As God's Spokesman, my mission is to tell people of God's love and help them understand how to live in an intimate, joyful relationship with him. These words at the end of an article in Voice of the Martyrs by Tom White echoes in my heart:
"He (Jesus) whispers, "Open your mouth, they need me out there."
Yet, many who need Jesus get angry when told that they need him. Why? Why resist God's love as revealed in Jesus Christ?
Christians often cannot comprehend the hate and anger that comes from some unbelievers. We may think we are acting in love, just as Jesus would, but a person may lash out at us as if we were trying to hurt him.
The Bible records Jesus as saying this would happen: "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; ... because they do not know him who sent me," (John 15:20).
Jesus called Satan the Prince of this world, (see John 12:13, and my blog for more explanation.) Satan holds captive those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son, as Savior. Satan keeps their minds in the dark so they can't see the truth and may not know they are trapped.
Jesus is the Light who shines in the darkness to reveal the truth. (see John 1:1-8.) He was not a man who became God, but rather is the eternal Word of God who came down from Heaven and took on a human body. From then on, he is both true God and true man.
When we see that we are trapped, we can cry out to Jesus Christ to rescue us. John 1:12 says, "to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." The reason Jesus is able to do this is that he defeated Satan when he voluntarily gave his life as a ransom at the cross. Satan no longer has any legal right to keep us captive. All true believers in the resurrected Jesus Christ have become adopted by his Father, Almighty God!
That is why Satan and his followers hate Christians. He doesn't want to let us go free and be adopted by a loving heavenly Father. He wants to keep us in bondage, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But true followers of Jesus Christ know the truth of Jesus sets us free. Satan tries to keep people believing his lies, so he can keep them in bondage.
In the Old Testament of the Bible, Isaiah said, "But this is a people robbed and plundered, they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become a prey ...," (Is. 42:22 RSV).
When I think of people who react in anger to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I imagine this vignette:
"Look at my son! Look at my son!" the urgent voice pleads.
"Why should I look at your son?" yells the man in the pit, his eyes blazing and his fists clenched. " ... so I can see how shameful I am in comparison? ... so I can admire this pure, sinless specimen of humanity? You think you're so smart. All you care about is how great he is! You don't even care that I'm rotting down here!"
As he hears this, the Father's eyes brim with tears and his voice trembles as he replies, "No, you misunderstand. I want you to look at my son so you can see his nail-pierced hand is reaching out to rescue you from the pit. I want you to look at my son because I love you. He is your only hope!"
" ... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, (John 1:17b, RSV).
" ... then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free, (John 8:32).
