Category: urgency of salvation / brevity of life

One Heartbeat Away from Eternity

Saturday, August 24, 2013

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1 KJV).

How true, Job, how true!

Earlier this week, just hours after returning from my mom’s aunt’s out-of-state funeral, my family received news that my dad’s younger brother had had a “minor” heart attack but that CPR saved him. We were relieved. Minutes later, we received a second phone call: we learned it was a massive heart attack and his soul likely slipped away into eternity before help arrived.

I was the one who had to tell the news to his 86-year-old mother, my grandmother. There really was no easy way to tell her, and as I gently spoke those words that no mother ever wants to hear, the poor soul sat speechless. As she wept, she told me she never expected to bury a child. Actually, none of us expected that it would be my 61-year-old uncle to die next in the family, and that he would die without any warning—no one in the family was able to tell him goodbye. My poor dear grandmother never did receive her phone call from him that she had been awaiting.

At the funeral Thursday, the most heart-wrenching sight I had ever seen, I was reminded of today’s Scripture. Dear readers, we never do appreciate the frailty of our lives until death comes. Quite frankly, any one of us may literally be just a heartbeat from eternity. As Job stated, we have been given but “few days” on earth (today’s Scripture). We just do not know how “few” those days “full of trouble” really are. That is why the Bible says to be ready to leave today; death gives little to no warning!

We do not have to go to hell. May we not teeter on the edge of a lost eternity! Jesus Christ died for our sins, His perfect blood paid for those sins, His burial put away those sins, and His resurrection gives us new life and justification in Him (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Trust alone in that Gospel of the Grace of God, and when that final heartbeat comes, you will be prepared!

The Sting of Death

Friday, August 23, 2013

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55 KJV).

In Jesus Christ, we endure “the sting of death” but for a moment….

Having attended the funerals of two family members—my maternal great-aunt and my paternal uncle—during the past four days, my family and I have certainly felt “the sting of death.” That second passing away was unexpected and extremely quick, making it very painful for the family.

To view the bodies of loved ones lying lifeless in their caskets, always pricks (“stings”) the inner man: like a knife, death slices through the souls of the bereaved. That feeling is greatly intensified in those who literally “have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) because they are outside of Jesus Christ and lack assurance of seeing their loved ones in heaven.

The verse following today’s Scripture reads: “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). We all know that sin is a very painful reality, clearly and fully manifested by the Mosaic Law. The Law shows us that presence and particulars of sin while death is the penalty of sin: “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).

Romans 6:23b provides the solution: “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” While we live in this sin-cursed world and are subject to its effects (including physical death), 1 Corinthians 15:57 offers us Christians consolation: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As people who have trusted alone in the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for our sins, we have hope in Jesus Christ. One day, at the “rapture,” when Jesus Christ will return to gather us the Church that is His Body, He will bodily resurrect our deceased Christian brethren and we will be reunited forever (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Today’s Scripture reminds us that not only will Jesus Christ rescue us from that “sting” of their loss, but He will give them—and us—“victory” over the power of death.

What a hope we have in Jesus Christ! 🙂

Reconciliation, Imputation, and Salvation #15

Monday, July 1, 2013

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Soul salvation from everlasting hellfire is the Holy Bible’s most important doctrine, so let us be particularly careful with today’s Scripture.

At Calvary’s cross, Jesus Christ suffered God’s wrath against all of the world’s sins (today’s Scripture). In this the Dispensation of Grace, mankind is currently (but temporarily) being offered an opportunity to be reconciled to his Creator forever. Jesus Christ died to pay for mankind’s sins, but until an individual trusts that alone for eternal salvation, that finished crosswork is of no help to the person. Jesus Christ’s righteousness manifested at Calvary must be imputed (applied, credited) to one’s account if God’s wrath, hell and the everlasting lake of fire, is to be avoided.

Before they trusted Christ, Paul urged the pagan Corinthians to “receive not the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). Grace is everything that God can do for you through the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ. God expects you to trust that! If you do not trust it, you are receiving God’s grace “in vain” (to no purpose).

Romans 3:24,25: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” You can be “justified” (declared righteous in God’s sight) freely—without any cost to you—by faith in Jesus Christ, who shed His sinless blood to pay for your sins, who died your death, and suffered God’s wrath on your behalf.

Soul salvation is not to be taken flippantly: “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2, quoting Isaiah 49:8).

Will you trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as your personal Saviour today? Or, will you receive the grace of God in vain?

~FINIS!~ 🙂

Reconciliation, Imputation, and Salvation #2

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Soul salvation from everlasting hellfire is the Holy Bible’s most important doctrine, so let us be particularly careful with today’s Scripture.

Read today’s Scripture within its context (2 Corinthians 5:18–6:2): “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Now, read Romans 3:24,25: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” And Romans 4:5: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted [imputed] for righteousness.”

Note the key terms in the above verses: “reconciliation,” “imputation,” “righteousness,” “grace,” “salvation,” “justification,” “redemption,” and “propitiation.” It is crucial that we understand these doctrines as they are taught in the Bible; we do not appeal to statements of faith, hunches, opinions, church councils, seminaries, catechisms, and so on. Let us proceed to dissect these passages to learn the mechanics of soul salvation….

Riches to Robbery

Friday, May 10, 2013

“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1 KJV).

Riches today… nothing tomorrow.

Our Lord Jesus Christ expounded upon today’s Scripture in Luke 12:16-20: “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” The rich man planned on enjoying his material possessions, but when death came, they went to someone else!

The Apostle James elaborated: “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:13-15).

Today’s Scripture and these two passages demonstrate that trusting in “uncertain riches” instead of trusting in “the living God” is unwise (1 Timothy 6:17). One may acquire all the “toys” he or she can possibly obtain within a lifetime, but, in the end, death leaves one and all utterly penniless. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (verse 7). “For riches are not for ever” (Proverbs 27:24a).

The good news? Eternal life is found in and through Jesus Christ, and that spiritual wealth we have in Him is everlasting… even death itself cannot rob us of that life and those possessions! 🙂

A Lesson Straight from the Dog’s Mouth

 Tuesday, April 23, 2013

“For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again” (Psalm 78:39 KJV).

Your earthly life is short—your opportunity to accept eternal life is just as brief….

Recently, I suffered a dog bite on my right-hand wrist, resulting in my first-ever emergency room visit. My wrist was swollen and moving my fingers was difficult. Still, in just a few hours, I was at college presenting my 45-minute thesis proposal; it was challenging with the use of one arm, but by God’s grace, I did it.

For the last five days, I have had to depend entirely on my left hand for everything. My handwriting is reminiscent of first grade (I am right-handed). Common daily tasks are now very cumbersome. Much schoolwork and ministry work cannot be completed right now. I took my right hand for granted—how I miss using it! As long as infection remains absent, and I do not lose the hand (due to the dog’s oral bacteria), I hope to be using it again soon.

We all take common things for granted: we become so comfortable with them—possessions, income, health, family and friends, et cetera—we lose sight of their real value and how blessed we are to have them.

Beloved, take not your blessings for granted. Above all, never take eternal life through Jesus Christ for granted. Many precious souls around the world are spiritually dead and lost in sin, headed for eternal hellfire, but they do not realize their dire state until physical death instantly quenches their breath, and seals their fate forever. They are ignoring the gift of God’s grace, love, peace, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. Be not of this sort! What God wants is your faith alone in Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork as sufficient payment for your sins. Why not trust Jesus Christ alone as your personal Saviour, right where you are?

Your earthly life is short (today’s Scripture), and physical death will end it, so take not God’s offer of salvation for granted. Remember, as the dear Christian brother said, “Eternity keeps you where death finds you!”

What is Thy Eternal Destiny?

Sunday, March 17, 2013

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV).

The Apostle Paul knew his…. Do you know yours?

While recently visiting the graves of family, friends, and neighbors, I knew the location of their physical bodies, but I wondered about the residence of some of those immortal souls. A few had testimonies of salvation in Jesus Christ, but the majority did not.

From an elevated vantage point, I beheld hundreds of graves. The words of the Lord echoed in my mind: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14). Most had died in their sins, and were eternally enduring the wrath of a holy God in hell, the same God who had offered His only begotten Son Jesus Christ so they could have an opportunity to avoid such a horrific abode!!

Dear readers, everlasting hellfire is real, and never forget it! Many churches and preachers avoid the topic of perpetual consciousness in eternal damnation, but it is true nonetheless. God originally prepared that hellfire to punish the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41); now, that awful place also exists for sinful mankind who follows Satan’s evil policy.

But, you do not have to go to hell! On Calvary’s cruel cross, Jesus Christ suffered God’s righteous wrath against our sin. Never will we be able to comprehend the physical and spiritual pain Jesus Christ suffered for us wretched sinners. Salvation from hell was not cheap! Trust the merits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork: He died for your sins, He was buried to put away those sins, and He was raised again the third day to give you His life when you trust Him alone as your personal Saviour. Once you trust Christ alone, you can say with Paul, “[when I will] be absent from the body, [I will] be present with the Lord!” 🙂

A Papal Prophecy? #13

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV).

The recent resignation of Benedict XVI as pope is being greatly discussed within “Christian” circles in light of eschatology. Are we seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled today, or is this simply the (usual) failure to “rightly divide the word of truth?”

This is (deliberately) the thirteenth and final study of this devotional arc: the number 13 in Scripture symbolizes rebellion (Genesis 14:4), and the antichrist is the epitome of Satan’s evil policy aimed at rebelling against God.

In these past one-dozen studies, we have studied the Holy Scriptures to briefly introduce the antichrist. You should have a better understanding of who he is and what role he plays in God’s dealings with mankind, particularly with Israel.

We leave you with some final thoughts.

  • Scripture never provides any dates or time frames for God’s dealings with us in the Dispensation of Grace. Contrariwise, the Bible does provide time frames for Israel’s program: regarding prophecy, the seven-year Tribulation is the concluding “week” (seven-year period) of a larger 490-year (70-week) period of time God deals with the nation Israel (Daniel 9:24-27). This further proves we, the Church the Body of Christ, cannot and will not experience the seven-year Tribulation.
  • This world is certainly preparing for the antichrist via false teaching, ecumenism (once-antagonistic denominations uniting), religious pluralism (uniting world religions), and increased technology and mass communication. However, the scriptural record is silent about papal resignations: Benedict XVI’s resignation is not Bible prophecy. Nevertheless, it does expose the dire condition—the scandals, perplexity, and desperation—of professing Christianity.
  • The rapture will occur at any time, so we cannot and should not set dates. However, you need to be ready for it! Jesus Christ died for your sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day to give you His life when you trust Him alone as your personal Saviour. Trust Him alone today, and in due time, you will be raptured out with the rest of the Church the Body of Christ, before the awful seven-year Tribulation begins, and before the antichrist is revealed.

Something Not Worth Losing

Sunday, February 3, 2013

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 KJV).

Super Bowl Sunday comes annually in the United States. Teams fuel the intense passions in the athletic world by vying for a corruptible trophy. Howbeit, the competition in today’s Scripture is spiritual, is worldwide, never has a halftime, and involves the eternal souls of men!

The human soul is most zealous about religion, politics, and sports. These areas are most personal, so they generate many heated debates and conflicts. However, believe it or not, there are worse outcomes than losing a church member, losing an election, and losing a game. Losing your eternal soul is the greatest of all losses!

In the context of today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ told His Jewish disciples to “take up [their] cross, and follow [him]” (verse 24). “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (verse 25). They should not fear losing their earthly lives for His sake. What is most important is that they not lose their souls!

Jesus Christ declared there is more to life than this physical world and its temporal possessions. There is a spiritual world—an afterlife—to consider. In today’s Scripture, He asks them, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Does it make sense to emphasize this temporary world and its corruptible goods, to the point of ignoring your eternal soul, and wind up losing it in hellfire forever and ever?

Dear reader, there is more to you than just your physical body. Your inner man—your soul, your spiritual body—is everlasting. To ignore Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for your sins, is to remain dead in those sins, resulting in you spending eternity suffering God’s wrath in the lake of fire literally as a nameless, hopeless, disfigured creature.

Your soul is not worth losing! Trust Christ as your personal Saviour today!

Tabernacle

Friday, November 9, 2012

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1 KJV).

This body of flesh and blood will be “dissolved” one day, but the Bible teaches a new, glorified body will replace it.

Genesis 2:7 describes the three-fold division of a human: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground [physical body], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [spirit]; and man became a living soul [soul].” Our visible, physical body houses our invisible soul and spirit. Originally, that physical body was to last forever. But, when sin entered the world, it became subject to death (when the soul and spirit leave the physical body). Hence, our physical body is a “tabernacle” (tent), a temporary abode that must be resurrected one day.

The oldest Bible book asserts, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms [maggots] destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God;” (Job 19:25,26). Yes, short of the Lord’s coming, this physical body will die and “sleep in the dust of the earth” (Daniel 12:2). Nevertheless, the Lord will awaken its remains, and return the spiritual body to it (the bodily resurrection of John 5:28,29).

When we stand before the caskets of Christian loved ones, and observe their lifeless bodies, we take comfort that they are not really there, for their soul and spirit are with God in the third heaven. Their “tabernacle” is empty, and for the Christian, “to be absent from the body, [is] to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). At the rapture, they will receive a new glorified body like unto Jesus Christ’s resurrected body, and then we Christians who are alive and remain will receive our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:49-56; Philippians 3:20,21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Finally, all Christians will be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air, to forever be with Him.

This body is not here to stay…. it is a “tabernacle.”