A few weeks ago I visited a local church to hear a friend share about suffering as a Christian. During the Q&A that followed, a middle aged woman asked how she was to cope with the sucides occurring in her family circle and among her acquaintances. There had been four in a short time, maybe less than a year. The latest was a forty year old man who committted sucide only two weeks ago. She had only recently come to Christ.
This discussion reminded me of Paul’s comments to the Ephesus Christians about their condition before they became Christians. He said
“…you were at that time separate from Christ…not having hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12 NASB)
This is one of the saddest statements in the whole human vocabulary when we understand the implications.
“…without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12)
The world is satan’s kingdom. The night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, who satan had entered (John 13: 27), He told the disciples “The ruler of the world comes and he has nothing in me.” (John 14:30). To be in satan’s kingdom without God on our side is a very dangerous place to be. We are satan’s slaves, on the way to destruction until we are born again.
“…not having hope…”. (Eph. 2:12)
People who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have no hope. What a deep, dark abyss to find yourself in. Add to that the demonic torment in the mind telling you that “you are hopeless, no one cares about you, you’ll never amount to anything, you can’t do anything right, look what you did!, God could never love someone like you”, and finally, “you may as well kill yourself and “escape” from this rejection and loneliness”. Then they find themselves in a Christ-less eternity. Is it any wonder people are depressed and hopeless, taking their own lives?
“…you were at that time separate from Christ,…” (Eph. 2:12 NASB)
This also describes us before we came to Christ. We were without a Messiah in an evil tyrant’s kingdom. We did not know the Deliverer. No One to redeem us from the slave market of sin. Flying solo, deceived by the powers of darkness. Headed to eternal torment. Thank you Father for saving us out of this horrible, hopeless situation!
Why don’t you and I be a witness today to someone who is without a Messiah, without hope and without God in the world. Let the “rivers of living water” flow out of us today on to someone’s parched, hopeless life. We can share the Messiah with them. He is the God of hope (Romans 15: 13). Tell them God considers them so precious that He sent His only Son to die for their sins! Tell them He has a purpose for them existing and that He will conform them to the image of His Beloved Son. That He is preparing a place for them in Heaven and will come and get them one day. Hold forth “confident expectation of good” (biblical hope) to them if they will repent and believe in God’s Only Son.
Pray for the lost. Give someone a gospel tract or Gospel of John. Take your authority as a child of the King and be His ambassador in the earth today and every day.
Be “…children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life…” (Phil. 2: 15-16 KJV)
Thank you for your time.
“…fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” (I Peter 1:13 NASB)
To Him who saved us by His grace and is able to keep us from stumbling, be all the glory before all time and now and forever! Amen.
Carl
Psalm 119: 38 