Who Loves Ya, Baby?
By Dennis Huebshman
From 1973 to 1978, there was a TV show called “Kojak”. Telly Savalas played a New York Police Detective who was definitely not the normal vision of a hero-type Detective. His main trademark was always having a lollipop handy. Sales definitely increased for lollipops during the series, and especially Tootsie Roll Pops. Savalas had a shaved head, nice suit and outer coat, and he wore a fedora-type hat. But the one line that is still remembered today by anyone who ever saw the series, was “Who Loves Ya, Baby?”. It was meant to give hope to others who were distraught or depressed; to let them know someone actually cared.
There was also a song in 1975 with that title by the 4 Seasons, but that one was about a romantic liaison, and not for this message.
Looking at the title of the “saying”, who do we think of when it comes to our relationships? First and foremost, would be spouses and parents. They would be followed by brothers and sisters, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, friends, work and school acquaintances, and on and on thorough all normal relationships.
Relationships today are changing, and not necessarily for the better. Many “family” ties are becoming strained, compliments of increased knowledge and technology as given in Daniel 12:4. With this technology, our youths and many adults are addicted to cell phones, video games and social media. Family communication has decreased significantly. Drugs of numerous variations are readily available, even in the lower school grades, for people to “escape” into their own fantasy worlds.
Alternate lifestyles, that were once concealed from the public, have “come out”, and are being accepted more and more by the public. While it’s still among a small portion of the total population, a movement of “Christian haters” has emerged from this group, that is gaining popularity. They are influencing the majority, and many evangelical church organizations are seeing splits in their congregations because some believe these lifestyles are no longer an abomination to God. They somehow believe that because we have a “Loving Father” (John 3:16), He now accepts any lifestyle that brings “love” to the participants. They are distorting what “true love” is to the Father.
False prophets – any and all who do not present the True Word of the Bible – are taking passages, and putting meanings to them that were not meant to be. One example is Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (emphasis mine)
This verse has been used to say that all sexual relations are okay; when it actually refers to our relationship with the Father. Romans 2:11, “For there is no partiality with God.” God will accept all who call on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13), but as a “condition” to be forgiven and receive salvation through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. It has nothing to do with man’s perverted sexual views.
Pure biblical relationships such as David and Jonathan, as well as Jesus and the 12 Apostles have been tied to the “gay” movement. Again, satan is using every sick kind of perverted influence to convince people that God has changed His mind. By the way, the warnings in Revelation 22:18-19, about adding to and taking away from God’s word, will be applied in full at the White Throne Judgment.
Through the blood of our Lord and Savior at Calvary, forgiveness is there for any who truly accepts Jesus. To continue on the pathway of sin without truly repenting, is the same as rejecting the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life with the Savior. All will sin and fall short (Romans 3:23), but to refuse to change lifestyles to honor the Lord, is the same as only accepting Jesus “part-way”, and therefore not accepting Him at all.
No one will be completely free from sinning on this earth, and God knows this. However, to “twist” His words to be “convenient” for false prophets and antichrists in their “ear-tickling”, but non-condemning messages, and is unacceptable. He is patient and just, and wants no one to fail (2 Peter 3:9), but that only goes so far. As Jesus instructed the woman caught in adultery, “Go and Sin No More.” (John 8:11b) He knew she could not live out the rest of her life totally sinless, but He let her know that forgiveness was available. He was telling her to change her lifestyle, and do her best to avoid that sin again. By the way, it has been pointed out in the past, that the man involved was not brought forward with her. In those days, both parties of adultery were to be stoned. This was a set-up against Jesus, plain and simple.
The purest form of love we will ever know is the Love of the Father, which includes Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Trinity). We hear many times about John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”
This is wonderful, because God is providing a solution for our sins that we cannot, nor could we ever, provide on our own. However, most messages do not include John 3:18, which is just as critical, “He that believes on Him is not condemned; but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” An old saying applies here, “Know Jesus, Know God; No Jesus, No God!” This really knocks out the “all ways to heaven” argument.
Romans 5:8-9, “But God demonstrates His own Love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, because we have been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from God’s Wrath.” (That will be the Tribulation 7-year period.)
Regardless of our past, the Father is willing to accept us and forgive us if we will ask for it. Also, we must believe Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12); and have faith that His death, burial and resurrection conquered death and sin for us all.
1 John 3:8-9, “The one who practices sin is of the devil (makes no attempt to repent or change), because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was revealed; to destroy the works of the devil. (9) Everyone that has been fathered by God (called out to the Lord to be saved), does not practice sin, (but being human we will slip) because God’s seed resides in Him (the Holy Spirit within us), and thus is not able to sin because he has been fathered by God.”
1 John 1:8-10 is there to tell us we can be forgiven when (not if) we slip and sin by confessing and asking for forgiveness. God is always faithful and just to forgive us, and afterward, that sin is gone forever from our lives as far as the Father is concerned. This is for those who have accepted His Son, not the ones who are still of the world.
With all that the Father has provided for us, when He could have just as easily told us we’re on our own; the question at the beginning of this message has been truly answered. “Who Loves Ya, Baby? Ultimately, it’s the Lord God Jehovah, Creator of the Heavens and the earth; Our Heavenly Father – that’s Who!
Therefore, any who rejects His Son, also rejects Him, and He is righteous and just to allow freedom of choice. To force our acceptance would not be an act of Love. He sends no one to Hell. It was made for satan and his demons, but will be occupied by others who rejected God before Calvary, and have or will reject Jesus from Calvary, and through the millennium. Anyone there has made that choice on their own, and this includes those who say they are “good”, but just don’t want to accept the Savior.
Jesus loved us all with the Cross. He willingly died for all who would accept Him (John 10:18). He has gone ahead to Heaven to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3), and will return soon to take all believers Home with Him. Afterward, this world will receive punishment (God’s Wrath) like never before for those who didn’t believe in Him.
Call on Him today. To die without the Savior is a definite appointment at the Great White Throne. There will be no Grace and Mercy there.
Maranatha!