October 1, 2026
In Isaiah 1:18, we read, “'Come now, and let us reason together,' says the Lord, 'though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'” Albert Einstein once stated that a teacher should teach students to think (reason) and the rest would take care of itself. That should have been, and in many cases was, the goal of all good teachers.
Isaiah was trying to tell the Israelites that they had sinned against God, as every person on earth has. But he was also reminding them that God forgives and provides a way out of deserved punishment. Further, over in Isaiah, God talks about His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus had not been born, but He always existed as God the Son, and He was always anticipated in God’s Word. In Isaiah 53:5, we are told, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
That verse could not be referring to anyone except Jesus, the Christ. It predates God’s manifestation of His plan of redemption for sinful mankind. The Lord has always provided prophets and preachers to proclaim His grace and love of people. There are, of course, false prophets and false preachers. We have many of them today. Most of them are easily recognized by their solicitation of money.
However, there are some very good servants who are loving and sincere. They care to try to get believers and unbelievers to “reason together” and repent in order to “get right” with God. Additionally, one has to be very careful to find the right church that has the right preacher, one who is godly and proclaims God’s truth from His Word. The one thing that makes people gullible enough for charlatan preachers to succeed is ignorance of God’s Word, the Bible. It is most unfortunate that people in general no longer spend enough time in the Word to know much of it. Some never read the Bible at all.
Another problem that we are seeing more of today is the lack of prayer. Many of our forebears spent hours in prayer daily. Today, most people spend minutes, if any time at all. This is most unfortunate. I think the reason for this is that so many people fail to attend church. Many no longer even believe in God. How very unfortunate for our society and country!
God wants people, especially Christians, to assemble. He made it clear in Hebrews 10:25. Here, He tells us, through the author, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The “Day” could be referring to the “Day of the Lord,” in which all will be judged. Several commentators consider it Judgment Day. Others think it was referring to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. At any rate, we are advised to “trust and obey.” And “obey” obviously includes attending church. Too bad many Christians, like the unbelievers, choose disobedience today. That accounts for empty entire pews in many of our churches on the Lord’s Day.
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Ralph Fudge is the pastor of Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church in Coolidge, Ga., and has a Master’s degree in theology from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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