Jesus came to earth to give us eternal, abundant life (John 10:10). “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11, 12). What we do with Jesus is the most consequential question of our existence. “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36 ASV).
John preached a message of repentance for people to be ready to receive Jesus (Mark 1:4). To illustrate the separation of people who followed Jesus from those who did not, John said that Jesus would gather the wheat into the barn, but the chaff would be burned with unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17). Everlasting fire awaits the lost (Matt. 25:41). Judgment is coming to those who reject Jesus (John 12:48), “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). In the first century, people made all sorts of excuses for rejecting John and Jesus to whom he pointed. Jesus said of them:
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matt. 11:16-19.)
They criticized John for not socializing and claimed he was a demoniac; however, they then criticized Jesus for eating meals with the people, calling him a glutton and a drunk. Obviously, their charges show these people were extremely unfair. Their impossible demands are almost comical but for the seriousness of the fact that their rejection of Jesus cost them their souls.
Jesus compares these people to children who must have it their way. If someone does not follow their lead, they throw a fit. One cannot win with this sort of person. Sadly, there are many in our present age who are of the same stripe. They will use any excuse not to fulfill their responsibility to obey God. Often, unfair expectations are placed on God and His messengers. People want freedom of choice. They want the freedom to sin, but they grow angry and bitter against God when another person is allowed to make a choice that harms them. Many will not listen to God, but when they find themselves in trouble, they expect God to listen to them. They are quickly offended and tell others they should not judge, but in doing so they pronounce their own judgments and evidently have no qualms about offending others. They cannot have it both ways.
Instead of examining themselves and making changes, it is easier to shift the focus elsewhere. Those who are the biggest critics and most insistent that others change are often the most easily offended and least likely to change themselves. Is this not why people made ridiculous accusations against John and Jesus? If they accepted the truth, they would have to change. They chose instead to reject the message and attempted to justify themselves in doing so. Sometimes criticism of others is an attempt to justify oneself. When the Pharisees derided Jesus (Luke 16:14), He replied, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts” (Luke 16:15). The Pharisees were offended at what Jesus said (Matt. 15:12). They conspired to destroy Him (Matt. 12:14). Jesus highlighted their hypocrisy in outwardly trying to appear virtuous while inwardly they were diabolical (Matt. 23). He called them out, saying, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:33).
We might as well get out of the habit of criticizing others to justify ourselves for there will be no shifting blame when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10). At present, we can decide what to do with Him, but He will return and decide what to do with us. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb. 9:27, 28). First comes death, then comes the judgment. Jesus came the first time to die (Heb. 2:9). When He comes again it will be for judgment (Matt. 25:31-46). He will come to save those who have obeyed Him (Heb. 5:9). One obeys Him by believing in Him (John 8:24), repenting of sins (Luke 13:3), confessing faith in Him before others (Matt. 10:32), being baptized (Mark 16:16), and remaining faithful (Rev. 2:10). But for those outside of Christ the picture is grim. When Jesus is revealed from heaven, He will come, “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thess. 1:8, 9).
Sadly, some once knew Jesus but have turned their backs on Him. This is the difference between Jesus saying, “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23) and saying, “I know you not” (Luke 13:25, 27). The one who knows better and refuses to obey awaits more severe punishment (Luke 12:47). Peter warns that the end for these is worse; they are like a dog that returns to his own vomit or a sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire (2 Pet. 2:20-22). Hebrews 6 describes some who were once enlightened but have fallen away. It is impossible for them to repent because they continue to harden their hearts and crucify the Son of God afresh. “That which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (Heb. 6:8). Consider the warning of Hebrews 10:26-31:
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
What will you do with Jesus? Eternity hangs in the balance.