’Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” (Acts 13:41).
There are certain things God will do regardless of our cooperation or unbelief.
In their first missionary journey to Cyprus and Pisidia, we read about Paul and Barnabas warning their listeners about what God purposed to do regardless of their attitude.
In Acts 13:41, Paul and Barnaba seem to have quoted from Habakkuk 1:5:
“Look at the nations and observe, be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.
What kind of work could this be? This is the predetermined judgment of God on sin. It comes to shock unrepentant men from their spiritual stupor and slumber.
God will always strike at the heart of evil to restore His righteousness.
This type of striking comes with a shaking, representing God’s anger and determination to punish all wickedness and unbelief at his own decided time even if men presently scoff at such possibilities.
It is the tradition of sinful men in the course of history to presume on continual prosperity, or that calamities will not come in their days. Rather than repent, scoffers and unbelievers traditionally spurn the invitation of divine mercy and become hardened in their heart.
Sometimes, it seems that the more God extends His mercy the more men take it for granted and rather becoming more comfortable with sin.
Consequently, the extent of the overturning and shocking work of judgement will always be as severe as the depth of mercy which men have chosen to spurn, despite several warning signs.
Even among Christians, God’s judgment is not something most want to think or talk about. We would often prefer to talk about His mercies and forgiveness choosing not to contemplate the severity of God’s predetermined strike on sin.
Why will God strike at sin? The Bible does not mince word about God’s holy hatred for sin using strong words to describe His attitude towards sin.
In Titus 1:15, 2 Corinthians 7:1 God describes sin as a defiling filth and darkness in 1 John 1:6. God is Holy, God is light, and He cannot tolerate sin nor leave the unrepentant sinner unpunished.
God struck the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because they became the symbol of evil deeds and refused to repent: “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13).
Presently, Christ is reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them and through the gospel extending the message of forgiveness and repentance from all sins before the great and dreaded Day of the Lord. (Joel 2:31).
But we must be warned that God will not standby for too long before shaking our world out of its present comfort zone where men’s heart have been deeply deformed by sin, where all sorts of ungodliness and violence reign supreme.
God’s message of reconciliation and forgiveness is that you change your personal philosophies and attitude and be fully committed to God. Are you willing to change the direction of your life and fully commit to God before He strikes at sin in your life?
Reading
2 Peter 3:3-17
