Anyone who considers himself a sinner should be glad for the many pictures of Gentle Jesus in Scripture. For instance…

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

“Come to Jesus!” It is the most wonderful and happy command. And above, in the Lord’s own words, we see a picture of the “soft” Jesus, for when He came the first time, He came in kindness. He only asks that in response to His great kindness displayed on the cross, we repent and trust in Him. He is the Jesus who dies for sinners.

Jesus coming to slay sinners

But there is an expiration date on this offer, for this same Jesus is coming again…to slay sinners.

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 has one of many pictures of Jesus the sin-slaying and sinner-slaying God…

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)

Oh my. Read it again. He will “kill with the breath of his mouth.” When He appears, how gloriously and easily He will wipe out the putrid Anti-Christ. And His hot breath will not only evaporate the wicked one, but also all who have followed him, in other words, all those who have delayed in receiving His kind and generous offer, as the Apostle wrote in chapter 1…

When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (ESV)

Planned Parenthood and other wicked ones

My mind turns to those Planned Parenthood workers who have casually crushed the skulls of countless human beings, and I also think of all those who have rushed to their support in congress and the media.

Jesus is not pleased. And when He comes, His breath will be fire on them.

But why stop with these wicked men and women? For I myself was just like them, and I too would have melted for my sin under Christ’s hot breath had I refused his offer of mercy in the gospel.

This is our God. This is the Glorious One we worship, and we should not trifle with Him or seek to figuratively pat “Gentle Jesus” on the head. For as C.S. Lewis reminds us regarding the Christ figure Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe…

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

So wherever you are today, whatever your sin, come humbly in repentance to the “unsafe” King, who is good…and do it now, before it is too late.

For Tuesday, August 25th: 2 Thessalonians 3