Someone Cares

My friends,

If you died today, where would you be? This is a question we all must answer, and it's better to do so sooner than later. Death is not something we like to think about, but it is an unavoidable process we will all eventually go through. If you're a sinner who has not made peace with God, you're headed for an eternity of torment and suffering in Hell. Hell, the place God has prepared for the Devil and his angels, is a place of eternal suffering and pain. It is not, as some suggest, a place where God is absent, but rather it is a place filled with God's wrath. Needless to say, this place we call Hell is somewhere no one would choose to spend eternity.

Some people, eager to avoid thinking about Hell as a possible destination for their souls, try to "bypass" Hell in some way or another. There are many intellectual attempts of doing so. Some pretend Hell is not a real place, but insist it's merely "symbolic." Read the story of "The Rich Man and Lazarus" found in Luke and tell me if Hell sounds merely figurative. Read the description of the Lake of Fire and tell me how symbolic Hell appears to be. Others, while admitting Hell is indeed a real location, claim that being there is merely temporary. The thought of being stuck in torment forever is too terrible to bear, so some imagine that, after a period of time, one can leave Hell and enter Heaven.

Other people mistakenly feel that no one will go to Hell. They think God will ultimately save everyone, allowing no one to be lost. "My God," such people say, "would never torture people in Hell." Or, they hold the annihilistic view that the unsaved will simply be obliterated instead of sent to Hell. All of the aforementioned views of Hell are wrong; Hell is a real place filled with suffering and torment where lost souls are tormented night and day by the Living God and their smoke ascends for ever and ever. Fortunately for us sinful people, Hell can be avoided.

But how can I avoid such a terrible place?, you may be asking. Actually, it's quite simple... So simple that a lot of people think it's too good to be true. Wouldn't you like to end up in a place that's Hell's total opposite? A place filled with joy and love? Somewhere where there is no pain, no suffering, no death, no age, and no grief? That place, my friends, is Heaven, and it is readily available at no cost to you. What must you do to become, as we Christians call it, "saved?" There are no tricks. You don't have to give up all of your worldly possessions. You don't have to go on a pilgrimage. You don't need to do hours and hours of community service. You don't have to spend night and day in a church confessing every sin you've ever committed. All you have to do is accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Are you unfamiliar with the Bible? Well, there is one extremely famous verse that sums up God's message concerning salvation. It's found in the Gospel of John, and, interestingly enough, you can find the letters G-O-S-P-E-L at the beginning of some of its words IN ORDER! Take a look:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not Perish but have Eternal Life." ~John 3:16. Pretty neat, eh? That's the Gospel in a nutshell right there, and your ticket to salvation, should you choose to accept God's offer.

That's it?, you say. Surely there must be some sort of catch! Eternal life can't be free! You're right... It's not free. Someone paid the price. God Himself came to earth as a man, led a sinless life, and was crucified. He paid the terrible price of sin, which is death, even though He never sinned, and so was able to pay for the sins of all who simply believe. If you or I went through our whole lives and sinned only ONCE, we wouldn't fulfill God's righteous requirement to get into Heaven. No one can live a sinless life, so without Christ, everyone would be LOST! But through Jesus, anyone who receives Him as Lord and Savior can be saved! It's that easy.

So if it's that easy, why doesn't everyone accept Jesus as Lord and accept His gift of eternal life?, you ask. Because so many people are blinded by Satan. They might be following a false religion. There are numerous religions out there, from Hinduism to Buddhism to Mormonism, even Judaism's followers, who ignore Christ's deity and role as Messiah. Each of these false religions claims to possess "the truth," some preaching "tolerance" and saying that there are a number of ways to God and Heaven. However, Jesus clearly teaches us that He is the *only* way to the Father. In John 14:12, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Other non-Christians shun religion altogether. These people are self-professed atheists or agnostics. Of course, atheism is an intellectually ridiculous position to hold. These people deny that God exists. So, I ask, how was the universe created? By the Big Bang? Where did the molecules come from to spark such a reaction? You can't tell me they were "just there" or they "came from nothing," because that would contradict the Laws of Thermodynamics upon which the field of science is based. Or, perhaps the universe was self-created. But wait... In order for something to create itself, it would have to exist before it existed. Isn't that a mouthful? The only logical conclusion then, is that Someone must have been existent from all eternity! That someone, my friends, is God. Agnostics admit this possibility, but agnosticism is merely procrastination. It's a spiritual "maybe," as in, "Maybe there's a God, and maybe there's not. I'll figure it out later." Often, though, 'later' is too late. So, as I've just now quite simply proved, atheism crumbles under serious exploration, and agnosticism is just putting off the inevitable decision of whether to affirm or deny God's existence. Unbelievers say Christianity is for fools; at least it can pass a simple test of logic.

Others still might be misguided in their views of Christianity, having some basic information about the Bible but missing the big picture. Regardless of what anyone teaches you, you cannot get to Heaven by doing good deeds. Other religions will try to tell you one must perform certain rituals or tasks in order to earn your salvation. Other religions even preach reincarnation, saying we are all part of a cycle of births and rebirths. According to them, your performance in "this life" affects your position in the next. I think not, my friends. The Bible clearly tells us in Hebrews 9:27-28, "Just as man is destined to die ONCE, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed to take away the sins of many people, and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him." What? Jesus is coming again? Keep reading. And, concerning works vs. God's grace, a well-known verse in Ephesians tells us, "For it is by grace you are saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast." Grace given freely by God. Not works. Not being good. Purely by God's grace. Isn't that a fantastic idea? That God can love you and forgive all your sins because you accept His Son? Simply remarkable. I know if I needed to work my way into Heaven through good deeds or living a sinless life, I couldn't do it! That's why God's grace is truly so amazing. It's the most wonderful message anyone could ever dream to hear.

Now you come to the fork in the road. One path leads to everlasting light and life, the other to everlasting darkness and torment. Will you listen to the words you've just read and repent from your sins, someday entering into the glorious kingdom of Heaven? Or will you ignore what you've just read and someday enter the gates of Hell? Eternal life or eternal damnation-- this choice, the most important decision you'll ever make, awaits you.

If you've decided to come to Christ, continue reading. What must you do in order to be saved? To become one of God's children? Try saying this prayer aloud:

Heavenly Father,
I confess that I am a sinner and desperately need salvation. I realize I cannot possibly fulfill your demand for righteousness. I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I am sorry for the sins I have committed and those I will commit. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died for me and can wash away all of my sins in His blood. Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart. I want You as my Lord and Savior. Change my life and make it pleasing to You. I want the Holy Spirit to dwell in me and make me a new person. Help me keep Your commandments and grow as a Christian. I ask these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.

If you just said that prayer and meant it with all your heart, you're saved. How can you be sure? The Bible tells us so! The Bible is the Word of God and is therefore trustworthy beyond the shadow of a doubt. You're now a new Christian... Though your sins are scarlet, you appear snow white in God's eyes because you've washed yourself in the blood of the Lamb. Don't rely on "feelings"... You're not suddenly going to be bathed in bright light or start spewing out Bible verses. You can be assured of your salvation based on the trustworthiness of the Bible. As a new Christian, what should you do now? Pick up a Bible. Read the Scriptures as much as you can. God loves when we read His Word. Reading the Bible strengthens your faith and makes you whole. Start by reading just a little bit each day. Don't worry if you don't understand everything you read; understanding comes with time. I suggest you start with the Gospel of John. This particular Gospel will give you an extensive background of Jesus' life and ministry. Also, try reading other Christian books. Email me if you'd like some recommendations. My favorite Christian authors are R.C. Sproul and C.S. Lewis. After you've started reading your Bible and perused through a few Christian books, try joining a local church. It's good to fellowship with other believers; a single coal will soon grow cold and stop burning, but many together make an excellent fire. Finally, pray every day. This is our private way of communicating with the Lord our God. Welcome to the Christian community, new believer.

Your sister in Christ,
Ronnie

PS-- If you have just given yourself to Christ and would like to share your feelings about your conversion with me, please do so by emailing me. I'd love to hear from you!