“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 9:27 NLT
Jesus came to save all people but it’s a sad reality that only “many” will choose to accept the offer of God’s grace and salvation through Jesus Christ.
One of the most important things to remember about life as we know it is this: We are not living the life God created us to live. After Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden due to their sin in Genesis Chapter 3, everything changed. And no change is bigger than death. Mankind was created to live eternally; but that eternal life is to be interrupted by death as the ultimate result of sin, followed by resurrection to eternal life. The question is, "Where will one's eternal life be spent?"
What is death? Death is eternal separation from God. Eternal life is living, breathing, and worshipping in the presence of the creator and Savior Forever!
Again, the Garden of Eden is the model. God created mankind to fellowship with Him for eternity. Therefore, the Bible speaks of only two options for eternal life: with God (heaven) or not with God (hell). The question is not "if" we live eternally, but "where."
I received an email from a good friend:
“Hi John,
I have those rare mom/daughter times sometimes. Ever since she got home from her mission trip to WVA, she has totally changed (for the better!), and of course I swell with pride...and oh yeah, of course, love. :)
Anyway, after I picked her up from her friend's, we got home and just sat in the car, parked in front of my building. It happens every now and then for us to just sit there and enjoy. You know? So we were just chatting and she shared with me how she's changing so much for the better, growing in her relationship with Jesus (she has stopped listening to certain types of music!!!) and how she's been having a couple friends (atheists) coming to "Uth Night" (Youth Group) with her on Weds....and she said, "I'm workin' on 'em mom. They need Jesus!"
Then I shared about going to a funeral and how sad it is to know that the person wasn't saved and hard to stand there looking at the empty shell of the body but knowing where his soul might be right now. If one truly know the person was NOT saved, they are in hell. Eternal.
The question she asked, "Mom, wasn't there somewhere where you are given a 2nd chance? Anyway, her question was if a person not saved, but shows up before God, he/she will still be sent to hell, because they haven't accepted Christ, right? Isn't there another place they go? If they were really sincerely sorry? I did say there are only 2 places--- Heaven or hell. No ifs or buts about it.
I told her I'd ask you to clear that up a bit, to make sure I was clear about that, and she is clear and we all are clear!
Thanks, Pastor John. “
Wow. Can you imagine forever separated from God? Here is my response:
That's a tough question because we all want hope. Doctrine teaches there is no "second chance."
The story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus point to this. The rich man in hell was looking for the "second chance" to save himself and find the "water" to quench his thirst and thus save himself and also to warn his family and others about hell. All this while Lazarus was safe in the "bosom" of God. God pointed out that basically Dead people can't talk. God pointed out that he did nothing about salvation while he was alive and had the chance, what makes him think anything would be different now. The man protested and said then let me go tell my family. God said that because people (including the rich man) would not listen to the truth when they were alive, they most certainly will not listen to a "ghost."
Also, if there were a second chance, then it would mean one could lose their salvation over and over again. Jesus died one time for all people. In that same thought, If there were a second chance, then it would mean that Jesus died only for the people needing the "second chance" and not for all people as God had originally planned. Jesus came to save all of God's creation from hell.
A "second chance" is based on people's own idea and interpretation of righteousness. I will change so I DESERVE the "second chance" and God should give it to me. God does not see it that way. Everything was finished BY GOD, BY JESUS, AT THE CROSS. Righteousness is based on God and what He does through grace and what Jesus Christ did through love. We cannot become righteous. We are MADE righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Some religions preach "Purgatory" as the second chance. This is defined as the place someone's soul goes until things are made right by those who are still living. The living can "buy" what are called indulgences. They pay to light a candle. They donate to this or that. Once they feel that God is satisfied, then they can be assured that their loved one has entered heaven. This also is not true. No one can buy their way into heaven or can buy forgiveness from God. Again this is based on people "buying" their way into heaven. It is based on people's works rather than God's gift and Jesus finished work at the cross. The problem is, there is never enough "assurance." And also, how much is enough to "buy" God's forgiveness?
God's cost of forgiveness was His Son. Our cost of forgiveness is obeying in faith and trusting our lives to the risen Savior. Jesus' cost was His life, given for us not taken from Him, to satisfy once and for all the sin-debt mankind owes to God. Once it is satisfied by faith and trust in Jesus, while the person is alive and has the opportunity to respond and act, it is a done deal. It is sealed by God's Word.”
What are you and me to do now? Make sure you and those you know have answered the question of "where" you and they will spend eternity by believing in Jesus Christ.
Pastor, writer, and evangelist J.C. Ryle said, “The beginning of the way to heaven is to feel that we are on the way to hell.”
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
