Jesus Christ Cannot Save The World, Part 1

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:1-5)
In the past few years, the world has seen disasters on a scale that seems unprecedented. Who can forget the anguish and suffering of those who were victims of the tsunami in
Indonesia and India, hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or presently, the victims of the earthquake in Haiti? In Haiti alone the number of casualties may well number in the hundreds of thousands as disease and famine press upon the poor people who have already lost loved ones and homes. Even as the world desires to rush aid to Haiti and has already begun to do so, the help is bottlenecked at the airport. Help is so close and yet so far away. On top of this, Haiti is the poorest nation in the North America, perhaps the poorest in the world or close to it.
People have attributed such disasters to God, claiming either that He has utterly forsaken certain people or that He has brought disaster as a punishment for the sins of the people. But is this true? When someone is stricken with cancer or any other life-threatening disease, people are quick to jump to conclusions; this is punishment for someone’s sins, either the person stricken or someone close to the victim.
Jesus made it clear in the case of the Galileans and the victims of the accident involving the tower of Siloam, that these disasters were not a punishment for sin but one more sign of the temporariness of this world and those who live in it. Satan made it clear that he had been given the world as his place for mischief making and that he could have even offered it to Jesus if Jesus would just bow down before Satan. Whether that was one more of Satan’s lies or not, it’s hard to tell, but it seems that he always mixes truth with lies to get others to believe what he is saying. So there may be some truth to that.
Jesus Christ cannot save the world. That was not the purpose for his coming to the world the first time. While hanging on the cross, He was chided about His inability to save himself, even though He had saved others. The truth of the matter is this: when Jesus took on mortal flesh to come to this world, He had to leave that behind in order to return home to the Father. The old song, “The Way of the Cross Leads Home” was just as true for Jesus as it is for us. The only flesh that can enter heaven is flesh that is changed, according to the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15.
We often hear people talk about receiving a death sentence when told about a terminal illness. The truth of the matter is we have all received a death sentence, all of us are terminal. Jesus can only save men and women who turn to Him in faith and cry out for mercy, repenting of the evil they also have been involved in committing. Is that fair?
God sent His Son into the world that His Son might die for the sins of the world, but only those who believe on the Son will receive the gift of eternal life. The pages of the New Testament are filled with the words of the Savior indicating that this world is not permanent, that it will finish the task for which it was created and then it will be destroyed.
Back to the beginning. Are the many disasters we are witnessing punishments sent by God? I don’t believe so. If anything, they are a reminder to us that disaster can overtake anyone, a believer or a non-believer. What should our reaction be? Mercy. Sympathy. Help. Ceaseless prayer for the poor people. Perhaps through the disaster, some will find Jesus Christ, will turn to Him and be healed. Even if they do, their physical bodies will one day perish. So will yours, so will mine.
Footnote: Lazarus had to face death again, even though Jesus raised him from the dead. The widow’s son at Nain had to die again, even though Jesus raised him from the dead and gave him back to his mother. Jairus’ daughter had to go through death again, even though her physical body was brought back to life by our Lord. Every person that Jesus healed while He ministered on this earth had to face his or her own mortality. Jesus cannot save this world; only those who turn to Him and are spiritually saved will receive a pass to get out of this world, be changed and taken to live with Him eternally, when He then creates a new heaven and a new earth. Only those who live their lives incarnadine, blood-colored, covered in the mercy-filled blood of Jesus Christ, will be raised to be clothed with immortality.