Many years ago…more than I care to count…I gave a speech in my Senior year in college. In recent weeks it’s been on my mind as a potential topic for a new blog post. In light of the weather events of this past Christmas weekend and inspired by the comments of one of my gym buddies, I hope you enjoy.
December 28, 2015 – early AM. Don walked up to me in the gym this morning and asked if any of the severe weather from this past Saturday night effected me or my family. I shared that I was fortunate to have been home with my family in East Texas where we received no threatening weather. He said he spent the weekend helping one of his best friends collect the remains of what had been his home as one of the tornadoes made a direct hit on his neighborhood.
Don said his friend and his family were fine however their house was basically destroyed. Then Don made the comment that prompted this post. He said, the main thing is that his friends are physically okay and as for their home, that’s what insurance is for.
As a believer and follower of Christ, my immediate thought was what if one of his friend’s children had been killed in the storm. Would his child have had an “insurance policy” for their eternal soul?
If you’re a believer in Christ, you will hopefully enjoy this however my target audience is for non-believers and those who are still on the fence. I was fortunate to grow up in a Christian home and in the church accepting Christ as my savior in high school. My relationship with Christ has changed my life and it is a relationship that has grown stronger and stronger as the years have passed.
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But what about you? Point blank…if you were to die today, where would you spend eternity? As a believer, my faith and trust is in God’s word the Holy Bible. While I attend a Baptist church, my faith and salvation is tied to Christ. It makes no difference what kind of church you attend, God’s word is God’s word. Religion is simply man being creative with a particular system of faith and worship.
The following are a selection of promises from God’s word that clearly spell out two roads.
Which one are you on?
Salvation in Christ
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
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The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24
Heaven
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2
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Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21
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Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1
Hell
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15
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“And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:46
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9
The Lord preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. Psalm 145:20
The Road to Salvation
The process for accepting Christ is really very simple.
1 – Accept that you are a sinner and that sin separates you from God. Rom 3:23
2 – Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead three days later.
3 – Confess that you cannot save yourself and the only way to spend an eternity in Heaven with God is to confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Eph 2:8-9, Rom 10:9
The following passage from Romans also clearly spells it out.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13
Next Steps
If you are a new believer, I encourage you to get plugged into a body of believers where you can be nurtured in your faith and grow as a Christian. Hebrews 10:23-25 says it best:
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Prestonwood Baptist in Plano, TX – My church for the past 12 years.
We are not meant to live life alone and we are certainly not meant to live the Christian life alone. Find a good church that teaches God’s word. And not just the positive stuff. God is Love but God is also faithful to his word. And his word clearly states the blessings to be gained from obedience and the consequences for a lack of obedience. Study His word from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22:21 and all in between and you will be blessed.
Resources:
Attending a local church is by far the best way to grow in your faith regardless of where you are on your journey. With today’s advances in technology, you also have at your fingertips a world of resources through the internet to further develop your faith. The following are from my church and offer an extensive array of biblical teaching.
Take home point for my readers:
If you’re a follower of Christ, I encourage you to live out Ephesians 6:14-17 and “Put on the whole armor of God”. With the falling morality in our society and rising persecution against Christians around the world, there’s never been a more important time to stand strong in your faith.
If you’re a non-believer and you disregard this message, then for your sake I hope you’re right. Because eternity is a LONG TIME to be wrong.
Best of luck in your journey.
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