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HIS voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:30-32)
Man is born into a world of natural laws and forces. The most commonly understood natural law of the world is that of gravity. It affects every material entity of the world. From the moment of birth (and even before) the law of gravity pulls downward on our bodies. It is not necessary to struggle to fall from a high place to a lower one. Our souls, born in trespasses and sin, a like the deadwood of the mountain stream being carried helplessly to the lowest point. Water always seeks the path of least resistance in conformity to gravity. This gravity of which I speak is a physical force, but now allow me to discuss that force that has the selfsame nature of gravity in the spiritual realm – sinful lust and desires.
The forceful draw of the world on our souls begins after birth, and our normal tendency is to seek the path of least resistance. That path is referred to in Holy Scripture as the Broad Way: 13 ¶Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: It is a lot easier, spiritually to travel the broad way because:
1. It is a downward path that requires very little conscious effort to travel;
2. It is broad enough to accommodate all partakers who choose to travel that way;
3. It is a way filled with like-minded company of sinners;
4. No one will ridicule you for traveling this broad way;
5. It conforms to the downward draw of spiritual gravity.
But its end is destruction and condemnation!
In order to overcome the physical law of gravity, a countervailing force must be introduced that is able to defy the gravitational force of the core of the earth. One means is by propulsion such as engineered in the engines of the rocket. Another is Bernoulli's principle - a key concept in fluid dynamics that relates pressure, speed and height. It is this principle that allows airfoils to lift large aircraft into the skies in defiance of gravity.
It takes ingenuity and effort to defy the laws of gravity, and that is why many choose the broad way that leads downward.
In the spiritual realm, a great force overcomes the spiritual gravity which constantly pulls down on the soul of man – God Almighty in His Triune nature. God is a great magnet that draws His elect ever upward. Just how can we compare God to a magnet? A magnet only draws metals of like natural characteristics. An iron magnet will attract objects made of iron, or which contain iron alloys. When a non-magnetic mass of iron remains in close contact with magnetized iron, it, too, will become a magnet. How does this illustrate the drawing power of God?
Our Lord knows our hearts. He recognizes those who metal is aligned with His Holy will. He draws such ones to Himself just as a magnet draws like elements to itself. The object being drawn MUST respond to the drawing power of that spiritual Magnet.
When Christ returns, how shall he decipher the wicked from His chosen people? Those who do not respond to the drawing power of that Divine Magnet have base metals not related to His and they cannot be lifted up by His coming. Our spiritual magnetic poles must be aligned with His, else we are left below.
Jesus died on the cross suspended between heaven and earth. He was both Man and God. He has drawn all men to Him by that cross; but, many are drawn by a vindictive hate rather than a genuine love for the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. One great issue of our day is the deliberate expungement of the name of Jesus Christ from all public recognition. There is little objection to Buddha, to the Hindu gods, to allah, or to the ancient superstitions of former cultures. Why? It is because Christ is exclusive.
He is the Way – the only Way – and the only means by which men can be truly drawn up to Him is by way of the new birth. The new birth reflects a complete change in character, direction, and natural proclivities. This, the world cannot accept. It is not a works-based religion, and this defies every other religion. None other has a God that died for them. None other is based upon love and not force. None other has an infallible Scripture that has existed from the moment of recorded time.
Only those whose wills have been made to conform to the will of God will be found defying the law of spiritual gravity as they mount the sparcely-p0pupated Narrow Way that leads up to life everlasting.
