Christians know that the gospel is offensive. Isaiah says it. Jesus says it. Paul says it. The entirety of redemptive history testifies to it.
But that can’t stop us from proclaiming it …
(Galatians 5:11 ESV) But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
… and people hate it …
(John 3:18-20 ESV) [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
And we see that everywhere today – nobody wants to be called a sinner. It’s not fun to face your sin and understand what it really is.
It’s not fun to be exposed.
Does it really surprise you then, in light of the videos that have been released regarding Planned Parenthood, that the reaction from their supporters has not been one of repentance, but has been to dig in their heels and embrace the darkness? To assert with great voice that Planned Parenthood isn’t doing what they admit they are doing?
Admitting that Planned Parenthood is actually doing the things they say they are doing in the videos would mean that a lot of people would have to begin to admit that they have been supporting a child killing machine for a very long time.
That would break most people.
But all sin should break us. It is right to be appalled at Planned Parenthood. But I should also be appalled at the lengths I go to to justify my own sin. Yes, I am a sinner, prone to wander just like everyone else.
But oftentimes, when presented with the light of truth, people hide instead of repent. Take a recent conversation I had with a supporter of Planned Parenthood:
Supporter: “nothing more disgusting than a man telling a woman how to rule her body and what to do with her reproductive features”
Me: “but there is something more disgusting than a man telling a woman how to rule her body – I’d point you to some pictures of chopped up babies, but you can find them OK on your own…”
Supporter: “why on earth would you or any sane person look at something like that , let alone search for images like that? .. you have just bolstered my assertion that conservative minded people lack a sense of sanity and civility”
In other words – “I’ll close my eyes, plug my ears, and parrot every pro-abortion mantra I’ve heard since forever, over and over again until you go away!”
This “head in the sand” mentality is an ill advised, childish defense mechanism – “If I don’t see the lion, it’s not there!” It may make you feel safer, but it won’t actually make you safer. It will, in fact, kill you.
It’s hide and seek with death on the line – sticking your head in the sand, hiding only your head, doesn’t hide your body, nor your heart. You must be truly hidden.
(Colossians 3:1-4 ESV) [1] If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3] For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
I have a wonderful Savior who took my sin to the cross, left it in the grave when He rose, and truly hides me. But before He did that, He opened my eyes to the truth of who I was – a dying sinner in need of a savior. That was a tough pill to swallow, but by His grace, I could.
Jesus doesn’t save us from our wrongdoing by hiding our head in the sand, far from it! He exposes our wrongdoing, and we tend to hate that. Sometimes we even hate Him for it. But His people will be clean, however He will clean them.
(Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV) [25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
So, with our eyes opened (not closed) to our sin and the destruction it causes, we are washed (not made to feel better) by the blood of Jesus.
Jesus didn’t die because of my righteousness, He died because of my sin. I know this.
I admit it.
Now.
These “Planned Parenthood Exposed” videos are shining a bright light on a very dark corner of our sinful world – the slaughter of millions of children.
Compared to the pill of facing the consequences of supporting or committing infanticide, mine seem so small!
(Mark 10:23-26 ESV) [23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
But truth be told, size doesn’t matter – all of these pills are impossible to swallow because we rely on our “wealth”, our knowledge, our goodness, our understanding, but it’s all blindness. We don’t think we are dying so we don’t think we need pills. We can’t face reality so we believe whatever lie we are told – “safe and rare”, “it’s healthcare”, “it’s just a clump of cells”, etc.
Yes, society has a bunch of pills that are impossible to swallow. And we hate pills so we put a Band-Aid on the cancerous tumor and hope it will go away. We think we can just drink enough water with the pills and we’re good to go.
So here…here’s your cup…
(Matthew 26:36-39 ESV) [36] Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” [37] And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. [38] Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” [39] And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Can you drink it – the cup of God’s wrath?
Fortunately, Someone has already drunk from that cup – and He drank it all. It’s empty! Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world – He has done this.
The very next thing Jesus says, after telling his followers how hard (impossible) it is to be saved when we rely on our works, is this:
(Mark 10:27 ESV) [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Oh, we still need to take the pills – the consequences of our actions, desires, etc. Fessing up – admitting we are wrong, admitting we are dying, that’s no fun. It hurts.
But Jesus took the death we deserved, the wrath we deserved. He took it to the grave and left it there.
(Romans 8:1-4 ESV) [1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
There is no condemnation any longer for those who are hidden, not with their head in the sand and darkness, but with their entire being in Jesus the Christ and His light.
Is that where you hide?
