are not held up before their eyes as
wrong.
Herein lies the danger of the false prophet or false teacher. Tickling
people’s ears with flowery words and feel-good messages is catamount to
painting false pictures and planting false hopes. The
Gospel message, absent the reality of sin, is a false gospel! To promise eternal
salvation apart from genuine brokenness and repentance is to set them on the
ocean in a skiff made of paper. We must not be guilty of this!
A proper presentation of the Gospel must include exposure to sin.
Without one’s acknowledgment of sin, one has no need for the Savior.
If one does not first know that he is lost, then he will
not believe that he needs to be found. Therefore, when sharing the message of Christ
with others, we must not skip over the reality of their depravity, their
absolute inability to please a holy God in their fallen, corrupt, and wicked
nature.
Daily Reflection
What about our society is making it harder to expose the sins of our
nation?
What will be the result of silencing the truth about our sinful
nature?
Unfortunately, we are allergic to offending people in today’s society. We don’t want to
hurt anyone’s feelings. Is it better to spare one’s feelings or spare one’s
soul from eternal damnation? Offending the people of Judah with exposure to
their sin would have saved their nation; offending people today, with exposure
to their sin, opens their eyes to their need for Christ. The
preaching of sin must be a routine practice of a healthy, effective pulpit. Before people will
understand and accept the good news, they must first hear the bad news, that in their
sin, they cannot please a holy God.
Are you guilty of painting false pictures?
BiAY.org | Day 239 — 126 Days to Go
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