Everyone Needs To Repent Not Just New Orleans

Was This Person A Worse Sinner Than You?

There was the idea in Jesus day that if something bad happened to you it had to be a curse from God because of some sin that you or your parents committed (See John 9:2) They would look down their nose on anyone on whom a disaster fell, and believe that they were better than the person who had experienced the tragedy because nothing had happened to them.

There are two baseless assumptions people often make:

#1 That all bad things were punishment for sin. The book of Job proves that wrong. Sometimes hardships are allowed to demonstrate God's power and work in our lives (See John 9:3). Sometimes it is discipline to train us to be better people (see Hebrews 12:10). Sometimes it is punishment for sin from God.

#2 That other people are worse than us and deserve punishment and we don't. But the Bible teaches that we all have sinned (see Romans 3:23) and we all deserve death (see Romans 6:23). Therefore, we will all be judged for what we have done while in our bodies (see 2 Corinthians 5:10) and we all need to repent to be saved from our sins (see Acts 17:30).

Jesus addressed this ignorant attitude in Luke Chapter 13. There were people assuming that some others were worse sinners because some bad things had befallen them. Jesus warned them of their misunderstanding.

Luke 13:2-5 "Jesus answered, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

There are people pointing out today how wicked and perverse New Orleans was and inferring that God destroyed them because they were worse than us. They believe Biloxi was flattened for it's Casinos but that they are safe. I think that attitude flies in the face of what Jesus taught in Luke 13. Yes, New Orleans may have been destoryed for her many sins. Many a city and nation in the Bible was destroyed for such sins as New Orleans commits. However, are we any better in the midwest?

My guess is that if Jesus were to preach to those today who are tempted to feel more righteous than those suffering from disasters he might say something like:

Do you think that these people in New Orleans were worse sinners than all the other American's because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those 3000 who died when the twin towers fell on them, do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in New York? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

We all need to repent of our sins and prepare ourselves to stand before the judgment of God. We have sinned to and need to turn to Jesus to find salvation and forgiveness.

Go here to learn more: http://christiancontender.org/what_must.htm

For more pictures of Katrina Damage go here: http://scripturist.org/2005_08_28_archive.html