The world is full of so many people! Our life is spent interacting with people. History reveals so much about people. Our thoughts of the future have to include more people. As our text reveals, all people are going to be gathered together before God. Their destinies will be decided by the decisions and actions during their lives. Their final destiny will be eternal sorrow or eternal joy. So, people should be an important subject to us. Before we can talk about how to interact with them, we better try to understand them.
What are people?
(Remember, this includes you!)
I. They are made in the image of God. See Genesis 1:26-31 cp. Psalm 8:4-8. Respect that image as you would respect a picture of your father.
II. They are deeply affected by sin. Definition of Total Depravity: The corruption of sin extends to every part of man’s nature, including all the faculties of his being. There is nothing in man that can commend him to a righteous God. (from Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, pg. 164). Be on guard. Sinners are dangerous and unpredictable. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment. See Romans 3:9-20; Isaiah 2:22, 53:6, 64:6; Jeremiah 13:23, 17:9-10.
III. They are objects of God’s love. God loves people more than anything else in His creation.See John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:1-7; Titus 3:3-7; Psalm 107:1-43
IV. They are objects of Satan’s hatred and wrath. Names: “Satan” = “Enemy or “Adversary” – “Devil” = “Accuser.” Satan hates God and wants to attack Him through defiling and destroying those who are made in His image. Satan also is bitter against man, to whom God would show mercy, grace and redemption. See his attack in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and on Job (Job 1 & 2). See also I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10-12.
V. They are in great need / great danger. Ultimately, there are only two kinds of people in the world:
Believer or Unbeliever (John 3:18); Saved or Lost & Perishing (Romans 1:16-18; I Corinthians 1:18; II Corinthians 4:3-4; I John 5:12); Wheat or Tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43); Sheep or Goats (Matthew 25:31-33, & etc). Don’t get distracted by other profiles of people that the world creates (race, nationality, culture, economic status, intellect, physical appearance and strength, politics, etc).
Man is in a great crisis. His destiny will be either heaven or hell. Nothing else really matters.
See Psalm 1:1-6; 9:17; Proverbs 8:15-24; John 3:36; Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31; Romans 6:23, 10:9-15; I John 5:12.
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