Read today’s texts first: Isaiah 1-3; Titus 3
Need evidence for God?
Look at the lives He’s changed!
Look at the lives He’s changed!
Isaiah is like a mini-Bible. Its 66 chapters parallel the 66 books of the Bible, book by book, with a clear division after 39 chapters. The next 27 books contain prophecies of Jesus and themes of salvation foreshadowing the whole New Testament! It is fascinating and so obviously inspired by God, confirming the credibility of not only the original autographs of Scripture but also the process involved in forming the canon.
In the first chapter, we see the effects of sin followed by a promise of future redemption, just like the book of Genesis: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (1:18). The suffering Saviour promised later in Isaiah (eg. ch. 53) will make it possible for sinful man to be fully redeemed.
Paul describes this “washing” to Titus: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour (3:3-6).
Some of the greatest evidence for the truth of God’s Word and the completed work of Jesus is our changed lives. It is so obvious in the place where I serve as chaplain that it will be my topic for a chapel next week. I love hearing the stories of these incredible saints and learning about how God miraculously turned their lives around. “Lord, though the change in my life may have seemed less dramatic than some, there’s no doubt that You turned my dark heart white as snow!”
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