The coming Judgment is something we all face as human beings. All humanity can be divided into two groups of people who will face God’s judgment. These two groups are very different. For the “UNSAVED” Group, Judgment is an event to be feared in the worst possible way, for it leads to “Eternal Death.” However, for those who are in the “CHRISTIAN” Group (true Believers in The Lord Jesus Christ) this is not an event to be feared but, an event to be welcomed with positive anticipation – even joyful expectation and excitement! Therefore, it becomes of utmost importance as to which of the two groups we belong – the “SAVED” group or the “UNSAVED” group. I am so glad that I am a part of the “SAVED” group and have the promise of ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN. IN order to be a part of this “SAVED” group, we must be “changed”, we must be made a “NEW CREATION” in Christ Jesus – we must be “SAVED.”
The very important question becomes, ‘HOW CAN WE BE SAVED FROM OUR “LOST CONDITION?” Let’s take a few minutes to explore that question and find God’s answers. First, let’s be sure we understand just what it means to be a “Christian” – to become a “Saved person.”
You see, for all of us who are Christian, we have truly accepted Jesus Christ into our heart and life. We must “Trust” in Him – “Believe” in Him and on him, and “receive” Him into our heart and life in ORDER TO BECOME A “SAVED PERSON” and thereby gain “ETERNAL LIFE” IN HEAVEN.
First, we must understand that we are born into this earthly existence as a “sinner.” We didn’t choose this for ourselves, it was “chosen” for us by our “ancestors” (Adam and Eve) back in the Garden of Eden when both of them made the wrong choice and permitted sin to enter into this world. In this singular act, Adam and Eve chose “Death” over “Life” and passed “Sin” and “Death” down to all their “offspring.” No, you and I did not choose this! This decision was made long ago for us by Adam and Eve. Therefore, all of us are born into a “State” or “Condition” of sin resulting in Eternal death. And, unless there is “MADE A WAY” for us to escape this sinful state, we are bound for Eternity in hell – “ETERNAL DEATH.”
Praise GOD! He made “A WAY!” You see, Jesus Christ took all of our sins upon Himself almost 2000 years ago at the cross of Calvary and He paid for all of them with His Life and His Blood. Repeat this sentence to yourself so you can hear yourself say it. “JESUS CHRIST PAID FOR ALL SIN, FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY.” “JESUS CHRIST PAID FOR ALL MY SIN!”
Yes, JESUS CHRIST was the “Perfect Sacrifice” and He fully paid sin’s debt for all of us. As a result, we have the opportunity to “ESCAPE HELL” and “ATTAIN HEAVEN” by “CHOOSING JESUS.” We read these Words of Jesus Himself in John 3:14-18 (14) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 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. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” This beautiful scripture is God’s greatest “News of Salvation” that we could possibly hope to hear. Note the “WHOSOEVER” statement. Salvation is available to everyone who will receive it and believe in (and receive) Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord! God excludes no one! Remember, JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR ALL SIN, FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME (past, present, and future). When Jesus Christ stated on the cross, “It is Finished,” He was making a statement of victory! He had paid sin’s debt in full! In obedience to The Father, He had once for all time won His victory over the devil, over demons, over death and over hell itself!
For us to “participate in this victory,” we must become a “Christian.”
To become a “Christian” – a “True Believer” – “A Child of God,” we must accept and receive this free “Gift of Salvation” offered in Jesus Christ! It is not forced upon us! We must make Jesus our choice by the exercise of our “free will” to believe in Jesus Christ and to receive Him into our heart and life as Savior and Lord! Again, God always honors our ability of free choice that He instilled in us. He will never violate our ability to make “our choice” of our own “free-will.” For all human beings, whether we go to hell or to heaven depends on our choice!
Let me use an illustration. If I made a $100,000.00 deposit in the bank in your name and tell you that it is available to you to draw out at any time and you refused to believe me and took no action to withdraw the money, then it is of no value to you and you receive absolutely no benefit from it. Now, let’s suppose that some “evangelical” person came to you and said yes it is true, there is $100,000.00 deposited in the bank in your name, you should go and accept it. Still, you refused to believe it and refused to take any action about it. Even though the money is there in the bank in your name, it is of no value to you because you do not accept it. God’s Plan of Salvation is like this. He has “put on deposit” your “personal salvation in your name” and it is available to you free of any charge. All you have to do is believe that it is true, accept it, and receive it – to accept and receive the Person of Jesus Christ. Please keep in mine that it is not enough to believe that it is there “in the bank” so to speak. For it (salvation) to be of value, you must believe, AND ACCEPT, AND RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR LIFE! Sadly, as Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (KJV) This must be among the saddest statement of all time, ”few there be that find it” even though it (Salvation) is free and available to everyone most refuse to believe it and accept it.
God desires that everyone (all) come to a saving knowledge of JESUS CHRIST. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Yes, God desires that everyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. But, not everyone does! This is because when God created man, He made Him with the ability of “Free Choice” and God will never interfere with man’s free choice. Therefore, man is free to choose to accept Jesus Christ or to reject Him. And, Therefore, it is the person (every human being) who by choosing Jesus Christ or rejecting Him, chooses Eternal Life (Heaven) or Eternal Death (Hell). God sends no one to hell!! We all choose for ourselves either heaven or hell!!
In the Words of Jesus Himself, we note that He is the “Only Way” to Heaven – to gain “Eternal Life.” Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” KJV
Again, in the Words of Jesus Himself, we find that only a few choose The Way of Salvation (Jesus Christ). In Matthew 7:13-14, we read, (13) “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” KJV
And once again, in the words of Jesus in John 10:7-11 we read, (7) “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (8) All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
And finally, The Holy Spirit bears witness to the fact that Jesus is the only way to salvation in Acts 4:10-12 where we read these words coming through the Apostle Peter, (10) “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Yes, dear one, salvation can be found in Only One Person – The Person of The Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus, ALONE, is The WAY, The DOOR, The NARROW WAY, The SAVIOR OF MANKIND! Dear one, Christianity is not just another religion, it is a ‘RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” He must come in and dwell in our hearts as Savior and Lord!
As The Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostle Peter in I Peter 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” KJV
By Choosing Jesus Christ and receiving Him into our heart and life, we become “Christians,” “Children of God,” “Citizens of Heaven,” As Peter declared in I Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” KJV
Finally, one may well ask, If Jesus paid for all sin, for all men; if salvation is available to all; if God desires that everyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; then why isn’t everyone saved? The answer is very simple, yet very sad. Remember, that God created man with the freedom to choose. Therefore, every person must choose or reject Jesus. By not choosing Jesus, one rejects Jesus. Choosing Jesus must be a positive, conscious, deliberate choice of each person in order for that person to become a Christian (a True Believer in Jesus Christ – A Child of God) and thereby gain Eternal Life in Jesus and a Home in Heaven for Eternity. Failure to choose Him is a choice to continue in one’s state or condition of sin and thus spend an eternity in Hell!
Before I leave this subject I feel the need to point out that the Bible says that many will be deceived into “thinking” that they are saved and on their way to Heaven when in fact, they are headed straight for hell! Again, in the Words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” KJV Amazingly, these people (sinners who are “pretending Christians”) who try to defend themselves at the Great White throne Judgment, point to their “works” done in the “name of Jesus.” Jesus doesn’t argue with them, He simply says, “I never knew you: Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” These poor, deceived souls thought their “much works” would get them into heaven. Note the use of the word, “many.” Also, remember that in Matthew 7:14 Jesus said, “and few there be that find it.” (The “Narrow Way” that is Jesus Christ!) This gives us much cause for concern to make very sure – to make certain, of our own salvation.
Dear reader, this subject of personally choosing (or rejecting) the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is life’s most important decision for every human being living on this earth. This singular decision determines where you will spend eternity – in Heaven or hell! What is your decision? I pray that you have already chosen Jesus Christ!
If not, I pray that the Holy Spirit will at this very moment convict you of your “lost condition” and lead you to the all-important decision to accept Jesus Christ into your life and thereby gain ETERNAL LIFE in HIM AND SPEND AN ETERNITY “TRULY LIVING” IN HEAVEN.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Pastor J. Gilbert Hammond