Man’s Hunger and God’s Gift
Lou Tiscione, Pastor, Weatherford Presbyterian Church (PCA)
The natural man’s questions of life, often called his hunger, are varied and complicated, yet rooted in one basic category, “self”. We even have false preachers giving the means by which everyone can have their best life now and satisfy their hunger. Sadly, one may have their best life now, still be hungry, and live for eternity in hell. Jesus said, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
In other words, having self at the center of your life is the same as looking for answers in all the wrong places. Satisfying yourself by looking into yourself is a hopeless disaster.
Man’s only hope is the gospel of God which is the person and work of Jesus Christ. However, no man is able to find his life through the gospel. We are unable to do so because we are spiritually dead. Jesus said, “the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19). All people are born dead in sin. God must do a miracle for a man to see who he really is.
First, the gospel is God’s good news, the pearl of great price. Second, the gospel has revealed content. First Corinthians 15:3-4 is a precise declaration of the gospel: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” Further, the Apostle Paul wrote that he received the gospel. It was revealed to him. He then delivered the gospel as his first order of business. He knew that the gospel is God’s power to save all who believe (Romans 1:16). In addition, Christ not only died for the sins of His people, but He lived a perfect life, accomplishing what Adam failed to do.
Third, the gospel revealed in the Bible must be believed and relied upon, leading the sinner to repent. This is the heart of the problem. Natural man is unable to believe, turn from his sin, and place his trust in Jesus. All men are born spiritually dead. The sin of Adam is inherited by every person. Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
The comparison between man’s physical and spiritual parts creates a profound word picture. A dead body is unable to move or do anything. So it is with our spiritual lives. We are naturally incapable of doing anything to satisfy our hunger. The natural man doesn’t know that he is lost on his way to hell, or for what he’s hungry. God must cause a man to see. It is not by our ability or our wills, but God’s sovereign will by which the truth can be seen and believed.
Jesus said that unless the Father draws a man or woman, he or she cannot come to Him. The word that is translated draw also means drag. The idea expressed in John 6:44 is that God must cause an individual to believe in Jesus.
Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, revealed that any who are in Christ are new creations. He also said that faith comes from hearing through the word of Christ. Likewise it is not the eloquence of the preacher that brings life. But the Spirit of God in concert with the word of God by which He raises the dead.
The truth of man’s condition and his absence of hunger for God can be paraphrased. Men are not hungry for salvation because they don’t think that they’re lost. Only God causes a man or woman to see how desperate and hopeless he or she is. Only God draws a man or woman to Himself. Only God raises the dead to be able to see His Kingdom. Men are not naturally hungry for the gospel.
Yet, those who know and receive the gospel have been brought to their knees by God. Has God pierced your heart with the truth of the gospel? Have you cried out to Him, “What shall I do to be saved?” Have you sung from your heart, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see“ (John Newton, “Amazing Grace”)?
The answer to man’s hunger is God’s gift! Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone!
