Fugitive on the Run — E.A. Johnston

Cain, the First Fugitive from God

In Genesis chapter 4 we read of the first murder, where Cain slew his brother Abel, and God told Cain, The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.

When thou tellest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And that's the title of my message today, friends. Fugitive on the run.

Humanity’s Exile and Flight from a Holy God

Because ever since fallen man was kicked out of paradise because of sin, man has been a fugitive on the run from a holy God. Years ago I was standing on the range of a golf course hitting practice balls, and standing next to me was a big man who cussed a lot.

In fact, every time he hit a golf ball, he took God's name in vain. Obscenities were flying out of this man's mouth every time he opened it. Finally, I turned to him. Can I ask you a question, I asked.

Sure, he said. I looked up at him and said, How is your relationship with God? He smiled a big grin and replied, Fine. I have a great relationship with God. I leave him alone, and he leaves me alone. That's what the big boy said.

The False Gods and Excuses of Humanity

Men are fugitives from God because they stand under His condemnation awaiting the sentencing of the law. Those who don't believe in God feel no need of Him. Those who have other gods, like success and wealth, fail to recognize the one true God.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are two of the richest men in the world, and they don't believe in God because money is their God. The God of the Bible is an almighty God, omnipotent and omnipresent, and all-powerful and all-sufficient.

God is righteous, God is holy, and God is true. But men make excuses to try and outrun God. They say God doesn't exist, or religion is just a sham, or at the most a crutch. But you can't escape God, friends.

God’s Inescapable Reach

In Amos 9, 2 we read, Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them. Though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down. We see that man can't outrun God because he's got a long reach.

Whether man tries to slither down to hell or climb up to heaven, God will take him and bring him down. In Amos 9, 8 we read, Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom. Man can't outrun God because God has excellent eyesight.

There is nowhere to hide where he can't find you. Man is a fugitive on the run from God, and he thinks he can sin all he wants to and get away with it. But we read in Amos 9, 9,. For lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve.

Divine Sifting and Accountability for Sin

Yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. What this means, friends, is that God will sift out every evil thing because he keeps detailed records on every one of us. Not one deed will pass by his judgment.

For although man thinks now that he's getting away with sin, a day is fast approaching where he'll be held accountable and judged for his sin because you can't outrun God and get by. When Nietzsche died, he found out that God wasn't dead.

When Helen Reddy died, she found out that God wasn't a woman. When Voltaire and Stephen Hawkins died, they found out that God existed after all as they met him as their judge. Man is but a fugitive on the run from a holy God, and the chase will end one day, one of two ways.

Surrender or Judgment

Man will either surrender to a sovereign savior and cry out, I can't resist him any longer, or man will run as far as he can away from God until death lays hold of him, and then they will meet God as their judge.

But either way, you can't outrun God and get by.