Osama, Terrorism, Despair, and Hope

By Justin Edwards

The world has been in a whirlwind since the news of the death of Osama bin Laden broke late Sunday evening.  Reactions have varied from celebration to condemnation, with many Christians struggling with how they should respond to the death of the world's most notorious killer of the last 2 decades.  In his article, A Christian Response to the death of Osama bin Laden, Randy White revisits the evil acts of bin Laden in recent years:

Osama bin Laden is a clear enemy.  As the leader of Al Qaeda, he is responsible for the death of over 3,000 men, women, and children on 9/11, as well as those who died on the USS Cole, the deaths of US servicemen shot down in Somalia in Operation Restore Hope, the 301 persons killed and 5,000 injured in bombings of U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, the bombing of a synagogue in Tunisia, the deaths of 180 people in a nightclub in Bali, and the list goes on.  Clearly, Osama bin Laden has been the deadliest terrorist of this young century (HT: Worldview Weekend).

Osama bin Laden was a cold-blooded murderer who deserved death.  Christians can rejoice that this wicked man has received temporal justice for his crimes against humanity, and we can rejoice that he can no longer take another innocent human life.  Yet, while we can rejoice that bin Laden is history and can harm us no more, the reality is he is in hell and has yet to face God's final justice - in that, we cannot rejoice, but more on that later.

Although bin Laden is dead, the threat of terrorism did not die with him.  In fact, his death will likely be a catalyst for near-future attacks.  Coincidentally, about a week before May 2, I saw that Wikileaks had released information regarding repercussions of a bin Laden capture or assassination.  In this report, Al-Qaeda threatens to unleash a nuclear hellstorm if Osama is caught or assassinated.  The terrorist organization has supposedly hidden a nuclear bomb in Europe, ready for detonation should Osama be incarcerated or killed.  It is not unlikely that such a threat is imposed within the United States, given our security risks on the border among other things.

In my opinion, killing OBL is another win for Islam.  The U.S. was absolutely justified in this assassination, but the consequences will be more attacks and restricted freedoms.  Not only might Al-Qaeda accelerate its efforts to attack the United States, but there may be an increase in lone wolf terrorists or bin Laden sympathizers to unleash their frustrations against perceived tyranny of the United States.  In fact, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula publishes a high quality English-language magazine, Inspire, to recruit and instruct Muslims in the West to carry out terrorist attacks in their home countries. They released their 5th edition in April:

With this is mind, the threat of so-called "soft targets" being attacked has significantly increased since the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Security has been heightened in major cities around the country, and agencies are being encouraged to employ security measures that would invade the privacy of American citizens.  The following CBS report explains that routine patdowns may become the norm for entry into these soft targets:



As the next few weeks unfold, we will likely see an increase of Muslims memorializing bin Laden.  In fact, the location of his killing is already becoming a shrine for his admirers, where one Muslims states:

I've come here today to see a piece of our history...Osama was a good Muslim who fought for Islam. He was a hero to us. I expect in time to see all sorts of tourists here, even Japanese and Americans.

This shrine may serve as a rallying point and pilgrimage for bin Laden's followers to pay their respects.  What we are seeing is faithful Muslims supporting one of their heroes - a martyr in their eyes.

Such is the sentiment that may bring about a new wave of terror in the United States. The world is already in turmoil with a failing economy, natural disasters, and Middle East turmoil, and with the perhaps imminent threat of terrorist attacks in the United States and Europe, we can expect more death and restricted freedoms.

So what does this mean for you?  What kind of emotions do you feel knowing that the world has significantly become more volatile, as if it wasn't volatile enough already?  Are you afraid?  Are you fearful of the unexpected?  If all you have is this life now, then there really is no hope for you.  If this world, which ultimately offers you nothing but temporal happiness, despair and death - an evil place where wickedness reigns and immorality destroys, if this world is the only one you have to cling to - then you are utterly hopeless.  At any moment, your life could be taken from you, and the chances of that happening have now increased by the death of one evil man.  

If death knocked on your door today, would you find yourself in the same place as Osama bin Laden?  The truth is, if you are still living for yourself and for this world, if you have need of nothing and are trying to live in a manner that you believe would make you worthy of heaven, then you are just as guilty as bin Laden and will face the same judgment as he will face. While the wrath of God may come down more severely upon bin Laden, God's wrath is still unfathomable upon those who refuse to obey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  You may think such a position is incredulous, and I don't blame you, but that doesn't change the reality that you are a law-breaker and deserve the wages of your sin.

To read more about this and how you can avoid facing the same judgment as Osama bin Laden, please see Eternal Life.

Now, for my brothers and sisters in Christ - we have an incredible opportunity to use the killing of Osama bin Laden to proclaim the Gospel.  First of all, as opposed to those without Christ, we have an enduring hope!  As we are secured by grace, it doesn't matter if we should be the victims of a terrorist attack.  We are not to fear the unexpected on this earth, for our hope is in the One who has conquered death and has established a kingdom for us to rule and reign with Christ for eternity!  This is the Hope that is within us, and we must be constantly ready to share this with others.

Secondly, I expect most people are willing to talk about the death of Osama bin Laden.  I can think of no easier way to transition into a spiritual conversation than using this instance to break the ice.  In the days to come, I may put a list of survey questions together to use in witnessing encounters, but for now, consider asking people this simple question: 

Where do you think Osama bin Laden is now?

This will be a springboard for you to eventually ask the person where they will go when they die. 

Most of us have lost people close to us.  The news of Osama bin Laden just might be a catalyst that sparks a new wave of terrorism, which could ultimately play into God's prophetic timetable.  In any case, the hour is now all the more urgent to proclaim the Gospel.  While we really don't know how any of this will play out, God, on the other hand, is in absolute control.  He is sovereign over all nations, people, angels, and devils, and these events are proceeding just as He has ordained them to proceed.  We do not know every detail of the future, but we do know that Christ is returning, and looking at the condition of the world today, I believe He is at the doorstep. 

If you have doubts as to where you will spend eternity, please do visit the Eternal Life page.  If you are unsure of your salvation, please don't hesitate to contact me.  If you know you are saved by the grace of God, what are you going to do with your life from here on out?  We have only one purpose in this life once we are bought by the blood of Christ - to love and obey Him with all of our hearts and to make His name known. 

Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ... - Philippians 1:27

See also:

The Great White Throne Judgment

20 Reasons NOT to Hope for Christ's Return in 2011

Are You Ready?

Awake from Your Slumber

Don't Play Games with Your Eternity

Heart Inventory

People Who Will Not Go to Heaven

Why the Resurrection of Christ Matters

By Justin Edwards

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” - Mark 16:4-7

The very cornerstone of our Christian faith rests upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we approach the memorial day of our risen Lord, let us meditate on His resurrection and the price that He paid to redeem a people for Himself, which He set out to do before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:20).

The resurrection matters because:

Our Lord is the Resurrection (John 11:25).

Without Christ, no man shall see God (John 14:6).

If there be no resurrection, then we are the most pitiful of humans (1 Corinthians 15:19).

My brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord has indeed risen from the dead!  His Spirit did not remain in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption or decay (Acts 2:31).  But He was given power over death and has destroyed the work of the devil! (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8).  In Him we have life, yet those apart from Him shall only see death. But,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. - 1 Peter 1:3-5

If you are walking in the Spirit of the Lord this Resurrection Season, you have much for which to be grateful.  Although you cannot repay what Christ did for you, the least you can do is offer your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).  Pray that God draws you into His grace more each day, that you will find out what is pleasing to Him so that you may cast off the works of the flesh and practically walk in newness of life.  Pray that He gives you a fire, hunger, and thirst for His righteousness through the Word of God, helping you prioritize your day to spend time with Him in prayer and study.  And pray that God gives you a passion for the lost, that they might know of the Resurrection through your obedience to

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. - Mark 16:15

Let us make much of the resurrection of Christ, for through the blood our sins are washed away, and through His life we are given Life Everlasting!

Between now and this Sunday, I encourage you to take your time reading through 1 Corinthians 15:1-58.  It is one of the most beautiful portions of Scripture where we find that if we only have hope in Christ for this life, then we believe in vain; but since Christ has been raised from the dead, like the Apostle Paul, we may

be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:9-11

For your convenience, you can spend time with Him now in the chapter posted below.  May you be found in the riches of God's grace and mercy, dwelling in the glorious Hope of the Resurrection and the Life, holding fast to your First Love, that you would share in His inheritance as a co-heir of Christ on the throne of the Eternal Kingdom of God. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!

(If you are unsure whether you will be resurrected with Christ, please see: Eternal Life)

The Resurrection of Christ

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Mystery and Victory

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Devastating Photos of Christchurch Earthquake

By Justin Edwards

Source: Guardian.co.uk

The aftermath from the earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand on Tuesday is devastating. Please take some time to view these photos and pray for the city of 350,000 and all who lost loved ones in the destruction. This is also a good time to ask yourself an important question:

if an unexpected earthquake hit your town and you did not survive, what would that mean for you?

Please don't think such a tragedy could not happen to you. After all, 10 out of 10 people die, and your time will come whether by natural death or something as devastating as a major earthquake, or a car accident the next time you hit the pavement. Click here to find out where you might spend the rest of eternity. There is nothing more critical than knowing the answer to this question.

(HT: John Samson for posting link to photos)

"Are You Ready?" mp3 - Second Service Now Available

By Justin Edwards

If you had a chance to watch Loran Livingston's "Are You Ready?" message from 2/13/11, then you know how great and urgent a message it was. The video in that post was from the 8:30am service, but I am pleased to announce the audio to the 10:30am service is now available and "stickied" to the top of the blog permanently.

Having less time restraints in the 10:30am service, Pastor Livingston was able to take his time with the message and elaborate on a few points. I highly recommend listening to the 10:30 message and encourage you to download and/or share the link with friends.

The Day of the Lord is rapidly approaching, so the question remains - are you ready?

For convenience, you can download the message here: Are You Ready? mp3

Sudden Death

By Justin Edwards

Two tragic deaths in town gives us opportunity to think about eternal matters. Should death visit you today, are you sure you will find your expected destination?

Please follow link for story and some important questions to ask oneself: Tragic Death Strikes Charlotte Family

Hell

The word "Hell" is one of the most often used words in our society, yet is one of the most misunderstood words. Many people do not really consider Hell a real place because God is "too loving" to ever have created such an abode. Others would say that Hell exists only "on earth" with reference to some particular place or situation. The question is, "Is there really a place of torment called Hell?"

Hell is clearly taught in the Bible. In fact, it was Jesus who taught more on the subject than anyone else in the entire Scriptures!

Hell was originally created for angels who had sinned. Jesus said in Matthew 25:41, when referring to the judgment of the wicked, ". . .Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire (Hell) prepared for the devil and his angels." In the book of 2nd Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 4 we read that, ". . .God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but sent them to Hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment."

Hell, therefore, was originally created for the first sinners in the universe, Satan and his angels, rather than for man. But since hell was designed as a place for "sinners," man became eligible when he joined the fallen angels in sin. Hell is the place of punishment where sinning men and angels go to pay for their offenses (sins) against the Holy God of the Universe. This procedure is similar to the penalty/payment requirements of our own prison systems. Among men when someone offends the authorities by violating the laws and is found guilty, he is put into prison to pay for his crimes. If the offense is serious then he can receive a "life term," meaning that no amount of time can ever repay the harm to society. In the case of God and man, even the smallest infraction offends our Holy and Pure God, which calls for a life sentence (with no hope of parole).

1) Hell is a place of actual fire and burning.

In the words of Jesus, ". . .if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the fire of Hell." (Mat 18:9). Notice His reference to the "fire" of Hell here and also in Mark 9:43 where He says, ". . .if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into Hell, where the fire never goes out." Not only is Hell a place of burning fire but it is also an eternal fire. (see also: Mat 5:22,29,30;10:28;Luke 12:5;Jude 1:7).

2) Hell is a place of torment.

Here are the words of a person actually speaking from hell. Jesus quotes the "rich man" who had died and been sent to hell. Listen to the words from hell, "I am in agony in this fire." (Luke 16:24). Isaiah 66:24; Mark 9:44,46,48 all mention one kind of suffering experienced in hell, "their worm will not die [similar to the gnawing of maggots], nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

Hell also is a place where the unsaved will receive "blows" [beatings]. Luke 12:48 states that unsaved men who willfully disobey God's commands will receive many blows, but those who in ignorance do not obey, will receive fewer blows. Hell is also a place where both body and soul are destroyed. (Matt 10:28).

3) Hell is a place of darkness.

In the Old Testament we read that, ". . .the wicked will be silenced in darkness." (1Samuel 2:9) Today the wicked are often very loud in their sin and rebellion against God but the day is coming when they will be stilled in darkness. Jesus refers to those excluded from heaven being, "thrown outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt 8:12). In parables about the coming judgments, Jesus often refers to those who reject Him as being, "thrown into the outer darkness." (Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30).

4) Hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Many references in the New Testament refer to the "weeping and gnashing" of teeth in hell. (Matt 8:12;13:42,50;22:13;24:51;25:30; Luke 13:28). The word weeping is best translated "shrieking" and the word gnashing as "grinding." In hell man will have a literal body with "teeth" and will scream and grind his teeth in anger and pain.

Hell is a place of burning torment created for the Devil and his angels, but now also serves as a place of punishment for sinful man. Man deserves to go there for his many sins against a Holy and Pure God, yet God's great love and mercy has provided for a "way out" of the fires of hell. Jesus Christ went to the Cross and suffered the punishment of hell for the sins of all men. Therefore, God offers freedom from sin and its judgments to those who will humble themselves before Him and repent of their sins by accepting Jesus as the sovereign authority over them in all matters.

The offer from God is simple; sin must be paid for, either by Jesus on the cross, or by the individual in the eternal fires of hell. The choice is up to us. Do we humble ourselves before Jesus and repent and ask for forgiveness and let Him pay for our sins? Or do we remain proud and stubborn and go into the fires of hell, to spend an eternity trying to pay for our many sins against God?

This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board

The Great White Throne Judgment

By Justin Edwards

‘ Their worm does not die

       And the fire is not quenched.’ - Mark 9:48

We are clearly living in perilous times. With the threat of terrorism and war looming around the globe and economies on the verge of collapse, with the fallen state of the church and the vast push toward global religious unity, and with Israel facing elimination by the impending nuclear build-up of Iran, no doubt the world is on the brink of the end of the age. We are rapidly approaching the end of God's purpose for the human race. So what does that mean for you? Do you think about eternity?

At the 2008 Resolved Conference, Dr. Steven Lawson delivered a terrifying depiction of what Scripture calls the "judgment of great day" (Jude 1:6). This day is just on the horizon and is known as the Great White Throne Judgment (mp3 and video found at the end of this post). Revelation 20:11-15 tells us of that great and terrible day of the Lord: 

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,  and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is the same lake of fire that will be the final abode of Satan and his angels, where 

they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. - Revelation 20:10

All the world will be on trial at this final judgment. The perfect justice of Holy God will be realized for every hardened and impenitent heart who has stored up the wrath of God their whole life (Romans 2:5). Every unrepentant sinner who refused to kneel at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ will be condemned to an eternal hell because they loved darkness rather than light (John 3:18-19). This is the highest court of the universe and there will be no court of appeals. If you find yourself before this pure and powerful throne of terrifying purpose, you will be faced with no sympathetic judge, you will never see one drop of mercy, there will be no grace, you will have no advocate, there will be no mistrial, no sentence overturned, verdicts are final, there will be no parole, and there will be no escape. You will be facing none other than the Lord Jesus Christ whose eyes of flaming fire will pierce the darkness of your soul. The day you thought would never come will be the realest day you will have ever lived. You will be facing absolute holiness and inflexible justice, and when it is over, you will face absolute judgment.

The very Righteousness you refused to yield to will be the very standard by which you are condemned. You ignored Christ, cursed Christ, blasphemed Christ, put off Christ, or played games with Christ, and you will face not a gentle, lowly, and merciful God who will overlook your sin, but you will find yourself in the hands of an angry God who will unleash the fury of His wrath upon you (Zephaniah 1:15). People from all backgrounds will face this judgment, whether they be Hitler, Stalin, or the most notorious sinners you can imagine, but likewise your regular Joe American - your neighbor, your coworker, whose life amounted to very little in the big scheme of things. Or Joe might be the successful business executive, doctor, or lawyer, or your friendly firemen, policemen, or medic. You might ask what could Joe possibly have in common with Adolf Hitler? Sin. The sin of unbelief. The sin of pride. The sin of rebellion. All of which will keep both Hitler and Joe from the grips of a merciful God.

Dr. Lawson details five groups of people who will stand before the Great White Throne. Are you one of these?

Out and Out Sinner. This person sinned violently against God and all but spat on the face of Christ. He hated God, church, and the Bible. This person hated any form of morality and lived a life of open, shameless sin. We see these types of people in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Of course, ever born again believer used to be among the unrighteous, but according to verse 11, we have been washed, justified, and sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. Yet, your hatred for God affords you the eternal wrath of God.

Self Righteous. This person believes they are so good and so moral, that the Gospel is only for the thief and the prostitute, but "not me". You are "good enough" in your own morality. You are a Pharisee and you think you are better than others. Luke 18:9-14 might be your life's story. And because of your moralistic self-righteousness, you cannot see that you too fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). You hope your self-righteousness will be good enough to enter heaven, but you will be found wanting as

   There is a way that seems right to a man,
      But its end is the way of death._ Proverbs 14:12

Religious Cult Members.  These are men who followed other men or women such as Mohammed, the Dali Llama, Joseph Smith, Sun Myung Moon, the Virgin Mary, or any other religious leader instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. They failed to recognize and affirm that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no man goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). There is only one road, one narrow gate, one God and one Mediator. Because you denied the name of Christ (Acts 4:12), you will find yourself as an enemy under His feet for

at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:10-11

Procrastinator.  This person acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God and even knows they are living a lifestyle of sin, but they have yet to submit their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They have merely believed in a list of facts about the Savior, but the pride of life, their love for the world, and delight in the works of the flesh is too much for them to give up (Galatians 5:19-21). They might say, "one day I'll make things right" because they are having too much fun and taking too much pleasure in living a rebellious lifestyle against a holy God (1 John 3:4-9). They are not willing to forsake everything to be the disciple of Christ (Luke 14:33) because that would mean they would have to give up their sin, their money, their material possessions, and their worldly lifestyle (1 John 2:15-17). But they say "one day I'll live for Christ", "one day I'll accept Him as Lord," but sadly, that day never comes.

Do not boast about tomorrow,
      For you do not know what a day may bring forth.- Proverbs 27:1

Do you not know that now is the acceptable time and today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)? Should you continue to put salvation off, you will find yourself before a God who

is a just judge,
         And God is angry with the wicked every day.
 ¹² If he does not turn back,
         He will sharpen His sword;
         He bends His bow and makes it ready.
 ¹³ He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
         He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.- Psalm 7:11-12

Lost Church Members. These may be the greatest tragedy of all. These folks are they whose names are in the member roles of the local church, they pay their tithes, and they give to the poor. They never miss a Sunday or the Sunday lunch that follows. They are attached to church but not Christ. They profess to know Him, but they do not possess Him. They have a form of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). They also

profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

They will hear on that terrible day, "Depart from Me, I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23). They never took the time to examine themselves to see if their faith was genuine (2 Corinthians 13:5), they are lukewarm and have need of nothing (Revelation 3:17), they have created a god in their own image and are false converts trying to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), and because they merely went along with the crowd and never experienced a unique and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they will perish at the wave of His hand.

Might you be in any of these categories? Is there a chance you, as the reader, might see the righteous judgment of God?  Does your lifestyle bear the fruit of faith, or does it bear the fruit of unrighteousness? Rest assured, God has been keeping an accurate and precise record of every action, thought, word, and deed of every unsaved person from the beginning of mankind. Nothing will be hidden on that day, for

      God will bring every work into judgment,
      Including every secret thing,
      Whether good or evil. - Ecclesiastes 12:14

There is no fooling God. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:35-37

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

Do you now stand justified, or will you stand condemned? Are you trying to hide from God?

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. - Hebrews 4:13

You must know that God demands justice for every single sin ever committed by every single person who has walked the earth. God will overlook no sin, and your sin will either be punished and pardoned in Christ or you will be punished for your sin in hell for all the ages to come. Do you not know the reality of your sin? Your sin is killing you now, and it will be the cause of eternal death and separation from the grace and mercy of God forever (Romans 6:23).

If you die unrepentant, there are no second chances and there will be no hope for you. Jesus will tell you,

‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. - Matthew 25:41

If you do not humble yourself before the Lord and recognize and confess your sinful condition before Holy God, if your heart does not grieve of your offenses against God and lead you to repentance, and if you never find yourself thirsting for the righteousness of Jesus Christ, woe unto you for that Great Day will come upon you like a thief in the night ready to devour you by fire (Matthew 5:22). In truth, you should have "a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:27). You will be separated from the just and be cast into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50). You will suffer the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 1:7). You will be cast alive into the lake of  fire burning with sulfur and brimstone (Revelation 19:20). You will find yourself in an unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12), the Lord's vengeance will be upon you for not obeying His Gospel, and you be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).

On that day, every soul who rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and thought hell to be a place for parties and reunions, who thought God would not be there and believed hell to be owned by Satan, will realize Hollywood lied to them. Hell is not hell because God is not there, hell is hell because God is there. Matthew 10:28,

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.

Dear friend, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God (Hebrews 10:31). While you hope that God will just overlook your sin on that day, the very sin that nailed Jesus to that old rugged cross and the very sin that stirred the cup of wrath God Himself poured out on His own Son (Isaiah 53:4-10), do not be so foolish to believe God will simply dismiss your case. Should you not repent and submit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only thing you should expect is to stand hopelessly naked before the righteous throne of a just Judge. Your sentence of death will never end and you will be the object of God's wrath forever and ever. 

By the grace of God I pray that you are trembling at the holiness of the resurrected Lamb of God who sits at the right hand of His Father in heaven, glorified in majesty waiting to unleash His judgment upon the earth (Revelation 5:1-14). Know that

  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
      And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. - Proverbs 9:10

Should you be asking how might you avoid this great and terrible day in the Court of Divine Justice, Jesus Christ is calling you to walk through the narrow gate that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14). You must humble yourself before God (James 4:10) and pray for mercy (Luke 18:13). Recognizing your wretched condition, cry out to God to save you from your sin (2 Corinthians 7:10) and to give you a new heart that desires to serve Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Be willing to forsake everything for the Lord Jesus Christ, even your own life (Luke 14:26), and call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved (Romans 10:9-10, 13). Now should you be given new life by faith and repentance, you will find yourself resting in the grace of God for all eternity. You will be a joint heir with Christ, for

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. - Ephesians 1:13-14

But should you delay and fail to go through that narrow gate, your conscious will not fade as you remember every time you refused to repent, including the day you read this letter. Do not delay any longer, lest God be glorified in your destruction.

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:3

Please watch or listen and pass these critical messages to your loved ones:

The Great White Throne Judgment mp3

The Reality of Hell

By Justin Edwards

Thanks to Mike Anderson over at  Let Us Repent and Believe for posting "Hell" by R.C. Sproul yesterday. I heard this message on the radio a few months ago and never got around to finding the transcript. If we truly understood the realities of hell, we would all the more tell people how to avoid it. Moreover, if we fail to mention the wrath of God and the wages of sin (spiritual death) when we share the Gospel, the message loses its weight for that would not be the complete Gospel. Charles Spurgeon said,

Diminish your idea of the wrath of God and the terrors of hell, and in that proportion you will diminish the results of your work. (Source)

And on the dread of hell, Spurgeon uttered,

Hell is horrible, for we may say of it, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the horrors which God hath prepared for them that hate him. (Source)

May we never diminish our idea of the wrath of God and the torments of hell.

HELL

by R.C. Sproul

We have often heard statements such as “War is hell” or “I went through hell.” These expressions are, of course, not taken literally. Rather, they reflect our tendency to use the word hell as a descriptive term for the most ghastly human experience possible. Yet no human experience in this world is actually comparable to hell. If we try to imagine the worst of all possible suffering in the here and now we have not yet stretched our imaginations to reach the dreadful reality of hell.

Hell is trivialized when it is used as a common curse word. To use the word lightly may be a halfhearted human attempt to take the concept lightly or to treat it in an amusing way. We tend to joke about things most frightening to us in a futile effort to declaw and defang them, reducing their threatening power.

There is no biblical concept more grim or terror-invoking than the idea of hell. It is so unpopular with us that few would give credence to it at all except that it comes to us from the teaching of Christ Himself.

Almost all the biblical teaching about hell comes from the lips of Jesus. It is this doctrine, perhaps more than any other, that strains even the Christian’s loyalty to the teaching of Christ. Modern Christians have pushed the limits of minimizing hell in an effort to sidestep or soften Jesus’ own teaching. The Bible describes hell as a place of outer darkness, a lake of fire, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, a place of eternal separation from the blessings of God, a prison, a place of torment where the worm doesn’t turn or die. These graphic images of eternal punishment provoke the question, should we take these descriptions literally or are they merely symbols?

I suspect they are symbols, but I find no relief in that. We must not think of them as being merely symbols. It is probable that the sinner in hell would prefer a literal lake of fire as his eternal abode to the reality of hell represented in the lake of fire image. If these images are indeed symbols, then we must conclude that the reality is worse than the symbol suggests. The function of symbols is to point beyond themselves to a higher or more intense state of actuality than the symbol itself can contain.
That Jesus used the most awful symbols imaginable to describe hell is no comfort to those who see them simply as symbols.

A breath of relief is usually heard when someone declares, “Hell is a symbol for separation from God.” To be separated from God for eternity is no great threat to the impenitent person. The ungodly want nothing more than to be separated from God. Their problem in hell will not be separation from God, it will be the presence of God that will torment them. In hell, God will be present in the fullness of His divine wrath. He will be there to exercise His just punishment of the damned. They will know Him as an all-consuming fire.

No matter how we analyze the concept of hell it often sounds to us as a place of cruel and unusual punishment. If, however, we can take any comfort in the concept of hell, we can take it in the full assurance that there will be no cruelty there. It is impossible for God to be cruel. Cruelty involves inflicting a punishment that is more severe or harsh than the crime. Cruelty in this sense is unjust. God is incapable of inflicting an unjust punishment. The Judge of all the earth will surely do what is right. No innocent person will ever suffer at His hand.

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of hell is its eternality. People can endure the greatest agony if they know it will ultimately stop. In hell there is no such hope. The Bible clearly teaches that the punishment is eternal. The same word is used for both eternal life and eternal death. Punishment implies pain. Mere annihilation, which some have lobbied for, involves no pain. Jonathan Edwards, in preaching on Revelation 6:15-16 said, “Wicked men will hereafter earnestly wish to be turned to nothing and forever cease to be that they may escape the wrath of God.” (John H. Gerstner, Jonathan Edwards on Heaven and Hell [Orlando: Ligonier Ministries, 1991], 75.)

Hell, then, is an eternity before the righteous, ever-burning wrath of God, a suffering torment from which there is no escape and no relief. Understanding this is crucial to our drive to appreciate the work of Christ and to preach His gospel.

Summary

1. The suffering of hell is beyond any experience of misery found in this world.
2. Hell is clearly included in the teaching of Jesus.
3. If the biblical descriptions of hell are symbols, then the reality will be worse than the symbols.
4. Hell is the presence of God in His wrath and judgment.
5. There is no cruelty in hell. Hell will be a place of perfect justice.
6. Hell is eternal. There is no escape through either repentance or annihilation.

Biblical passages for reflection: Matthew 8:11-12, Mark 9:42-48, Luke 16:19-31, Jude 1:3-13, Revelation 20:11-15.

Fire! Fire!

By J.C. Ryle

When a house is on fire, what ought to be done first? We ought to give the alarm and wake the inhabitants. This is true love to our neighbor. This is true charity. Reader, I love your soul, and want it to be saved. I am therefore going to tell you something about hell. There is such a place as hell. Let no one deceive you with vain words. What men do not like, they try hard not to believe. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes to judge the world, he will punish all who are not his disciples with a fearful punishment. All who are found impenitent and unbelieving; all who have clung to sin, stuck to the world, and set their affections on things below; all who are without Christ; all such shall come to an awful end. Whosoever is not written in the book of life shall be "cast into the lake of fire." Rev 20:15.

The punishment of hell shall be most severe. There is no pain like that of burning. Put your finger in the candle for a moment if you doubt this, and try. Fire is the most destructive and devouring of all elements. Look into the mouth of a blast furnace, and think what it would be to be there. Fire is of all elements most opposed to life. Creatures can live in air, and earth, and water; but nothing can live in fire. Yet fire is the portion to which the Christless and unbelieving will come. They will be "cast into the lake of fire."

The punishment of hell will be eternal. Millions of ages will pass away, and the fire will never burn low and become dim. The fuel of that fire will never waste away and be consumed. It is "unquenchable fire." O reader, these are the sad and painful things to speak of. I have no-pleasure in dwelling on them. I could rather say with the apostle Paul, "I have great sorrow." But they are things written for our learning, and it is good to consider them. They are part of that Scripture which is all profitable, and they ought to be heard. Painful as the subject of hell is, it is one about which I dare not, cannot, and must not be silent.

Who would desire to speak of hell-fire if God has not spoken of it? When God has spoken of it so plainly, who can safely hold his peace? I dare not shut my eyes to the fact, that a deep rooted infidelity lurks in men's minds on the subject of hell. I see it oozing out in the utter apathy of some: they eat, and drink, and sleep, as if there was no wrath to come. I see it creeping forth in the coldness others about their neighbor's souls: they show little anxiety to awaken the unconverted, and pluck brands from the fire. I desire to denounce such infidelity with all my might. Believing that there are "terrors of the Lord," as well as the "recompense of reward."

I call on all who profess to believe the Bible, to be on their guard. I know that some do not believe there is any hell at all. They think it impossible there can be such a place. They call it inconsistent with the mercy of God. They say it is too awful an idea to be really true. The devil of course, rejoices in the views of such people. They help his kingdom mightily. They are preaching up his old favorite doctrine, "Ye shall not surely die." I know furthermore, that some do not believe that hell is eternal. They tell us it is incredible that a compassionate God will punish men for ever. He will surely open the prison doors at last. This also is a mighty help to the devil's cause. "Take your ease, "he whispers to sinners-" if you do make a mistake, never mind, it is not for ever."

I know also that some believe there is a hell, but never allow that anybody is going there. All people with them are good, as soon as they die, all were sincere, all meant well, and all, they hope, got to heaven. Alas! what a common delusion is this! I can well understand the feeling of the little girl who asked her mother where all the wicked people were buried, for she found no mention on the gravestones of any except of the good.

And I know very well that some believe there is a hell, but never like to hear it spoken of. It is a subject that should always be kept back, in their opinion. They see no profit in bringing it forward, and are rather shocked when it is mentioned. This also is an immense help to the devil. "Hush! hush!" says Satan, "say nothing about hell." The fowler wishes no noise to be made when he has laid his, snares. The wolf would like the shepherd to sleep, while he prowls round the fold. The devil rejoices when Christians are silent about hell.

Reader, all these notions are the opinions of man. What is it to you and me what man thinks of religion? Man will not judge us at the last day. There is but one point to be settled, "what says the word of God?" do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is real and true. It is a true as heaven, as true as justification by faith, as true as the fact that Christ died upon the cross. There is not a fact or doctrine which you may not lawfully doubt, if you doubt hell. Disbelieve hell, you unscrew, unsettle, and unpin everything in the Scripture. You may as well throw your Bible aside at once. From "no hell" to "no God" is but a series of steps. Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell will have inhabitants.

The wicked shall certainly be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God. The same blessed Saviour who now sits on a throne of grace, will one day sit on a throne of judgement, and men will see there is such a thing as "the wrath of the Lamb." The same, lips which now say, Come, come unto me," will one day say, "Depart, ye cursed" Alas! how awful the thought of being condemned by Christ himself, judge by the Saviour, sentenced to misery by the lamb! Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell will be intense and inalterable woe.

It is vain to talk of all the expressions about it being figures of speech, the pit, the prison, the worm, the fire, the thirst, the blackness, the darkness, the weeping, the gnashing of teeth, the second death, all these may be figures of speech if you please. But Bible figures mean something beyond all questions, and here they mean something which man's mind can never fully conceive. O reader, the miseries of mind and conscience are far worse than those of the body. The whole extent of hell, the present suffering, the bitter recollection of the past, the hopeless prospect of the future, will never be thoroughly known except by those who go there.

Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is eternal. It must be eternal, or words have no meaning at all. "For ever and ever," "everlasting," "unquenchable," "never-dying" all these are expressions used about hell, and expressions that cannot be explained away. It must be eternal, or the very foundations of heaven are cast down. If hell has an end, heaven has an end too. They both stand or fall together. It must be eternal, or every doctrine of the gospel is undermined.

If a man may escape hell at length without faith in Christ, or sanctification of the Spirit, sin is no longer an infinite evil, and there was no such great need of Christ's making an atonement. And where is the warrant for saying that hell can ever change a heart, or make it fit for heaven? It must be eternal, or hell would cease to be hell altogether. Give a man hope, and he will bear any thing. Grant a hope of deliverance, however distant, and hell is but a drop of water.

Alas! for that day which will have no tomorrow - that day when men shall seek death and not find it, and shall desire to die but death shall flee from them! Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is a subject that ought not to be kept back. It is striking, to observe that none say so much about it as our Lord Jesus Christ, that gracious and merciful Saviour, and the apostle John, whose heart seems full of love. Truly it may well be doubted whether we ministers speak of it as much as we ought.

I cannot forget the words of a dying hearer of Mr. Newton: "Sir, you often told me of Christ and salvation: why did you not remind me of hell and danger?" Let others hold their peace about hell if they will; I dare not do so. I see it plainly in Scripture, and I must speak of it. I fear that thousands are on the broad, way that leads to it, and I would fain arouse them to a sense of the peril before them.

What would you say of the man who saw his neighbor's house in danger of being burned down, and never raised the cry of "fire?" What ought to be said of us as ministers if we call ourselves watchmen for souls, and yet see fires of hell raging in distance, and never give the alarm?

Call it bad taste, if you like, to speak of hell. Call it charity to make things pleasant, and speak of smoothly, and soothe men with constant lullaby of peace. I have not read my Bible. My notion of charity is to warn men plainly of danger. My notion of taste in the ministerial office, is to declare all the counsel of God.

If I never spoke of hell, I should think I had kept back something that was profitable, and should look on myself as an accomplice of the devil. Reader, I beseech you, in all tender affection, beware of false views of the subject on which I have been dwelling. Beware of new and strange doctrines about hell and the eternity of punishment. Beware of manufacturing a God of your own: a God who is all mercy, but not just; a God who is all love, but not holy; a God who as a heaven for every body, but a hell for none; a God who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time, but will make no distinction between good and broad in eternity. Such a God is an idol of your won, as truly an idol as any snake or crocodile in an Egyptian temple. The hands of your won fancy and sentimentality have made him. He is not the God of the Bible, and beside the God of the Bible there is no God at all.

Your heaven would be no heaven at all. A heaven containing all sorts of characters indiscriminately would be miserable discord indeed. Alas! for the eternity of such a heaven. There would be little difference between it and hell. Ah! reader, there is a hell! There is a fire! Take heed lest you find it out to your cost too late. Beware of being wise above that which is written. Beware of forming fanciful theories of your own, and then trying to make the Bible square with them. Beware of making selections from your Bible to suit your taste. Dare not to say, "I believe this verse, for I like it. I refuse that, for I cannot reconcile it with my views."

Nay! but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? By what right do you talk in this way? Surely it were better to say, over every chapter in the word, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." Ah! if men would do this, they would never deny the unquenchable fire.

"R.I.P." - Is That True? What Do We Say?

What Do We Say?

By Ron Graham

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:17-18.


A friend’s mother passed away recently, and the lady was a devout Jehovah’s Witness. She might have lived but she refused a blood transfusion. Another friend of ours mentioned “Well, at least she’s in a better place” to which my wife gently responded, “I don’t think so”.

Should we lie to people and tell them that their loved ones are in Heaven even though they were devoted to following a cult built on lies? “I think God will take into consideration that she was a good person and went to church every week”. Oh, really? Not according to my Bible. I guess because the JW’s have re-written the bible to say what they want it to say, they’re okay salvation wise. As my wife so appropriately states, “I don’t think so”.

So, how do we contend with people who, as they are grieving, make statements such as “at least they’re in a better place”, when we know that the deceased did not believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? Where do we draw the line when it comes to being sympathetic? Considering that it’s too late for the dearly departed to change their minds about their faith in Jesus Christ, will it do any good to be honest when addressing the loved ones left here and grieving? I believe it will.


Those of us who are left here after our loved ones pass away must still contend with our choice in regards to eternity. Our loved ones who have passed on are gone for good. There are no further choices for them to make. They either believed the truth of the Gospel or they believed a lie, of which there are many. Either way they can’t change their minds and choose to believe the truth after they’re dead and gone. Those loved ones who remain can still make the correct choice when lovingly confronted with the truth.


Many of those who are left here grieving are just as lost as the ones that traversed the dimension of death. And these lost people comfort themselves with the thought that their dearly departed are in a better place. Whether they believe that place to be Heaven or some made up after life existence, they are comforted by a false assumption; they believe everyone who did good in their lives goes to that “better place”. They know they’ve done plenty of good things themselves in this life and so they find solace in the belief that they will someday be reunited with their loved ones in that mythical afterlife they’ve invented.


There are believers who will not go to funerals of people they know had rejected Jesus Christ for their entire lives. They say it’s just too hard to sit there and listen to a pastor make claims of how good that person was in their life, and even though they weren’t saved “Surly they are with God”. Some will say “Who really knows how God saw that person? After all, who are we to judge a person’s salvation status?” They may have believed in God and even trusted in God to supply their needs and to heal their ills; they just couldn’t get around the idea of God dying for them on a cross.” And there’s the rub. They didn’t believe Jesus Christ was and is the Savior of the world; thus, according to the word of God they weren’t justified (saved) in God’s eyes. They’ve condemned themselves “because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. John 3:18b.


We can know God’s will regarding salvation. All we need to do is pick up a Bible (His word) and read it. But we must read God’s word not, man’s made up words. Think about it. Does God pull any punches in His word? I would say no. In the Gospel of John we read “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. This is Jesus Christ speaking. Jesus Christ is God and as such He has the authority to make the statement in the verse above. He did this so everyone who follows a lie, a false gospel, a Christian cult, or any religion that teaches another way to the Father, would have no excuse when they die in their sins.


Why is it deemed cold hearted to tell someone the truth? Why should we remain silent? The one who died is gone and there’s nothing more we can do for them. But those who still remain must be told the truth so they can make an informed decision and hopefully one that would keep them from following a lost loved one to that same horrible eternal existence.


How do we know? How can we say for certain when a person passes on, if they passed on to Heaven or Hades? We aren’t God. We don’t make that decision, that’s God’s domain. A person might have had a change of mind within the last few seconds of their life, and just before they expired they might have said yes to Jesus Christ. Perhaps never verbally speaking the words out loud so family and friends would know they made that decision. Well certainly if they lived a life as a Christ rejecter and in those last few seconds silently changed their mind, only God would know that. But when a person lives their life as a devout member of a cult, and throughout that life they continually rejected the deity of Jesus Christ, then more than likely when they breathed their last breath they did so in that same frame of mind.


Either way the truth needs to be promoted. The loved ones who knew their dearly departed family member was never a follower of Jesus Christ wouldn’t know if they silently made a confession to God just before death and so they would need to be told that if they don’t want to suffer the same end as their loved one they must make a decision for Christ while they are still breathing.


If we tell people, or even agree with people, that their loved ones have gone to Heaven because they were a good person, even though we know they were devout in their cultic faith, or had no faith in Christ at all, we are leading them astray. We might just as well be telling them that there are many roads that lead to Heaven. In a way we are denying Christ by not speaking the truth. He gave His life to give us the only way to Heaven, but if we tell others that a “good person” who dies goes to Heaven even though they had not accepted Christ, we deny His sacrifice.


“...whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33. When we keep silent we deny Him, when we agree with a falsehood such as many paths lead to Heaven, we deny His payment for our sins. Either way we’ve mislead the loved ones who remain.


So what do we do when we have loved ones who are thoroughly immersed in a cult or some other false religion? Do we keep peace in the family by remaining silent about the truth of the Gospel? How will remaining silent or even condoning a cult or a false religion help to bring a loved one out of that false, and very damning, teaching? If we love them we must tell them the truth. Even attending a religious function with loved ones who are in a cult at their place of worship should be avoided at all costs. Those who belong to a cult might perceive a nonexistent softening towards their false religion or worse, a condoning of their practices by those who join them even as spectators of their rituals.


Should “In Christ” believers bend over backwards to keep civility and peace in the family, a family which is separated by those who have turned away from the truth of Jesus Christ and embraced a lie? After all, they’re condemned to Hell. How does keeping the peace with these folks show our love for them, especially when we keep silent about the truth? The truth of the Gospel is the only truth with regards to salvation. Love means telling people the truth about Jesus so they will not follow all the Christ rejecters who went to Hades before them.


Let’s see what Jesus says about keeping peace in the family. “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Luke 12:51-53. Clearly Jesus knew that following Him would cause division even in the sanctity of our own families. But should we be deterred by this division? Absolutely not. We must continually and without hesitation remain faithful to Christ by contending for the faith.


Most would probably consider it common courtesy to avoid the subject about Heaven or Hell altogether at a nonbeliever’s funeral. After all, as long as we are saved that’s what matters, right? As born again believers we should all have a tremendous burden on our hearts concerning the lost. The lost who have passed on have reached a finality believers in Christ can do nothing about, but nothing is final when it comes to the lost loved ones who remain.


It is simple to stand on God’s truth. But if you don’t know where to find the answers to rebuttals and outright disparagements which will undoubtedly come from the lost, then you will probably just go along with their self affirmations of everyone goes to Heaven when they die. Jesus said “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14. Here again Jesus makes it clear that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through Him and Him alone. He refers to Himself as the narrow way and few will find that way. And even fewer will find it if we keep silent.


“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27. We’re commanded to love one another. If you love your neighbor as yourself you won’t just let them live a lie without explaining the truth to them.


Funerals are tough on the ones left here, but not on the one who departs. For the nonbeliever or cult follower who’s funeral we’ve just witnessed, Hell is their next destination and that’s the truth whether we want to admit it to the lost loved ones remaining at the funeral or not.


On the other hand, those lost folks who are left here in mourning, even though they are fully condemned to Hell, can still hear the truth from a believer and perhaps they will make a decision to accept Christ and avoid Hell. There’s no grey area when it comes to salvation, Heaven is only available to those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other option, there is no other way, “...for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.


God bless you all,


Ron Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

All Scriptipture is from the KJV

No Fear of Death

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

The first death we must endure unless the Lord should suddenly come to His temple. For this let us abide in readiness, awaiting it without fear, since Jesus has transformed death from a dreary cavern into a passage leading to glory.

The thing to be feared is not the first but the second death, not the parting of the soul from the body but the final separation of the entire man from God. This is death indeed. This death kills all peace, joy, happiness, hope. When God is gone, all is gone. Such a death is far worse than ceasing to be: it is existence without the life which makes existence worth the having.

Now, if by God's grace we fight on to the end and conquer in the glorious war, no second death can lay its chill finger upon us, We shall have no fear of death and hell, for we shall receive a crown of life which fadeth not away. How this nerves us for the fight! Eternal life is worth a life's battle. To escape the hurt of the second death is a thing worth struggling for throughout a lifetime.

Lord, give us faith so that we may overcome, and then grant us grace to remain unharmed though sin and Satan dog our heels!

- C.H. Spurgeon

From the Spurgeon Archive

It's a Dog's Life (and Death)

By Justin Edwards

My dog, Brooklyn, went away to die early Sunday morning. She was acting funny around 1am, so my Mom let her out as she thought Brooklyn just needed to do her business. Mom went into the kitchen and saw puddles of drool, the thick and white kind. 15 minutes later Mom went to let Brooklyn back in but she was no where to be found. She was gone. This was not like her at all. Morning came around and still no sign of Brooklyn. Mom and Dad went to look for her in the woods and around the neighborhood, but still nothing. The only thing we can think of is she went off to die.

Brooklyn was the sweetest dog. She was the Lassie-figure. She loved kids and got along with any dog. It's pretty funny how I ended up with her. On my 20th birthday, my friend Brad and I went with our friend Amanda to pick up a dog. Amanda was responding to an ad in the paper I believe, and we found ourselves in a trailer park somewhere outside of Charlotte. This place was a mess! Picture a double- wide sitting on red clay, scarce trees, rainy day, a couple of toddlers running around in t-shirts only, and a "Bubba Joe" as our host. He takes us to the "pen" where we found a 10x10 foot grid of chicken wire, half-covered with that ruffled green roofing, with 5 or 6 puppies - no older than 6 weeks old - flipping and flopping around in their poop and just as filthy as you could imagine. Amanda already had hers picked out and one of us asked what he was going to do with the rest of them. Bubba Joe (or was it Billy Bob, Cletus, or Rufus?) told us in a way only a good ole redneck can, "well-if-I cain't git rid of 'em I figure I jus' drown 'em." So at that, Brad and I also left with a dog each.

I was always one to bring animals home to my parents' house. There's been a ferret, a red-tailed boa constrictor, and now a puppy. I thought I could get away with hiding Brooklyn in the closet, but of course Mom hears her barking and it was over from there. Mom was so upset and it was clear I'd have to get rid of her. So I left for the day and came home later, only to find Brooklyn asleep with Mom on the couch! Obviously, Brooklyn stuck around.

Through the years Brooklyn brought us so much joy. I tried to take her with me when I moved out of the house, but my parents wouldn't let me. That was her home and she was to stay. And I'm glad she did. My nephew Luke really got to enjoy her over the last several years. She was so loyal to him and followed him everywhere. Even when he went inside to play with his friends, she would remain on the front porch for him to come back outside. Luke still doesn't know. In fact, just a few months ago he said to Mom, "Maama, it's gonna be a sad day when Brooklyn dies." So I told Mom today while we were looking for her that would be a good way to break the news to him, "Luke, remember when you said it would be a sad day when Brooklyn died? Well, today's a sad day."

But all is not lost, of course, on Brooklyn's death. She leaves behind a great legacy that we will remember. She also gives me reason to write this blog post, one that I hope reaches someone here in cyberspace.

You see, Brooklyn was 11 years old and knew her time had come. She knew it was time to die and she went off to die in a hopefully peaceful way. It is my understanding this is commonplace with dogs - that they go off to die comfortably if possible. But guess what? We humans don't generally have that luxury apart from the 90 year old in the hospice unit.

The truth is, none of us know when our time will come. Aside from life insurance policies and things of that nature, we really can't plan for it - or can we?  When was the last time you said, "hhmmmm....I'm about to die, let me go over there and die". Or when did any dead person say, "ok, I'm about to die. Let me go take care of this, that, and the other. Let me say goodbye to my friends and family, and oh yeah, about what that preacher said last week, 'yes, God, I'd like to go to heaven now, so please save me.'" Um, it doesn't really work like that.

There must come a time in every person's life where they come to a realization there is a physical hell and a physical heaven. They are real places indeed. In fact, in his book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn explains, "In His story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus taught that in Hell, the wicked suffer terribly, are fully conscious, retain their desires and memories and reasoning, long for relief, cannot be comforted, cannot leave their torment, and are bereft of hope (Luke 16:19-31)." What a bleak and graphic picture painted by Jesus.

So what about heaven? Well, heaven is where Jesus is. And heaven is where I'll be when I die. It's not because of anything I have done, but because of what Christ has done in me. This Jesus knew that He was going to die. It was His mission. He was sent by His Father in heaven to come pay for the sins of the world, so that those who believe in His atoning sacrifice will be saved from the consequence of their sins - eternal hell. God has called all humans to saving grace. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." But you have to respond to the calling!

Do you know where you will go when you die? Do you believe in God? Does your lifestyle indicate you love Him and truly know Him? A simple belief or general intellect that God exists and He's waiting for you to come join Him in the clouds is a myth. If you want to be assured of Jesus welcoming you with open arms one day, then you must repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ. You cannot work for your salvation, it comes from faith alone. And true faith bears fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16). If you do not know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then today is the day of salvation! If you realize you are lost and in desperate need of His love, then come to Him today, don't wait any longer!  If you're not sure exactly how, then just ask. I'm here for you.

So while this weekend was a sad day for me and my family, it brings me joy to share this good news with you - that Jesus loves you so much and He wants to call you His own. And if you already know you are redeemed and rest in the hope and peace of Christ, then perhaps you can glean from this Alcorn quote, "The most loving thing we can do for our friends and our family is to warn them about the road that leads to destruction and tell them about the road that leads to life." Have you been doing that lately? Why not start today?

To Brooklyn, thanks for all of the memories and thanks for being such a great dog. I will remember you until it is my day to pass away, and when that time comes, I know I will be ready.

Will you?