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Hawaii Five-O was the longest-running crime-drama in television history. There were many reasons for its success, but among them was the fact that the "formula" used in the majority of episodes seemed to sit well with the viewing audience. In the end, some modicum of justice was always handed down to the perpetrators of crime in the Aloha State. This is of course no surprise to most television viewers. After all, how many people would want to consistently watch a program in which evil triumphed over good on a regular basis?
But why are we so concerned with "good" triumphing over "evil?" Author C.S. Lewis spent many years as an atheist wrestling with the issue of injustice. How could God exist when the world around him was so plainly unjust? It wasn't until some time later that Lewis finally began to ponder where his notion of justice had come from in the first place. "Man doesn't call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line," he wrote. "What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?" Indeed, it was God's standard of justice that gave Lewis his understanding of what injustice was.
The Bible teaches us that God is just, and does not tolerate sin.[1] So where does this leave us? The Bible makes it clear:
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)So what are the consequences for having "fallen short?"
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from the
punishment we deserve--eternal separation from God. Doing
good works, going to church, or being a good person is not
enough. God's standard is perfection, and to that we have all
fallen short.But the good news is that the same God of justice is also a God of love. Jesus said himself:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)The Bible teaches that the God who created us loved us so much that he provided a way for us to escape the judgment we deserve. God offers us salvation as a free gift. The Bible teaches that we accept His free gift by choosing to believe in his son, Jesus Christ.
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:17-18)Right here, right now, you can know that you have eternal life.
God loves you and offers to forgive you of your sins--but you must make the decision to accept His free gift. Don't wait any longer--you may have less time than you think to make a decision.
"I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)Prayer is a way of talking to God. There is no prayer that can save you--only God can. Words are meaningless if they do not reflect the intent of your heart. Simply tell God that you understand your need for forgiveness from sin and want to accept His free gift of salvation. Tell Him you believe in Jesus and His death on the cross for your sins. Trust in Christ alone for your salvation.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
For more information, visit the following sites: [1] A few examples include: Genesis 6:5-7; Deuteronomy 25:16; Psalm 5:4-6; Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 6:16-19, 11:20-21, 15:9, 15:26, Habakkuk 1:13.
Copyright © 1998-2000 Tim A. Krell. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.