It is hard for us to understand the depth of God’s love for us … mankind. We look around and see some really ornery people, and scratch our heads wondering, “How could God love that? They’re despicable. Their own mother would be hard-pressed to love them.”

Oh my; then we look in the mirror and see another person just as worthless. If God knows us even better than we know ourselves, and He does, why would God bother with a creation of His that is clearly not worth saving, at least in our eyes? Why would God want any part of us? I don’t understand that, but I’m glad He does.

The city was having severe sewer problems. It had gotten so bad, the citizens were living like sewer rats. After a while they grew accustomed to the sight and smell of the sewer running through the streets and into their homes. (It’s amazing that people can eventually get used to anything and treat it as the norm.)

• It got so bad, the neighboring municipalities smelled the offensive odor and knew something had to be done before they all died from diseases, but who would venture into the infected area to save them? The people had become so foul-smelling and disgusting, who would even care? Why not just seal the whole area off and let them all die in their filth? But one day, one gentleman came forward and said he would go to these people and tell them just how offensive they were and that they needed to follow him out to the clean area if they wanted to live. He would clean them up and lead them out, but they must trust him. He finally convinced some to accept his help.

I often wonder if what mankind has become through sin and what we have done to God’s creation may be very similar to this. The stench of sin has wafted upwards toward Heaven; but early on, actually in the Garden of Eden, One already knew what He would do to save us. He would become one of us, and lead as many out as would follow Him.

I believe Jesus really enjoyed being called the Son of man. He is identified as such over 80 times in the New Testament (duplications in the Gospels). He very often called Himself the Son of man. Even in the final book of the Bible, Revelation, He called Himself the Son of man.

“and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band” (Revelation 1:13).

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle” (Revelation 14:14).

One man, Adam, had brought disaster upon all mankind by his sin. It would take one sinless man to save mankind, but none existed. So, what does God do? He becomes a man by virgin birth. Mankind now has a man among them who is without sin. This sinless man told them that he would clean them up and lead them out to safety if they would believe him and follow him to safety. He told them don’t worry about your filthiness; I am going to die on a cross and pay for everything. Believe in me, and I will make you clean, and then take you home with me.

This one man is Jesus who called Himself “the Son of man.” He called Himself the Son of man because He wants us to know that He identifies with us. He knows our sorrows. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our temptations and hardships. He knows us and loves us enough to die for us on that Roman cross. In the cross of Jesus Christ, I see the Son of man.

But there is more. This Jesus, the Son of man, is also the Son of God. If the Son of man had died on the cross and that were the end of the story, none of us could be saved. He could not have said, ‘Come to me. Trust me. I’ll clean you up and take you home with Me.’ The Son of God had to finish the story.

When I think of the Son of man, I think of the cross at Golgotha. When I think of the Son of God, I think of the empty tomb where Jesus rose in three days as He promised. Without the empty tomb, the cross would be of no effect.

In His sinless humanity, Jesus paid for our sins, all of them, but only God can raise the dead. Jesus died in His humanity, and then rose from the grave by His power as God.

When Jesus is seen in Revelation 1:13 (above), He is both the Son of man and the Son of God. Likewise, when we see Him in Revelation 14:14 (above), He is seen as both Son of man and Son of God. Finally, when we see Him in the following verse below, He is seen as the Son of God who brings judgment upon sin.

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:’” (Revelation 2:18).

As the Son of man, He paid for our sins, and is the only one qualified to do so. As the Son of God, He judges sin and delivers us from the consequences of sin that He paid for on our behalf.

All who come to Him, believing, have nothing to fear, but everything to look forward to. Ask Him to help you see your need for Him, and He will clean you up and take you home with Him.

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

You and I cannot ‘demand’ respect. We must earn it. Whether from our family, friends or business acquaintances, respect is always something we must earn individually. For example, an employee may do everything his/her employer requires, but do they respect him/her?

Only God can demand respect, but why can He demand respect, but you and I cannot? First of all, He is God. We are not. He is our Creator. We are the created. Also, He has earned it. For example, when He stepped out of Heaven and took on our flesh, then died for our sins upon the cross of Calvary, and then rose from the grave in three days just as He said He would, HE EARNED IT.

Whether we want to hear it or not, we have no say in any matter except what our Creator has ordained.

“But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Romans 9:20).

Yet, despite all this, mankind lives on the edge of judgment and destruction by trying to supersede God. From the time Lucifer said to Adam and Eve, “you will be like God,” (Genesis 3:5) man still shows utter contempt toward his Creator. Only by God’s grace has He provided one way we can be forgiven, and that, of course, is through Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the majority of people today are no different than those of old unless it can be said that we are worse. Personally, I think we are worse, much worse, than those who came before us, because we have greater access to God’s Word than any of the generations before us. We have numerous visible signs today of His soon return. We don’t know the date of His return, but we know it must be very close. We are the generation He has allowed to understand His prophecies of the end of days.

Again, despite all that, most people today ridicule His Word, particularly prophecy, His people (the true Church) and any and everything associated with the one and only God.

Every perverted fantasy of sinful mankind is being shoved down the throats of those who have been washed in the cleansing blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The name of Jesus, as I have said many times before, is being used constantly and consistently as a curse word. For example, it is getting harder and harder to find a Hollywood movie that is not laced with pornography, violence and even profanity against God.

What do I mean by “profanity against God?” I mean that either “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” will be used over and over as part of the actors’ dialogue, not to praise Him, but to use His name as profanity. You never hear them use the name of anyone else … only the name of God. Plenty of verbs and adjectives will be laced throughout the filming (I’m sure you know which ones I’m referring to), but only this one name … the name Jesus.

We as mankind will not get away with the lives we are living in this 21^st century and the blasphemies we are hurling at God. The day is quickly approaching when it will be time to ‘pay the piper.’

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

“I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath” (Isaiah 45:23).

“For it is written: ‘As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God’” (Romans 14:11).

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Someone may be wondering how an unbeliever can call God (Jesus) Lord in the last verse. The definition of ‘Lord’ is: someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler; an appellation (name or designation) for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting like a master, a chief, or a ruler.

In other words, every human being who has ever lived will recognize God the Son (Jesus) as King of kings and Lord of lords, and all will bow before Him acknowledging Him as God. We who are saved, willingly and gladly call Him Lord, and we share in His love. We willingly bow before Him, but one day all His enemies will bow before Him and call Him Lord prior to their judgment. Maybe you don’t think of yourself as an enemy of God, but if you reject Jesus Christ, you are the enemy of God. I can think of a lot of folks I wouldn’t want as an enemy, but I most certainly would not want to be an enemy against God.

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html