“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:5 (Read verses 1-9)

Why would God permit such a terrible thing as the super typhoon which struck the Philippines and took so many lives? Were the people there worse sinners than others? And what of other disasters and deaths which fill the news locally and abroad?

In Luke 13:1ff., Jesus was told of certain Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifi ces.

Jesus asked, “Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Applying Jesus’ words to those who die in accidents or natural disasters, were these people worse sinners than others (including us) who did not suffer such tragedy?

Jesus said, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

In 2 Peter 3, the Bible speaks of God’s fi nal judgment upon this earth, and we learn why it has not yet occurred. Verse 9 says: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” The recent events in our world could have just as well struck right here, at home. Stop and think about the possibilities.

Why hasn’t such a tragedy struck us? Why hasn’t God permitted death to come suddenly upon us? His answer: He “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Perhaps - no, most definitely - we ought to use the remaining time God has given us in this world to consider what He has told us in the Bible, repent of the evil in our lives and seek the forgiveness God offers us through the death and resurrection of His Son! God is patient with us and desires that we turn to Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for forgiveness and new life in Him. He is patient, but one day that patience will run out.

O dearest Jesus, forgive my foolishness and sin for the sake of Your holy and precious blood shed upon the cross for the remission of my sins and the sins of all. Amen.

News, Pages 2 on 11/13/2013