Where will you spend your eternity? Part 3

The two previous articles served as a herald for the conclusion on the subject - which is the crux of the topic. I felt impelled to share on this topic as I was personally reminded of the essence of life, its true meaning and the reality of its passing here on earth. Not just that alone but the daunting significance of living life without Christ and its eternal consequences. Living life without Christ is not merely relating to having not accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour but it is also pertinent to being born-again but still living life without the Author of Salvation. How does that happen? Could it be possible to be born again and still be counted amongst the lost? Yes.

When most of us believers are born-again and transmuted into the Kingdom of God’s dear son; we are usually determined, focused and yearning for more of God but unfortunately as we continue in this hard knock odyssey of valleys and mountains; we begin to fail, fall and give up on God and the fullness of His promises in His word. And to be honest everyone falls in one way or the other before God but what becomes a bulwark in our relationship with Him is living from our fallen nature. Proverbs 24:16 states, “For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again…” The emphasis here is on the rising. No matter how many times a righteous man may fall, he [he/she] is called to rise – to repent and to reconcile to God. But for some, being on the ground becomes comfortable; ‘righteous but fallen,’ ‘righteous but living from the ground’ yet Christ has called us to rise when we dare fall. Righteous, professing to be a born again child of God but living in the dusty shoddy grounds of worldly standards. No one is perfect that I know and none walks this Christian life without any hindrances or falls - that I am sure of. But in our state of imperfection we ought to persevere that we may be perfected in Christ. Revelation 3:14-21 is testament to the Lord’s indignant response to living a double standard life.  Verse 15 says, “I know your record of works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Wish you were either cold or hot!” 16. “So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth!” The Lord is simply saying: if you choose to live from the ground live from there but leave my name out of it. And if you are a righteous man, when life tackles you with the trials, tribulations and temptations; when you fall, rise again. Do not stay on the ground! 21. For “He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne…” If you are cold be cold and if you are hot for the gospel of Christ, be hot. Never be in-between. “See, I’m just trying out this Christian thing,” “Man, this Christian thing is hard,” “God will understand,” “I am only human… (Aren’t we all?)” Excuses! Excuses! Excuses! To stay on the ground and live a double standard life.

TO THE BELIEVER

1)        In as much we are allowed to fall, WE SHOULD NOT TAKE GOD’S GRACE FOR GRANTED: Since we live in the cushion of grace, we seemingly take it for granted; offering meagre worship and service to God. By worship and service I refer to offering ourselves, our hearts and our being as worship before God; giving ourselves wholeheartedly to Him.  Hebrews 10:26-31 asserts that if we keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth then what is left for us is judgment and the raging fire (wrath and indignation). It continues to state that the Lord will judge his people and how dreadful it is to fall under the judgment of God. God is merciful and that is saliently noted throughout the word but He is also just.

2)         Workout your salvation: Philippians 2:12 avows, “Work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ.)” Being born again is the rudimentary phase; it is not all there is to the life of Christianity. Working out one’s salvation on a day to day basis is the heart of living in submission and fervent worship before God. Each day requires one to cultivate who they are in Christ, be watchful and circumspect of temptation and anything that may offend God and discredit the name of Christ.

3)        We will be judged: Matthew 12:36 though referring to idle words we speak, declares that we will have to give account before God on judgment day. I do not know about you but the thought of standing before God and accounting for every word and deed is overwhelming. And every time I am reminded of this I am impelled to work out my salvation with reverence for it is a dreadful thing to fall under God’s judgment. Rather I die to self now, crucify my flesh and carry my cross now whilst I have the chance than to face God’s wrath.

TO THE UNBELIEVER 

1)        There is only one way in which you can be saved: And this way is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. It is true that we have been given freewill to choose what we want to believe in but there are consequences. Eternal life is found only in Christ. Acts 4:11-12 states, “This Jesus is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone]. AND THERE IS SALVATION IN AND THROUGH NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY AND IN WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.”  There is no name under heaven in which men must be saved except the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Simply meaning you can choose to believe in anything you want and relegate the gospel of Christ to be of no significance but at the end of it all whether you acknowledge it or not; Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the only saviour!

2)         Once you die there is no turning back: Hebrews 9:27 says, “And just as it is appointed for [All] men once to die, and after that the [certain] judgment.” We are all going to egress earth that is a fact. And after death, all men of every race, stature, gender will be judged by God according to their works on earth. The subject of Heaven and Hell is not a myth but a reality. What you choose to do with your life now will determine where you spend your eternity, so choose wisely. It is not enough to be a ‘nice person’ ‘do philanthropic work’ ‘be kind’ or ‘save the planet’, that does not guarantee your place in heaven. Your place in heaven is guaranteed by acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord and the willingness to forsake your will; bringing it under His submission and authority. John 14:6 echoes this stating, “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by [through] Me.”

This article is a call to both the believer and unbeliever to surmount all obstacles holding us back from experiencing the love of Christ in all its fullness. To the believer: Run the race to finish it. For surely there is a greater reward on the other side of life when our lives are lived in complete obedience and surrender to the Lord. Let us not be distracted by temporal things (2Corinthians 4:18, for the things that are visible are temporal [brief and fleeting] but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting). Let our hearts be ornately filled with heaven. Let our lives be affectionately turned towards heaven because this life here on earth is nothing but borrowed time. Live it in complete reverence for God; cultivating your salvation each day for the glory that waits in heaven and let it be an everyday embellishment of who God is. When you fall, rise! For that is what a righteous man does.

To the unbeliever: The only answer to living life and being fulfilled is through Christ Jesus. Maybe you have everything you’ve ever wanted and you do not see the need for this Jesus I am talking about. But you need Him for eternal life in Heaven. Your good works or money or kindness is not your redemptive ticket into heaven but Jesus is. If you have never known this nor heard it; Jesus loves you! And he does not want your soul to extirpate in hell. He wants you to partake in His glorious inheritance in Heaven, only if you acknowledge Him and permit His lordship over your life. Make the right choice!

I hope you have been blessed.

Much love.

Where will you spend your eternity? Part 2

The last time I wrote, I felt the urge to share on the subject of the afterlife. I briefly touched on the different beliefs regarding the afterlife and plunged extensively into the discussion of heaven; attempting to answer daunting yet pragmatic questions like: “Does heaven exist?” “Who gets to go to heaven?” This of course is one of the most cardinal topics and my bit of understanding on it is not to necessarily cover it in depth as I am sure Theologians would do a much commendable job on it but to highlight certain aspects. As promised, this is will be a continuation.

The weekend I posted the first part of this article; I happened to receive tragic news about the passing away of a childhood friend – in a car accident. It was heart-breaking and emotionally mutilating. I had a hard time coming to terms with it and the memories of his playful, friendly, persistent, down to earth and hardworking persona were not making it any easier. In the midst of the mourning throes, it hit me hard that one may not know the time and day when they will depart earth. And in that moment this topic became so much relevant: “Where will you spend your eternity?” On the very same week, yet another tragic passing was reported; of Dr Miles Munroe. The world was shaken and I am sure people were baffled by the nature and circumstances at which the man of God departed, “How can a man of God die in such a manner?” “Couldn’t God at least warn him not to get on the plane or protect the plane from crashing, surely God is all powerful He could have done that.” This is not to question God and His sovereignty but to emphasize the sensitivity of not knowing the time or day of departure; saved or unsaved. Yes some things the Lord does reveal and some remain undisclosed – known to Him alone. 

In the previous article, it was discussed that I) As human beings we have been given freewill by God; the freedom to choose what we want to believe in. II) There is a destination for the soul beyond physical living called Heaven and Hell. III) Contravening popular claims state that heaven if for a select few yet heaven is for everyone; on condition that an individual gets born-again and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. IV) Christianity is a love relationship between God and His people and not a set of rubrics to follow. V) As beings that have been be granted freewill, our choices have consequences and we will be held accountable for the choices made.

Today my subject is hell; eternal damnation. Mark 9:43 asserts, “And if your hand puts a stumbling block before you and causes you to sin, cut it off! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to go into life [that is really worthwhile] maimed than with two hands to go to hell (Gehenna), into the fire that cannot be put out.” Yikes! Talk about an expedient approach to dealing with sin. Which I believe is hyperbolic to warn of hell’s gruesome experience. Matthew 13:42 affirms that in hell there is weeping, wailing and gnashing (grinding of teeth). There is nothing desirable about hell. From the two passages quoted it is noted that in hell I) There is fire that cannot be put out. II) There is weeping. III) Sorrow and Pain. Imagine experiencing that for forever without any break. I will try and explain ‘forever’ which is quite unfathomable but anyway I’ll attempt. The Bible says in Revelations 1:8, God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. The One Who is, Who Was and Who is to come. He has been before, He is now and He will be. He has always been present and will ever be present. Now Genesis 1:26 stipulates that man is made in the image and likeness of God; made of spirit, soul and body. Since God Is and will ever Be, man also is and will also ever be. That is forever! You will continue to exist even beyond death; in your soul - the soul never dies. I feel like my mind is already getting intertwined by just trying to explain this alone, how much more understanding it? It needs revelation more than knowledge.

Luke 16:19 is a salient passage in chronicling the contrasting images and experiences of heaven and hell. And much more to that, it is evidence that the two places exist - their existence is not a myth. It is about two men, one wealthy and one poor named Lazarus who both die; one going to hell and the other to heaven. I would recapitulate its events but I prefer to relate it as is. Verse 23-31, “23. In Hades he lift up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24. And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame…26. Abraham replied “Between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross from over there to us. And he replied, 27. “Then I beg you send him to my father’s house for I have five brothers – so that he may give [solemn] testimony and warn them, lest they too come into this place of torment” 29. But Abraham said, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear and listen to them.” 30. But he answered, No father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent (change their minds for better and heartily amend their ways with abhorrence of their past sins). 31. He said to him, If they do not hear and listen to Moses and Prophets, neither will they be persuaded and convinced and believe if someone should rise from the dead.”

Significant findings in the passage are that: 1. In hell there is agony and pain from being tormented in the fire (that cannot be put out). This means that possibly all five senses are functioning as they were in the flesh before death; one can feel, touch, hear, see and taste. You are basically alive and experience all the pain but never die – forever! Who would want to go to such a place? 2. There is a chasm fixed, meaning that there is no jumping ship when you are on the other side of life. You can’t change your mind or decide to repent in the afterlife. The only chance you have to make things right is now whilst you live in the flesh, before death. 3. It is unfortunate that most people only choose to discover the reality of heaven and hell when they are already dead and are living in eternity. I’ll explain just now why I say choose. 4. The one way to be redeemed from eternal damnation in hell is to repent of your sins and seek to live a righteous life that will honour God. 5. God has appointed His Prophets (men and women who preach the gospel day and night) therefore there is no excuse. Because We choose not to repent, We disparage the gospel, We dispel that Jesus Christ died for our sins that we might be saved, We choose to live our lives and forsake salvation, and at the end We shall be held accountable for these choices.

If you are interested in knowing more about eternal damnation, maybe this has not been clear or convincing enough; I would suggest a book by Mary K. Baxter titled, “A Divine Revelation of Hell.” This is not to scare or to condemn but it is to warn and to remind every individual reading this that you have a choice between eternal life and death. And this is not to say it is only for those who might not believe but it is also for born-again individuals. Sometimes as Christians we can lose our sense of focus and forget the real reason why we are even saved, why we are called to a life of righteousness therefore in the end forfeiting our eternal glory in heaven. This life is passing and we ought to live with the end in mind. 

My next article will be the closing discussion which is the core of this topic, “where will you spend your eternity?” It will highlight what is expected of a believer and an unbeliever in relation to salvation, living right and acknowledging the truth of the gospel. The first two have been a foundation to breed understanding, and evidently depict the reality of heaven and hell especially for those who may not be familiar with this information.  

Much love, Be blessed