Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - ALWAYS THE SAME BUT OFTEN DIFFERENT PART 3

 ALWAYS THE SAME BUT OFTEN DIFFERENT

PART 3

It’s been stated that God does not change (Malachi 3:6) and that: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  He does, however, use different ways to both bless us and to have us work with Him. In spite of the fact that we have rejected the covenants made with us (which were really for our benefit) and disobeyed the Laws set up for us (which were really for our good), He has continued to, in many ways, defer to us and seek our relationship with Him. In many respects, He has made it easy for us to reconcile with Him.

Perhaps that’s part of the problem; it just seems too easy. There’s no pressure; no evident demands for such a renewal of the relationship. God does not, nor should people, try to force compliance with His ways. It remains entirely with us. As the Bible states: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). Even though He demonstrates many varied ways and means by which He desires this reconciliation, He will not force it on anyone. We have to open the door for Him, He will not do it otherwise. In the meantime, He continues to respond to our prayers, to give us His word and His Message.

In spite of the varied ways in which He tries to relate to us and convey His desires for us, there is only one way in which we can be truly reconciled to God. He is, after all, still basically the unchanging God and He has said that, after all has been said and done, there remains only one way back to Him. In Luke 16, the Bible relates the story of a man who had it made on earth and neglected God’s teaching as well as that of a man who had nothing. After their deaths, the first man, in torture now, wanted help from the second man, Lazarus, but was told that after death there was separation between those who followed God’s direction and those who did not. And when help could not be given the man of riches, he asked for Lazarus to be sent to his brothers, who were still living, and warn them as to what would be coming. Abraham said: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). 

The rich man further said:

"No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.

But Abraham said in return:

“If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead”

(Luke 16:30-31)

If God is truly unchanging, in spite of His various methods, then what was true then is equally true today. We still have His Word and the reports of Moses and the prophets. Additionally, we have the evidence that: “…since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” (Romans 1:20).

The eternal Godhead and the unchanging God who has given us so much evidence; but yet we still don’t accept what we can see much less read in His word or listen to from past leaders and/or the prophets. Abraham was right in his belief that we, in most cases, are not persuaded by the one who has risen from the dead. That gulf between Lazarus and the rich man still exists. How many of us will find ourselves on the wrong side of the chasm?

It is truly something to think about.