Richard Phillips, the courageous captain who gave himself up in place of his beloved crew, had been held captive for a number of days by pirates. There were negotiations to find some sort of settlement, but the rebels (who had been kindly given food and water) refused. In came the snipers, took them out, and there was great rejoicing throughout the world that justice had been done. As one anchor-person put it, "There was good news for the good guys."
This happened on Resurrection Sunday, 2009. The good news of the captain coming back from what many were concluding was looking like his certain death, didn’t overshadow the good news of the One the Bible calls the Captain of our Salvation coming back from the dead. He gave His life for those He loved 2,000 years ago, and then rose from the dead three days later.
At the moment, negotiations are going on between this sinful world and God, through the gospel's offer of complete amnesty. Meanwhile, God kindly lets the rain fall on the just and the unjust, but the time will come when the Ten Cannons of God’s Law will be let loose on those who remain in rebellion (see 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10). Sinners will get exactly what’s due to them. This is good news for those who love justice, and very bad news for those who are in their sins on that Day.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Good news!
