People Need to Know
“And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:11)
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against their sin. Jonah disobeyed and boarded a ship to Tarshish. God sent a storm. Jonah knew why God sent it. He told the sailors to throw him overboard. They reluctantly did, asking God to show them mercy. He did. A whale swallowed Jonah, then vomited him up. God told Jonah again to go to Nineveh. This time he obeyed. He told the people, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4) The people believed him and repented. God spared them.
Jonah was angry that God spared Nineveh. He said God is “…a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness,” (Jonah 4:2) God said the people in Nineveh could not discern between their right and left hand; that is, many were no doubt educated but did not know about God or His ways.
Fast forward to today. Prayer was outlawed in public schools in 1962; Bible reading in 1963. Now say a child starts public school in 1964. It may be a high-quality public school, but it is a school where Bible reading and prayer are forbidden. Thus the child learns nothing about God or the Bible in school.
The child’s family may not attend church, or they may attend one that does not emphasize God’s word, and the preaching is superficial. The pastor may tell the members to love people, be kind, give to the poor, or other general commands. They may never hear that the Bible is God’s word, or hear strong preaching against sin, or that Jesus, the Son of God, died for their sins, was buried, and rose again. They may never hear they need to receive Jesus by repentance and faith as their personal Saviour for forgiveness of sins.
As a result, the person may become well-educated, but like the Ninevites, know very little about God. If he or she one day holds elected office, the leader may consistently vote contrary to God’s word, simply out of lack of knowledge. The leader may think he or she is showing love, which the Bible does say to do. Yet unwittingly, the leader is also promoting sin, that turns people against God and invites His judgment.
Per a Gallup poll, only 20% of people across the US believe the Bible is God’s word (Newport, Frank “Fewer in U.S. Now See Bible as Literal Word of God” news.gallup.com 7/6/22). The problem is not the Bible. The Bible is God’s word even if no one believes it to be so. The problem is lack of exposure to the Bible. R0mans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It’s fair to say, then, that lack of faith comes by lack of hearing the word of God.
Like the Ninevites, many leaders in America may know very little of God or His word, which may help explain why they vote as they do. The answer to this problem is obvious: share God’s word with them! Share Scripture with leaders that touches some political issue, or passages for their personal lives. Remember, they’re people, too. Most importantly, share the gospel. Do it kindly, “…speaking the truth in love,” (Ephesians 4:15) Pray also for them and their loved ones.
Never underestimate the power of God’s word. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:” (Psalm 19:7) To convert is to change. People can be persuaded to change their minds and lives when exposed to God’s word. Even leaders. “By long forbearing is a prince [or a princess]persuaded,” (Proverbs 25:15) It may take “long forbearing,” as the verse says, but it can be done.
Please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?” to see how to have your sins forgiven and eternal life by receiving Jesus as your Saviour.
Brian Miller 6/24/2024