I
know it’s a popular & understandable way to present Jesus’ death &
resurrection in a dramatic way, so I apologize for pouring rain on the parade.
Sometimes
life makes us feel like we’re in a boxing match with the enemy. But we can’t
allow our perceptions of life to dictate our understanding of who God is &
what He is like.
The
idea from which the “Jesus & Satan in the Boxing Ring” scenario arises is what
some have called “dualism.” An implication of dualism is that Good & Evil
have been battling each other throughout history, & that it is not certain
what the outcome will be.
Here's the
truth: God is in absolute control of history. This doesn’t mean that we
always get what we want, nor does it mean that we always understand what’s happening
in any historical process or turn of events in our personal lives. What it does
mean is that nothing can ultimately thwart God’s eternal plan.
There
are many biblical passages that should give us a basis for understanding how the
Living God oversees & guarantees the outcome of His plan for His creation in
general & for those individuals who trust in Him. These same passages
describe His absolute power & authority over the process & all its
details.
Here
are just a couple:
Colossians
2:9-15:
For in (Christ) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…, and He is
the head over all rule and authority… When He had disarmed
the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
2
Chronicles 32:16-19
(Sennacherib’s) servants
spoke further against the Lord God and against His
servant Hezekiah. He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to
speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not delivered
their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people
from my hand…” They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the
peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands.
The
challenge for each one of us is not to just hope & pray that somehow God can rein in the evil
that surrounds us & threatens to destroy us.
Instead, it is no simpler than “Trust & Obey, for There’s
No Other Way to be Happy in Jesus, but to Trust & Obey.”
A very blessed Christmas season & New Year to you!
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