“I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.” – God
(Psalm 75:2 NIV)
The other day I was reading a small piece of the beginning of Dante’s Inferno. If you are familiar with the story, you know that it is an allegory that depicts different layers of hell and what kinds of sins (and, therefore, sinners) are in each layer. At the deepest part of hell – absolutely farthest away from the warmth, light, and life of God – are the enemy of our souls, who had Judas Iscariot and the two traitors of Julius Caesar caught in his three mouths as punishment for their treachery.
Dante was an Italian who wrote Inferno around the year 1300. Most of the people he named in this allegory were figures in ancient Greco-Roman culture and politicians of his time. I was thinking tonight about who I would name as bad enough – treacherous enough – to merit being eternally punished by being forever gnawed in our enemy’s teeth. In the past 700 years or so there are many contenders for these positions. Some even exist today and I could make a list……..
And then I had to stop.
God’s word has a way of doing that to me.
I was in a Bible study on Ephesians 3:1-13, and somewhere in the midst of discussing the Apostle Paul we came back to the reality that God radically saved Saul. Saul had been the strongest of Pharisees and the worst enemies of Christians. God radically changed his heart. God’s grace radically turned Saul into Paul. Paul became one of the most important early apostles, charged to go tell the Gentiles (the non-Jews) the Good News of Jesus Christ. This radical transformation was all because of God’s grace. Nothing Paul did; only God could have so radically changed his life.
Matthew Henry’s commentary on this passage says, “Let us learn hence not to despair of the worst, of the worst of persons, and the worst of nations. Nothing is too hard for divine grace to do: none so unworthy but God may please to confer great grace upon them.” *
Who is the “worst of persons” to you right now?
Is it possible to truly believe that they could be redeemed? To believe that nothing is too hard for God’s divine, revolutionary grace? To believe that God’s radical love extends to them, too?
Paul writes, “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery.” (Ephesians 3:8-9 NIV)
No matter how “least” – or how “worst” – any of us are, God’s grace is still offered to us. All we have to do is say “yes” to this invitation. Even a Stalin or Hitler – or Xi or Putin, or…. – could be radically saved by God’s grace if only they would accept it. Nothing is too hard for divine grace to do. No one is so unworthy that God can’t decide to confer great grace upon them. Not Stalin or Hitler or you or me….
It’s God’s to judge, and God’s grace to give. All we do is accept the gift.
God Most High,
Thank you that your thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Thank you that you know the end from the beginning and your purposes, truth, and justice are always righteous and holy and perfect. Thank you that you extend grace, love, and mercy to all and you will judge the wicked in this world. Thank you that you save the upright in heart and choose the appointed time to judge with equity. Help us to trust you and your perfect timing, especially when we see so much rampant wickedness in the world. Give us eyes to see the beauty, blessing, courage, and gift in each other. We pray that out of your glorious riches you will strengthen us with power through your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. May we grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to you who are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to you power that is at work within us, be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
““For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Psalm 55:8-9 NIV)
“My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.” (Psalm 7:10 NIV)
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” (Isaiah 46:10 NIV)
“You say, “I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak so defiantly.’” (Psalm 75:2-5 NIV)
“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. ” (Ephesians 3:7-9 NIV)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV)
*https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary/matthew-henry-complete/ephesians/3