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Jay Graham Why can’t we simply grow up into adulthood, have a way to make a living, establish a home, grow old, and eventually pass from this life and consider a life such as this a success without ever turning to God? Because there is more to our lives than the physical world. Granted, we are tempted strongly to accept the physical as everything, but in reality our life is much much more. So the question remains, “Why must we respond to God?” This question is one that demands an answer, especially in the light of our present society. There are many that refuse the very idea of a Creator and accordingly they refuse the idea of their own accountability. It is an easy thing today to attempt to dismiss God, and therefore turn to man’s wisdom for the answers to our lives. But in this philosophy we fall into the very trap the Apostle Paul spoke of in Romans 1:25. Yes, this question demands an answer. We must respond to God because He is our Creator and accordingly we have a grave accountability toward Him as such. Paul teaches in Acts 17:26-28 that God created us so that we might “grope for Him and find Him”. We are created to serve God and therefore glorify Him. Later in Acts 17:30-31, Paul reminds us that God, “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." For this reason, we must respond to God. We must respond to God, for we all have sinned and fallen short of His glory, and our sin will inevitably lead us to death (eternal separation from God), as taught in Romans 3:23; 6:23. In conjunction with this divine principle, we cannot remove our own sin, therefore, we must turn to God and His grace for help. That is why our Creator sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the price for us. Jesus did something we could not do for ourselves. Yes, we must indeed respond to our Creator, for without Him, we will be judged guilty before God and sentenced to eternal punishment, (2 Thes. 1:9). But by the grace of God, He has provided an answer for us, and He only asks that we turn to Him.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
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