God’s Invitation--Posted 06/16/2006

Isaiah 1:18-20 states, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

God has invited you to partake of His wonderful plan of salvation.

In this text, Isaiah speaks the words of God in urgency.

"Come now..." (emphasis mine)

Look at that word "come".

It's use here gives the idea of walking to a destination.

When you "come" to God, you must leave where you are and GO to Him. God is not able to spiritually "come" to you.

God CANNOT have fellowship with sin.

Man is born into a sinful nature, and must be redeemed from that condition to have a "right" relationship with God.

When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, separation of God's presence and man was introduced. Before that time,
scripture shows in Genesis 3 that God and man had a close relationship with one another, conversing in the cool of the day, in the
garden.

But then entered SIN.

And hence the separation between God and man.

So, in Isaiah you have the invitation by God to all men (and ladies) to "come...".

Where are you now?

Not physically, but spiritually?

Have you gone to where God is, to find what He has for you?

God is willing to deal justly with you... on His terms.

He says in the text, "...let us reason together..."

In other words, let us decide and correct you together.

God wants you to have the best He has to offer.

You may say, "Why do I need God? What can He offer me?"

My friend, in a sinful condition, you are lost without hope. As the text so powerfully puts it, "...your sins are as scarlet and
crimson...". (paraphrased)

Dark and staining in appearance. That is sin. Nothing you do can hide it. Nothing you say can change it. Nothing you think can
eliminate it.

Without a time of "reasoning" with God, sin will stain your life forever.

See a few scriptures concerning man's sinful ways:

Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."

You see, man is at odds with God until he goes to God with a prayer of faith and repentance. Without this step of faith, it is
impossible to live with a hope of being brought into good standing with the Almighty God of Heaven.

But, there IS hope.

God's Word promises hope to all those who come to Him in repentance of sin.

The text says, "If ye be willing and obedient..."

Willing and obedient.

Two words that are hardly popular in today's culture, concerning God.

Willing to partake of His grace and mercy, and obedient to His Word to believers.

Upon fulfilling these requirements, you can have the promise of "...ye shall eat the good of the land:".

You can have all the blessings of God's promises.

Jesus himself said in Luke 11:28, "...Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." (paraphrased)

But my friend, there is judgment to those who reject this invitation from the Lord.

"But if ye refuse and rebel..."

Rejection of God's provision leads to sure destruction. There is absolutely no hope for those who resist God's mercy and grace.

Samuel was compelled by God to tell King Saul in I Samuel 15:23, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath rejected thee from being king."

The text concludes, "...ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

Why would anyone desire to be found in that condition before God?

God is calling...COME.

COME NOW...

II Corinthians 6:2 says,"...behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.)”  (emphasis mine)