Honeybee (a Christian) said, "They are very brave about mocking Him while all is well with them. I doubt that they will find it so easy to mock Him as they lay on their death beds." Noble (an Atheist) replied, "Nobody's mocking non-existent Jesus! We're mocking you!"
Let’s get one thing very clear. Noble doesn’t even know this Christian to whom he is addressing himself. He is not mocking Honeybee at all, but what Honeybee believes. He is contemptuous of her because she is a believer in Jesus. A criminal may show disdain for a police officer, but his disdain isn’t for the individual but for that for which he stands. He hates the law and he therefore despises anyone who represents that law.
Look at what Jesus said about His followers and the world's scorn: "He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me; and he that despises me despises Him that sent me" (Luke 10:16).
So what’s at the root of the world's mockery? Romans 8:7 tells us (here is the old King James Version): "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
Here now is the Amplified Version (which brings out the meaning of the original Greek in which it was written): "[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot."
So the root cause of the atheist’s contempt for the Christian is exactly the same as the criminal’s contempt for the police officer. He rebels against God's Law. Yet he must face that wrath-filled Law on the Day of Judgment. What a terrifying Day that will be...when the long arm of that holy Law reaches right into his sinful heart: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation...? (Hebrews 2:3).
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Why the Contempt?
