Have you ever noticed how people like to be scared these days? They love their horror, zombie, and vampire shows/movies/games. People love it, as long as they know it’s not really happening to them…and they can watch it from a distance. Likewise, have you ever had a dream that was so scary, you just kept hoping that it was a dream and that you could wake-up from it? When you do, you are so relieved that it was all just a dream.
Do you know what most people in the world are afraid of? I would venture to say the answer is: Their own death. Being tortured, buried alive, eaten by a shark, or blown up in an explosion are a few bad ways to go. I know of something much scarier than these scenarios: I am doing a mundane task that I have done thousands of times in the past like driving a car, walking down the street, working, sitting in my chair at home, etc. All of a sudden something totally unexpected happens. It might be a heart attack. I might become the victim of a crime or accident. All of a sudden I quit breathing…and die. I don’t even have time to think about what is happening to me at that moment, much less to reflect back on my life and whether I truly believed in God/Jesus or not.
The very next moment my conscious soul is in torment in hell. At first, I think that it is just a dream…then, as time goes on, I realize it is not a dream. It is real, and I will never wake-up from this eternal, nightmarish situation. At this moment, I realize that certain people in my life were right after all. Those who told me the Bible is the truth and is the Word of God. God graciously gave me the choice to believe Jesus or not, the One He sent to save us from our sins and a place called hell and the lake of fire. He made it so simple to avoid this destination and, instead go to heaven. All I had to do was believe that Jesus was who He said He was…the Son of God. He was our sin substitute and Savior. He died on the cross and was resurrected back to life on the third day. Now He sets at the right hand of God.
If only I had believed and then I could have chosen to receive God’s pardon from sin and hell. The old saying, “Grace through faith is what saves you,” was true after all. I chose to ignore the thought that always bothered me: What if “they” were right after all…and the Bible is the absolute truth and is Word of God. I chose to ignore the simple facts about heaven and hell and how I was in control of my eternal destination.
I realize that I can no longer change my mind and believe that Jesus Christ can save my eternal soul from damnation. I am stuck in a miserable place called hell for all eternity. There is nothing I can do about it. It is too late…God’s patience and grace, are no longer available to me.
Have you ever thought about this scenario, or is it too scary to think about? As a true, Jesus believing Christian, I no longer have this fear. Is this really a chance you want to take, considering the eternal consequences of your actions? If the Bible and Christians are wrong, what do you have to lose? Not much…maybe a little time and money.
However, if they are right, what do you have to lose?
You will lose your eternal soul.
God always gives His created beings (angels and human beings) agency or free choice…but each individual must choose. Not choosing is the same as choosing Satan and sin over God and righteousness. The result will be the same as not believing…existing in the lake of fire forever. Choose now before it is too late. You never know when your allotted time on this earth is over and your next life (eternal) will begin.
Scary to think about, isn’t it? The shame is…it doesn’t have to be. For a believer, this life is only a warm-up for the real event (practice if you will)…eternal life in a place called heaven. Heaven consists of the new earth and heavens and the heavenly city of the New Jerusalem. You will be in good company: The triune God, angels, Christian friends, relatives and saints of all ages. All you have to do is believe and “wake-up” while you still can.
Randy Nettles