Based on Luke 13:1-5 (New King James Version)
“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; 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 sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’”
Are those who apparently receive more blessings than others, those who live better lifestyles, less sinful? Are those who suffer more in this world more sinful? Do certain people receive better things because they have more faith than others? Do people who have more challenges in this life have less faith? Is the person who dies of hunger in Africa (although there are many in the world who die of hunger every day) less worthy of God's blessing than those of us who have a refrigerator full of food? Or does the child who is dying of cancer have less right to life than an athlete who lives a life of luxury because they can play a sport in excellent health? The Lord answered these questions through this same passage we read. We will delve into the matter a little more to be able to reach a greater understanding, because it is urgent to understand what the Lord said.
The point is that no one is better than another person in the eyes of God. In relation to sin, we are all sinners. Even so, all of us who have come to Christ for salvation are still sinners. The only difference between the unconverted and the one who has received the Lord is that they have received God's mercy, but we are still sinners. That’s the reality. And the issue of whether a person does well or not in this life really has nothing to do with faith, or sin, or anything like that. There is something beyond, something deeper. Therefore, it is not God's will for us to think that there is any kind of connection between the way a person lives in this life to faith or the forgiveness of sins. That is why these gospels of prosperity and healing are completely foreign to the truth of God. And be careful, what a person takes as a blessing from God, as a reward for his faith and conduct, may be the work of the enemy to keep them on a dark path that goes straight to perdition. You have to be very careful when things are going very well because it is very likely that they may be concessions from the enemy and not blessings from God when leading a life of disobedience.
So, what did the Lord want to achieve with this teaching? Everyone, every person, must be aware that no one is better than anyone else, and that all of us, without exception, must live lives in complete repentance and conversion. And that, whether you live a better life, per say, it has nothing to do with your spirituality. This, for example, the Lord also taught: “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14. Therefore, there must always be a spirit of repentance and conversion in us, and as part of that repentance and conversion, we must, by virtue that we owe everything to God, starting with His grace through the Lord Jesus Christ, serve God and stop serving sin. The Word gives us this counsel also: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” Romans 6:15-22. Therefore, each person, especially those of us that have come to the knowledge of God’s salvation, whether we have a good life or not, should look for and do God’s will because we owe Him too much, and this is why we were created, made, and now through Christ, redeemed, for God’s service. The Word says this also: “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48b.
A person that understood this very clearly was the Apostle Paul, and that’s why he explained it through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. He taught this: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14. Paul never thought that he had gotten to the goal until he saw his end very near. When do we get to the Lord’s goal? When we die, because after this, there is nothing left to be done with reference to our actions. And after death comes God’s judgment where each one of us will give an account for what we did, as it is written: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. And so, if a person only thinks about the things in this life, and that those things have something to do with faith, with God’s forgiveness, and the here and now, has not even begun the race. And if they remain in that mindset, even though they think they believe in God and Christ, they will not attain eternal life. The Word says this: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. What is the Father’s will? That we repent and convert from all of our sins continually so that we can be useful to Him in this life, no matter what our condition is. Do you understand that God’s grace has as an end that you leave sin behind and that you fulfill God’s purpose in your life? Lord bless! John. Support Israel. Pray for Israel. God will bless those that bless Israel.