Fast forward just over a thousand years. Picture what is going on, the imagery is shocking. The horror is chilling and yet Hollywood makes light of the event. It is an event! It is far from a “Coming Attraction”. There is nothing attractive about the final judgment by Jesus Christ on all those who believe “their deeds” are adequate to save them, all those so consumed with life that they ignore the reality of death. Many still deny the existence of God – too bad. Just look at what the Bible says about that one…
Psalms 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is NO God’…”
…The Deceiver [1] has been successful at capturing your mind. Apart from God’s grace every man, woman, and child are prone to being deceived.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick…”
Genesis 8:21 “…the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on…”
Romans 1:18 Over the years it becomes easier to “…suppress the truth in unrighteousness”.
Think YOUR righteousness is sufficient to grant you access to heaven and all that God offers as a FREE GIFT? Think again. “…THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE”. [2]
Don’t be distracted by the times in which you live. It is painfully easy to become consumed with what is going on around you. A deadly virus, vaccines, masks, riots, fraudulent and deceitful actions on the part of many. Money problems accelerate…maybe you have enough to keep you comfortable, maybe you are very uncomfortable because you are lacking. Maybe a drink or two will help, some pills or “legalized marijuana” might numb the pain for a time. These effects are merely temporary, reality will return all too soon.
By the way, how is your conscience treating you these days? Any feelings of guilt? Any regrets? Pile up all your good deeds, they are sure to make you FEEL better about life, feel better about YOU, unfortunately they are useless to save, but they will turn up on your list of “deeds” so you can justify your decision before the Lord.
What will your explanation be?
Where will your hope rest at that very moment in time?
An expression is made, “born once – die twice, born twice – die once”. Let me explain. Everyone born is destined to die, that is the fact of life regardless of what technology might have to offer down the road.
Hebrews 9:27 “…it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…”
Death is separation – separation of the soul from the body. Got it? Spiritual death is man being separated from God. Man is born separated from God and helpless to personally do anything about it. An accurate description is that you are physically alive but spiritually dead. Your body/life is intact though your relationship to God is fractured. Sorry, but that is what Adam left you for an inheritance. [3] The good news is that you can opt for a relationship with God on the basis of His work on your behalf – Jesus Christ died on a cross over two-thousand years ago to pay that price.
He died for you and for me…
He died for your sins and mine…
He died so that we would not have to rely on our useless “deeds” to save us…
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ paves the way to accept or reject the gift made available to you. Accept the gift and the spiritual death part of your life is mended, your relationship with God is restored. You have now been born twice and when you pass from this life to the next it will be to heaven and all that God has prepared for you.
Reject the free gift and life goes on…until is goes on no longer, but you will return one day to face the Lord as he questions you on your “deeds”. All those “good deeds” you have done are recorded. They reside in “books” as stated in Revelation 20:12.
You’ll be examined for YOUR deeds…maybe a chance to explain yourself…
Will your explanation be sufficient?
What will be your answer?
You’ve developed a wonderful ability to trust yourself throughout life…
But will that be “good” enough? Or…
Will you be turned away at the last minute into ETERNAL TORMENT?
Just how much good do you think is required?
Can you show me a Bible verse to justify your thinking?
Why not take advantage of God’s simple provision?
Here it comes…
Acts 16:31 “…Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Immediately!
John 5:24 “…he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life”.
It is at that point that born twice, die once makes more sense. Born once – physically, born again – spiritually and you immediately pass from spiritual death to life. It is a simple as placing your faith/trust in God for the gracious gift He has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”.
Be that whosoever…
Don’t like that option? I’ll continue the story I began with…
Revelation 20:12-15 “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
1 Corinthians 15:22 “…in Adam all die…BUT…in Christ all will be made alive”.
Choose life, choose Jesus Christ!
[1] If you have not seen it, please read my post, The Deceiver.
[2] Romans 3:10
[3] 1 Corinthians 15:22 “…in Adam all die…”