OK, IT's TIME FOR A "PERSONAL" CHECKUP FOR EVERYONE

Have you ever been in a situation where everyone is calling everyone something, accusing them of something wrong?  Of course you have.  One example is when political candidates run for elected office, and it is especially severe like never before with the 2016 Elections.  Well, I believe we need to put something into a new perspective, instead of everyone saying everyone else is guilty of something.  Let's talk about who is really guilty of committing offenses.  To do that, let's take a look at everyone, all of us, to see how we all stack up as to what is right and wrong, who commits what, who is deserving of punishment, then who receives punishment.

Let's start this discussion with some common ground, then we will go to what's different with people.

Ya know, we are an absolute mess.  Yes, we are.  How can I say that?   We can each take a look at all the bad things we have done in our lives.  Take a moment to recall the worst things you have done ( pause and think, remember ). Now remember, we committed those acts and we were guilty of committing those acts.  Were we found out, or did it go unnoticed?  If found out, whether caught in the act or caught later, did we admit that we did wrong?  Were we sorrowful for what we did?  Did we deny what we did?  Were we reprimanded or punished for what we did?  Did we apologize to those we did the wrong to?  Those are probably some challenging questions for all of us to answer honestly.  Adding to those questions, do we consider ourselves "good people" in spite of what we do?  Did we say, "Oh, that's not so bad. I am good at heart, most of the time"?  Let's look at something from the Bible to see how good we really are?

In the Book of Jeremiah, we are told this truth:

Jeremiah 17:9:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:  who can know it?"

Take careful note of these words, "The heart is", "deceitful above all things", "desperately wicked", "who can know it".  Do you believe that every person's heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and no person can know one's heart, not his own nor someone else's.  Well, if you believe and understand some of the Word of God in the Bible, you may agree with that statement.  I believe it because God has given us His Word and God does not lie.

So, who is that verse talking about?  It's talking about EVERY HUMAN BEING, EACH OF OUR SOULS, EACH OF OUR HEARTS, for each and everyone of us.  However, don't we think we are so much better than other people, saying, "I don't do what they do"?  We likely do say that, to ourselves mostly.  But we are not better than anyone else.  Why?  Because, for the fleshly condition that we were born into in this world, the heart of our being is "deceitful" and "desperately wicked".  We like to believe we are naturally good at heart, but we are not.  We are naturally "deceitful" and "desperately wicked".  Now, you don't think of yourself that way, do you?  Probably not, but, it is true. It is true of all of us.  Even though it may not always appear so on the surface, we are all capable of doing some very bad things..  

If we have established a sound basis for our discussion, let's move to discovering the remedy to fixing our condition of being "deceitful" and "desperately wicked".  When we are born, we all start at this same condition. The challenge is, how do we overcome that condition and become the right person we should be and need to be?  There is a "cure".

THE CURE for THE CONDITION OF OUR HEARTS

FIRST, VISUALIZE THIS:

Three (3) men, each one convicted of crimes.  Each hung on his own cross to die.  There were 2 men who were guilty and convicted thieves.  There was 1 man who was falsely accused and innocent.  There was 1 guilty man on the left and 1 guilty man on the right of the 1 innocent man in the middle between the 2 convicted thieves.  The 2 thieves were being punished for the wrongful actions they illegally committed.  The 2 men are guilty as thieves. The 1 man in the middle is being punished, but he is not guilty of anything.  The 1 man in the middle is being wrongfully punished for things he did not do, things for which he was falsely accused but convicted.  The 1 man in the middle hung on the cross to die even though he was innocent.  The 1 man on the left and the 1 man on the right hung on their crosses to die because they were guilty of being thieves.

As they hung on their crosses, the 1 guilty and convicted man blasphemed the 1 innocent man in the middle, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”  The other guilty and convicted man answered and rebuked the blasphemer, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  We justly receive our punishment for our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”  That same guilty and convicted man said to the 1 man in the middle, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  The 1 innocent man in the middle said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

In that scene, we have 2 guilty men representing all men and women . . . . all humankind.  Both men are guilty and being punished for their crimes.  But, there is a difference between them.  The 1 guilty and convicted man mocked the 1 innocent man in the middle saying, "If you are . . . . . then save yourself and us."  There was no remorse in this 1 guilty and convicted man's heart.  None. The other 1 guilty and convicted man recognized his pitiful condition and his wrong doing and his just punishment.  In his recognition, he was remorseful and asked the 1 innocent man in the middle to remember him when He enters His Kingdom. The 1 innocent man in the middle said to the remorseful 1 guilty and convicted man next to Him and said, "TODAY, YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE".

SECOND, VISUALIZE THIS: 

Visualize the 1 remorseful man being covered with a blanket that flows from above.  It is a blanket of forgiveness because of his true remorse for his sinful actions.  It is a blanket that blotted out his own "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition.  Visualize the blanket as a red blanket floating down over the remorseful man, bringing warmth and comfort and peace.

Visualize the 1 un-remorseful man left hanging on his cross with no covering of any kind.  He is angry and distraught and cold.  He is left to die in his own "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition, his condition remaining on him relentlessly.

SO, WHAT's THE DIFFERENCE?  

The 2 guilty and convicted men both have "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" conditions. 

• The 1 remorseful man, though he continues in his punishment, is set free from his "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition and he gains Paradise after his punishment is complete. 
• The 1 un-remorseful man remains in his condition and continues in his punishment and never gains Paradise. Thus, we have 2 men who were capable of doing wrong.  
• The 1 un-remorseful man lives without restraint of his criminal actions and receives the full punishment for his criminal actions. 
• The 1 remorseful man lives with the ability to restrain himself from his criminal actions, fully receives the punishment of his criminal actions, but he is free to enter a Paradise.  
• The 1 innocent man in the middle provides to the 1 remorseful man the red blanket of forgiveness, warmth, love, and strength to allow the once guilty man to enter Paradise.

THE RED BLANKET - WHAT IS IT?  

The red blanket is the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the Cross from the 1 innocent man in the middle.  The red blanket removes the "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition of the 1 remorseful man.  The 1 un-remorseful man has no blanket to remove his "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition or to cover him with forgiveness, warmth, love, and strength.  He is left in his un-remorseful condition which is "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" while his sentence continues.  He will never see Paradise.

PONDER THIS: 

Only moments before the physical death of the 1 innocent man in the middle, the 1 forgiven man is promised a place in Paradise with the 1 innocent man in the middle.  At the hour in which the 1 innocent man in the middle died for ALL men, women, and children, this 1 forgiven man could have been the very 1st man to enter Paradise along with the 1 innocent man in the middle.

CONCLUSION:

All individuals are capable of sin. That's our natural condition that is upon us when we are born in the flesh. But the difference between being in Paradise and not being in Paradise is one's repentance, one's "change of heart and life", and one's heartfelt recognition of the 1 innocent man in the middle who can relieve us of our "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition and take us into Paradise.

So, when we look at someone else . . . . . . remember that we were born into a "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" condition, just as they were.  Remember that we are either on the 1 remorseful side or the other un-remorseful side of the 1 innocent man in the middle.  Then, ask yourself, "Which side am I on?"

James Eugene Barbush

2021 Blue Mountain Parkway

Harrisburg, PA  17112

JamesEBarbush@GMail.com

(717) 514-5549