By Doug Cox

My singed eyelashes and hair were proof that I was too slow to escape the flash bang that happened when I was young and made the mistake of turning the gas on before lighting a match to an old heater in our garage. My dad had given clear instructions on the order of things, but obviously I wasn’t paying attention, so I suppose I deserved the ribbing I took for being the boy with the missing eyelashes. This event is funny to think back on, but now in perspective, it reminds me that there is no escaping the consequential wrath of certain mistakes.

In Romans 1:6 the apostle Paul declares the value of the gospel of Christ saying, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (NKJV) If you know anything about Paul you know he turned from trying to establish his righteousness before God through the law and works to being saved by grace through faith in Christ alone.

He made that clear to the church at Ephesus. Talking about salvation Paul said, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” And “… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9 NKJV)

Many people don’t think much about what the Bible teaches about the coming judgment for their sin. They reason that their good will outweigh their bad. If that were true, then why did Jesus go to the cross? The reality is found in Hebrews 9:27 which says “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” The preceding verse tells us the reason Jesus came was “to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” So, part of every person’s judgement will be, did they receive the eternal life that Jesus offers.

To sin means to miss the mark and fall short of God’s standard. A sobering verse in Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Another says, “For the wages of sin is death…”. These truths are hard to hear but also a must for those who want to escape the wrath of the coming judgment. Thankfully there is an answer for sin. The rest of the verse reveals it saying “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (6:23 NKJV)

The point I am trying to make is that we are all sinners who can’t escape the consequences of sin on our own. That’s why we all need Jesus. John chapter 8 starts with Jesus being forced by some Pharisees to judge a woman taken in adultery. They said the law says to stone her, what do you say? He responded saying, “you who are without sin cast the first stone.” They all walked away condemned by their own conscience, and Jesus the sinless One said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation and must be received. I encourage you to read John 3:16-17 and Romans10:11-13. Let Jesus save you from the flash bang that sin demands without His mercy.