Think of it! Apart from God’s grace, you and I will suffer searing heat, agony, weeping, gnashing of teeth, and darkness for all eternity without hope of escape.
God is gracious to you and to me to warn us about hell. Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in the Bible. His love for you and me moved Him to bring the topic up.
The world is lost. If we gauge our acceptance by God by how many people in this world accept us, we are watching the wrong gauge. The Bible says, “Men will praise you when you do well for yourself.” But that such people “shall never see light.” “A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” [2]
The world delights in immediate gratification and refuses to face the reality of a real heaven and a real hell where human souls continue to live forever. They hate God’s instruction. They cast His Words behind them. They join with thieves in robbing. They join with adulterers in adultery. They slander close friends behind their backs. God is warning the world via the Bible, “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” [3]
We need a new language! A language that communicates love for God and neighbor! A tongue that offers praise to God. A mouth that is guarded from speaking evil because it serves the message of God’s salvation.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” [4]
Let us not follow what seems right. Let us know what is right according to the Bible and do it.
Let us pray the prayer of David as often as we need it...
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” [5]
To be cast from God’s presence is to be cast into hell. The price tag to escape hell and to enter heaven is repentance of sin and faith in God. “I give to You God my sins. Please give me Your Holy Spirit. Please restore to me the joy of your salvation and empower me to teach transgressors your ways that they might be converted unto You.”
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.” [6] We don’t have to be a “somebody” to catch God’s eye. A humble reckoning of self before God and a vocalized request for His help will turn Him toward us. He is merciful. He has compassion on us.
“Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though they join forces, none will go unpunished. In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord, one departs from evil.” [7] God’s mercy and truth are given to those who fear Him enough to say “no” to evil and “yes” to their need of God’s Savior, Jesus Christ.
I identify with the words of Paul. God has revealed His Gospel to me by His Spirit. He empowers me to minister for Him. He graces me to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. [8]
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [and do prayer walks around my neighborhood] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” [9]
Yes, amen, be saved by God’s grace! Be forgiven by God! Be accepted by God! Be empowered by God! Know you have a home in heaven with God when you die because you are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Saved by His merits not your own! Know the width, length, depth and height of Christ’s love for you. Be filled by the Holy Spirit with the fullness of GodI Amen! What a glorious life!
[1] Psalm 49:15
[2] Psalm 49:18-20
[3] Psalm 50:17-23
[4] Proverbs 16:25
[5] Psalm 51:10-13
[6] Psalm 51:17
[7] Proverbs 16:5-6
[8] Ephesians 3:2-8
[9] Ephesians 3:13-19
No comments:
Post a Comment