God Versus Evil: December 1

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 
John 3:16 (ESV)

 We are all sinners. None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 ESV). We know from Scripture that there will come the time when God will destroy evil forever, and yet, even as God carries out these final judgments, we see man still shaking his unrepentant fist at God. How does God, whom the Bible tells us is the Father of Light, and in whom there is no darkness at all, deal with sin if He is so good?

 We know the answer because we hear it at every worship service and recite its truth regularly. Our good God dealt with our evil sins by assigning them to someone else. By sending His only Son out of Heaven, God found the place to put our sin. Jesus submitted to the will of His Father, all the time knowing that humanity would reject, humiliate, torture, and finally kill Him.

 This was God’s plan, even before He created the world. God gave us His Son to die for us, laying our sins upon Jesus, sacrificing His Son so that we could live. We know that God now looks at us through Jesus. Instead of seeing us as we are, sinful and unworthy of His love, He sees us as his forgiven children.

That is why we celebrate Advent. It is a time to remember that God, from the beginning of time, had it on His heart to save you, at the cost of His One and Only Son, Jesus, your Savior.

 Jesus, thank you for coming for us to give us eternal life and the ability to share it with our Native brothers and sisters. Thank you, also, for the promise of Your return, Amen.

Mary Johnson, Hudson, Wisconsin