Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? Matthew 27:17
We shake our heads at the stupid choices people make sometimes. Take the example of teenagers who, in order to appear ‘cool’ in front of their peers, take up the filthy smoking habit. For a brief time, they win the approval of a small group of equally foolish teens. But the long-term results are disastrous, as they lock themselves into a habit that steals large amounts of their money, destroys their health and shortens their life, bars them from many employment opportunities, and brands them as social misfits in a society that increasingly rejects smoking as acceptable behaviour. The choice is clear, just as the choice that Pilate set before the Jewish leaders was clear, but the foolish make the wrong choice.
The contrast between the choices Pilate was offering could not have been more stark. Nothing good could be said about Barabbas, a cruel and dangerous criminal who had much blood on his hands and who should have already been executed. But Jesus, Who Pilate had already determined was guilty of no crimes, was remarkable for His gentleness, His peacefulness, and His compassion to the poor and suffering. But the religious leaders, when faced with such a choice, looked only for a short-term benefit (or so they thought), and reaped a long-term tragedy that dogs them to this day. Gospel workers are constantly frustrated as they seek to bring the message to people who opt for sports, entertainment, and pleasure rather than attending Gospel meetings. Assembly elders are discouraged by young Christians who are more attracted to the entertainment programs of denominational churches rather than to the divine principles relative to of God’s Assembly. Christian parents are heartbroken to see their children embrace the popular teachings of moral laxity and evolution rather than the truths of Scripture taught at the family altar. The choices are there, and too often the wrong choice is selected for what is perceived to be short-term gain.
There is a choice that faces us today, a choice that is illustrated by the options Pilate offered to the Jews. Even the Jews who opted to set Barabbas free knew that he was very wicked. Choosing Barabbas was a bad move, and they knew it. But today, the bad choice is often made to look not so bad. For example, immorality is now widely accepted as premarital cohabitation that ‘everybody is doing’. Homosexuality that used to be an abomination is now just an alternative lifestyle. Christians are opting for soft attitudes toward these sinful things rather than the pure truth of holiness as presented by Jesus Christ.
Do we foolishly choose today to soften our stance on what God calls sin? Or do we wisely choose to agree with God and the truth of the Bible? -Jim MacIntosh