Helpful Clues
In Manchester, New Hampshire, a Rite Aid pharmacy was robbed by a woman wearing a ski mask. The police drove to the woman’s home and arrested her. How did they know who she was, and where she lived? They had a helpful clue. A witness observed the robber leaving in a vehicle with a vanity plate, on which were the letters, “B-USHER.” With that helpful clue, and a little research with the Department of Motor Vehicle records, the police drove to the home of Bonnie Usher and arrested her. (Reported by WCVB-TV)
It does help to solve crimes, and other mysteries when there are helpful clues leading the way. When born into this world every person is faced with a mystery. How did they come to be where they are and who they are? God has provided some helpful clues and we are told of that in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” All you have to do, to solve the mystery according to the Bible; is to look around at the world you live in, and there is an obvious conclusion. The obvious conclusion is that there is a God, and that God designed, and created everything.
With the mystery of creation solved we can move on to another one. That mystery is this: how does God want us to live? Again, there are very helpful clues, actually specific instructions, for how we are to live our lives. There are many passages of Scripture that provide the instructions that we need, about how to live our lives. Romans 12:17-19 gives us this helpful guide to living, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
With the mystery of creation, and the mystery of how we should live our lives solved; we are then confronted with another mystery. There is the mystery of death. What happens after we die? Is that the end, or is there something else that occurs at that point? Again, the Bible provides us with the clues that we need to understand. In Hebrews 9:27 we are told, “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” From this clue we can see that not only does our existence not end at physical death, but we are also held accountable for how we have followed the instructions we have been given.
With this judgment after death in mind, we begin to think about all of the other instructions that God has given to us in the Bible, about how we are to live. We read in James 2:10, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” How can anyone do everything that we are commanded in the Bible perfectly? No one can, and no one has, except of Jesus (Hebrews 4:15). So, are we all doomed? No, because Jesus who lived a perfect life became the once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) dying for our sins, for our mistakes. Do we automatically receive forgiveness for our mistakes because of the sacrifice of Jesus? No, we must believe (John 3:16) that God has done this for us and receive Jesus (John 1:12) as our personal Savior.
We have been given the clues, very obvious clues – all we have to do is follow them.
(Where did we come from? How shall we live? What happens after we die? In the Bible, God provides us with helpful clues.)