Monday, September 8, 2008
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
PERSPECTIVE: A VIEW OF MEN
How many ways can you divide men from one another? Class, creed, race, location, language, color, intelligence, knowledge, wealth, etc. In actuality, paleontology reveals that much of the variety with which God originally created man has been lost. Men are far more similar today than they were in the past, at least in genetics and appearance. Of course, any supposed difference between men is due solely and completely to a faulty perspective. Man's perspective which conscientiously divides the world into an "us and them" division, or often even "me and them," searches for reasons to claim its own superiority.
God sees one and only one distinction. But that single difference He declares to be such a vast chasm that the two sides must be separated forever without exception. What an incredible difference from man's perspective. Some think it is absurd to differentiate between anyone on the sole basis of whether or not they have faith in Christ, but they have no problem dividing on the basis of a thing as unimportant as shades of color. Christopher Hitchens, in his recent book, outwardly mocks God's division: "Do you really expect us to believe that we will be sentenced to hell for all eternity just because we didn't believe you when you told us that Christ rose from the dead?" This is, of course, not exactly what God tells us. Rather, people are condemned because of their sins and a lack of faith merely shuts the door on their only way out of that condemnation. But, yes! That difference isn't just an important difference, it is all-important, it is essential. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6).
Change Your Perspective: Recognize the only real difference between people.
