Playing With Fire

/ Ron Whited

It seems that everywhere you turn today people are mocking God with a greater intensity and frequency. Surely the fear of God has disappeared from the hearts and minds of untold millions of people who curse His name as easily as they curse at a dog.

This is not surprising however. After all, the Apostle Peter clearly warns us that in the last days will come “scoffers, walking after their own lusts”.  [1]

The Apostle Paul also goes to great lengths to warn the church of impending disaster, when in the last days the world would fall headlong into apostasy. In his 2nd Epistle to Timothy, he lists a multitude of dangerous and ungodly character traits that would be manifested in the hearts of unbelievers at that time.

When you see people described as “lovers of their own selves, blasphemers, fierce, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness” etc…, you can be assured that these people are playing with fire.   [2]

As we see these days closing in on us, I am so very thankful that in His mercy God saw me in my wretched condition and pulled me out of the miry clay. How many of us can identify with this beloved Psalm?

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.   Psalm 40:2

Contrast these words of hope and restoration with the solemn warning from Hebrews about those who live their lives in outright rejection of God.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  [3]

To fall into the hands of the living God speaks to another part of God’s nature that unregenerate men choose to ignore. They would rather live their lives in any manner they wish, believing that in the end everyone gets in to heaven.

But that is not what is going to happen when we come to the end of our days. If we have not received Christ as our Lord and Savior, it will be a fearful thing because once we take our final breath, we are immediately confronted with this living God.

And that, dear readers, is playing with fire.

Ron

[1] 2nd Peter 3:3

[2] 2nd Timothy 3:1-5

[3] Hebrews 10:31

8 thoughts on “Playing With Fire”

  1. This type of message is not popular these days, Ron. Human beings do not like being confronted w/ their shortcomings.

    The Colonial preacher Jonathan Edwards regularly spoke of damnation from the pulpit https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/04/jonathan-edwards-works-online_n_6605714.html. He gave the famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” at the time of the Great Awakening https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/edwards_jonathan/Sermons/Sinners.cfm.

    Pray God that we may experience another such revival while there is yet time.

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    • I must admit,Anna,that I wrestle from time to time with the truth you speak of.
      Early on when I started this blog, I came to a fork in the road and had to choose between being just another voice that spoke of blessing,favor, and prosperity or speaking what I truly felt God had given me to say, however unpopular it might be.
      I accept that I will never win the favor of man or garner any popularity awards. I simply cannot sit by and remain silent in the face of so much deception in the church.
      I’ve never been that person, and I don’t plan to start now.
      I love that you mention Jonathon Edwards as I too am familiar with his ministry. I always thought that “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” should be required reading for anyone who feels called into the ministry. Like you, I pray for another awakening while there remains the opportunity for it.
      Thank you for your support and encouragement Anna!

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