Caulfield Evangelical Methodist Church
- Weekly Pastoral Message -

Weekly Pastoral Message prepared by Rev. Murray Adamthwaite
for Sunday 5th April 1998

From the Pastor: Love and the Cross

"In this is love ... that He love loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10 It goes without saying that the grossest sins are abroad, fashionable, and even defended as part of a free society. Thus a bill was this week passed into law in Western Australia which virtually allows abortion on demand. When our government cannot even uphold the value of human life, but instead bows to the noisy "pro-choice" lobby, they stand condemned on all grounds, especially moral and political. The result is that multitudes of unborn children are now under a death sentence for having done nothing whatever. Does not God's judgment hang over our modern world? Indeed it does! The vision of John assures us that from the mouth of the Coming Christ "issues a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations" (Revelation 19:15). In the meantime, however, we still proclaim the God who in His infinite love sent Christ to be the propitiation for our sins. "To propitiate" means to turn away wrath - the wrath of God which is due to everyone who is part of this sin-sodden world. This had to be done: God's legitimate fury had to be pacified, and at the cross God's love and anger have met. There love has triumphed over wrath, and as a result we may commend the love of God to every hearer. This does not mean, however, that judgment can be forgotten. The filth, ugliness, crimes, and affronts of men towards God and towards their fellows will be requited with the utmost severity. A day of reckoning is coming! God's love is not to be cheapened into sentiment. Moreover, it is already here: the mere fact that people are so hardened in their God-defying ways is a manifestation of this judgment (read Romans 1). If you are starting to become calloused and de-sensitized then take stock of yourself lest wrath overtake you. Remember that the love of God is confirmed at and by the cross, and is commended to you too. Let the public immorality all around us be the occasion to "flee from the wrath to come".