Bad News

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight."

Matthew 3:3

The "good news" doesn't always seem so good if one doesn't understand the "bad news" that precedes it.  Many live today that do not comprehend the meaning and significance of what Christ has done. I would submit that often these unsaved people are unmoved by Christ's death and resurrection, even though they have heard about it, because they fail to see their depraved state and/or their inability to rectify the situation through self work.  They do not believe the wrath of God remains upon them (John 3:36,  Eph 5:6). In fact, many do not believe God has wrath toward anyone -- that he loves and will provide good things for all in the end -- irrespective of one's love for Him and behavior. The "bad news" is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), God hates and cannot dwell with wickedness (Ps. 5:4, 5) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). The wrath of God is therefore deserved by all. More "bad news" is that God's wrath must be exhausted for each sin that is committed by each one of us.  Therefore, if nothing absorbs God's wrath, we are in for a lot of pain -- and we deserve it.  This is the "bad news", that the wrath of God is coming, and his anger is aimed at us! As I was reading about John the Baptist this week, it appeared to me that John was the bearer of the "bad news" to his generation (and ours). He prepared the way of the Lord and made his paths straight by telling the people to repent and turn from their wicked ways because:  

"His (the Lord's) winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:12)

The fact is God's wrath for our sin can only be exhausted through punishment to us or to Jesus Christ. Every sin will be dealt with fully.  We can pay ourselves or Christ can pay for us, but someone will pay.  Who do you want to pay for your sins? Romans 6:23 begins with:  "The wages of sin is death" but ends with: "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." We can have eternal life only through faith in Christ and his propitiation (wrath absorption) as a gift.  Jesus comes after John and preaches the  "bad news" and the "good news", the gospel. 

I wondered this week how often we share our faith without really sharing the "bad news".  It seems "politically incorrect" in todays world to talk about hell or judgement. I know I often lean toward telling of the gospel without ever delving into the wrath of God.  But really, is not the "bad news" a necessary part of describing appropriately what Christ has done for us? John certainly thought so.