Confessions of a Church: Hell Will Not Prevail

The Psalm writer wrote:  Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received.   This is the word of God.  It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  

Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. 13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. 14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. 16 When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.

This is the Word of the Lord.

"Why do the good die young?"

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

We've all heard questions such as these. Perhaps you have been tempted to ask them yourself. The reality is, there exists in this fallen world an endless supply of examples we can examine which show those deemed righteous by the shed blood of Christ being ground underfoot early, and often. Trampled rights, assaulted consciences, mocked, scorned, and ridiculed.

On the flip side, endless are the illustrations of God hating reprobates living luxuriant, carefree lives. Exalted to the highest levels of society and government, wrapped up in comfort and ease all the days of their lives, the wicked seem to flourish.

Solomon recognized this paradox in his day:

There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.

When we see this surface level disparity it is easy for us to run to Romans 3 and say "None are good not one", or to Matthew 5 where we read of God sending rain upon the good and the wicked. The truth is, apart from Christ none are good, and the fact that it rains on you and I is proof positive that it rains upon the good and the wicked.

But these truths seldom provide comfort when as a Christian you are in the midst of calamity and all around you the wicked seem to flourish.

The fickle dictates of national, state, and local leaders has your mind reeling. The chaos caused by the seemingly arbitrary mandates and the vacillating standards for what will supposedly keep you safe has you paralyzed. You watch as politicians command standards out of one side of their mouth, then give a wink and a nod to the camera as they flaunt their rebellion against their own mandates.

Covid politics aside, we watch as children are slaughtered in the womb, teachers unions belch forth vile blasphemies like CRT into the hearts and minds of the children they do allow to live. All the while Christians are increasingly boxed out of the adoption scene by perverted homosexual couples. You are being called upon to deny the most basic human truths, that in the beginning He made them male and female, replacing it with gender fluidity and a growing list of made up pronouns. To not date someone who is transitioning, will get you labeled a bigot.  Homeschool is marginalized as a weird, unsocialized, abusive breeding ground of hate, yet just yesterday I saw an article on a local news site which said that since the beginning of the new school year, maybe a month ago, there have been a reported 400 fights in Jefferson County Public Schools. Sounds like a safe and wholesome, socially adjusted environment.

I say all this to get us to the point: the wicked seem to be flourishing, while the saints are being tread down. While everything you believe to be good and hold to be true is being mocked and reviled in the public square, the wicked are being exalted as the standard for what is right.

As Christians, we are surrounded on all sides. Good. Now we know where to aim the Gospel.

I am reminded of a story I read a few years ago about a British Special Forces unit in Iraq. Down in a valley, surrounded on all sides by insurgents raining down hot lead on their positions, the Brits ran out of ammunition. To stay where they were meant certain death. The enemy had superior firepower, held the high ground, and were relentless in their suppressive fire.

So, in true soldierly fashion, the Commander of the British forces gave the order to fix bayonets, and charge the enemy positions. Men with ten inch knives attached to the end of their rifles with no ammunition were going to charge enemy positions held by men with machine guns and plenty of bullets. On the face of it, it would have appeared like a losing proposition. However, it was a bold and necessary maneuver which wound up paying huge dividends, as the surprised insurgents faltered, lost heart, and were slaughtered by the British soldiers. 

This is our position as Christians, dear Saints. The enemies of God are on all sides, being lifted up as the standard for good, while the people of God are being trampled down.  But take heart, for our God sits in the Heavens and laughs, and we know that the gates of hell cannot prevail against Christ and His Church.

While we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty for tearing down strongholds, we do have a sword which must be wielded and armor which we must keep on because the struggle is real, sin is lurking, and Satan is looking for someone to devour.

The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is living, active, and will cut down all opposition. As we confront the evil in our time, as we ponder why calamity and judgement seem to be falling on our heads, let us remember to wage war in a manner consistent with what we see in Scripture.

The enemies of God are becoming unhinged in their railings.

Let us respond with truth, exercising self control.

When the enemies of God curse us, let us instead bless.

As we observe the unrighteous being exalted to the place of honor and authority, let us kneel humbly at the throne of Grace, and make our petitions known to Him.

While we watch as judgement tears across this nation, as our neighbors are increasingly given over to depraved thinking, may we examine ourselves, and repent where any sin of ours is contributing to the chaos which is consuming the hearts and minds of so many in our land.

I leave you with this excerpt from a Jonathan Edwards sermon titled "Sinners in the hands of an angry God":

What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down? They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God’s using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, “Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” Luke xiii. 7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back.

‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’

— Deuteronomy 32:35

Brothers and sisters, like the enemies of God whose feet have been set in slippery places, your feet also, should you attempt to live a life of unrepentance. Every step you take in unrepentance could be your last as you slip into eternity to stand before a Holy, righteous judge Who is angry with the wicked every day. Please turn from your sin this moment. Do not presume upon God's kindness and mercy towards you. Do not fall into the depraved thinking of the heathen who says "Wrath? I see no wrath."

At this time, if you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins to our Heavenly Father, Who loves you.

Gracious, Merciful, Heavenly Father,

We come before You this morning perplexed as we observe Your people treated as the dregs of the earth, and the wicked living in ease.

We know from Your Word that this is not something which should surprise us, yet it relentlessly assaults our sensibilities and desire to see justice, victory, and mercy in our lives.

Father, many grow weary from the onslaught of evil in our day: please give them strength to persevere.

Many hang anxiously on every news report, every social media post, every bit of speculation from the blogosphere: please forgive them of their anxieties, and help them to find rest in Your Son.

Father, quite a few of us have forgotten that You always keep Your promises, in this case, that ALL things are working together for our good. Please forgive us for taking our eyes off of the Risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, trusting instead in worldly solutions.

Father, please be with the men of Sovereign King Church, strengthen them for the battles ahead. Forgive them for where they have abandoned their posts, and give them a renewed sense of their purpose in Christ.

Father be with the women, help them to be soft. Help them to recognize their role in their homes, to know their value and worth in Your eyes, and to be  the helper that their husbands need to lead well in the home.

Please be with the children. Help them to see the evil in the world which lay before them. Help them to have wisdom, discipline, and a desire to make war against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Grant them hearts that delight in Your Word, minds set on the things above, and the will to enter through the narrow gate.

In Jesus's name we pray, amen.

Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to his church: 

Ephesians 1:7-9 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!