Jesus Christ Is Your Only Hope

By Justin Edwards

Cast yourself upon Christ and flee from the wrath to come - He is your only Hope!

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

By Justin Edwards

As a follow-up post to yesterday's 14 Reasons to Hope for Christ's Return in 2011, I have put together 20 reasons why not to hope for Christ's return this year. Those falling into this category include lukewarm professing Christians, nominal or casual professing Christians, procrastinators who know they should submit to the Lord Jesus Christ but have yet to do so, the self-righteous, religious hypocrites, cult members, worshipers of false gods, and blasphemers outright rejecting the Son of God as Lord over all.

1. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. - John 3:18-19

2. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15

3. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4:4

4. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. - 1 John 2:4

5. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. - Colossians 3:5-6

6. But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. - Romans 2:5

7. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. - Titus 1:16

8. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. - Philippians 3:18-19

9. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. - Ephesians 5:5-6

10. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption... - Galatians 6:7-8

11. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! - 1 Corinthians 16:22

12. For if you live according to the flesh you will die... - Romans 8:13

13. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. - 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

14. 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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

15. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. - 1 John 3:6

16. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. - Matthew 13:49-50

17. For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. - Mark 8:38

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

19. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. - James 1:22

20. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. - 1 John 1:6

Of course, there are many more Scriptures and reasons not to want Christ to return in 2011, and they all have to do with the lifestyle one might be living and the righteous indignation that is being stored up for them by a holy, angry God. On the day of judgment, there will be no acceptable excuses for rejecting the grace of God, who offers you mercy today. Should you continue to procrastinate or continue in a lifestyle of habitual, willful sin, or continue worshiping false gods or continue in your hatred for God, the day is coming when the full fury of His wrath will come upon your head.

I do not want that for you. Please, by all means, ask me how you can avoid that great and terrible Day and begin following the Lord Jesus Christ in humble submission and intimate love for His grace, mercy, and sacrifice. The days are numbered, and 2011 just might be the year you find yourself rejoicing in glory or wailing in destruction. Either way, God will be glorified!

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. - Revelation 19:11-16

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

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Repentance

By Justin Edwards

Repentance means that you realize that you are a guilty, vile sinner in the presence of God, that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God, that you are hell-bound. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you, that you long to get rid of it, and that you turn your back on it in every shape and form. You renounce the world whatever the cost, the world in its mind and outlook as well as its practice, and you deny yourself, and take up the cross and go after Christ. Your nearest and dearest, and the whole world, may call you a fool, or say you have religious mania. You may have to suffer financially, but it makes no difference. That is repentance.

(HT: Before the Foundation)

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 Old Cross and the New

All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental. From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique-a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross.

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more.

The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him.

What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die.

Having done this let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.

To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to God's approval.

Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.

A. W. Tozer, Man, the Dwelling Place of God, 1966

(HT:  Lambert Dolphin)

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?

The Greatest Mirror of Them All

By Justin Edwards


Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. - James 1:23-25

The most important test one can undertake is to examine themselves in light of Scripture. Consider the Bible a mirror and search to see if your life is a reflection of the Word of God. After seeing Jesus, His love, His teachings, His commandments, His sufferings and further the exhortations by John, Peter, Paul, and James, does your life reflect that love, obedience, servanthood, stewardship, fruit of the Spirit, sufferings for His sake, and proper response in holiness and righteousness to these exhortations? Or does your life reflect disobedience, pride, anger, hatred, lusts of the flesh, and unrighteousness?


Jesus said in John 14:15, 23-24,

If you love Me, you will obey what I command...23If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

And 1 John 3:16 says,

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Have you laid down your life for Jesus? Have you submitted in total surrender to Him? Do you still hold on to your own will, or does He have all the control?

The following is a passage for honest consideration to examine whether you are in the faith. If you find the virtuous things lacking in your life, yet the things of the earth evident instead, get on your knees and take it to the foot of the cross. If you find you have never known Him, He may not know you, so settle that today by committing your life to Christ. If you are unsure, surrender everything to Him so you may receive assurance and turn to diligence in seeking after Him in His sovereign and perfect Word. You cannot know Him if you do not seek Him. You cannot seek Him if do not know where to find Him. You cannot find Him if you don't open your Bible and pray.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

If you want God with all of your heart, mind, and soul, if you are ready to die to yourself and be raised with Christ, if you are tired of the same old life that gives you no genuine hope, peace, joy, or love, and you are ready to receive the Peace that passes all understanding, the Hope that gives life, the Joy that brings true happiness, and the Love that mends all things, then commit your life to Christ today by a prayer similar to below. Jesus Christ loves you, enough to die for you. He paid a debt He did not owe, because you have a debt you cannot pay. If you believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins, that God raised Him from the dead, and that He is Lord, confess these things to Him, and He will give you eternal life as He promised:

"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner in desperate need of You. I have doubts about my salvation, and I'm ready to obtain assurance today. I know that my sin has separated me from You, and the only way to mend this gap is by believing in Your Son, and confessing Him Lord of my life. Right now, Father, I surrender my life to you. These sins that have a hold on me, I hand them over to you. I ask that you take these sins and help me overcome. I know the temptation will remain, but through You I am more than a conqueror. I die to myself, Lord Jesus, and turn away from the life I am living. I am picking up my cross and I am following You. I have been in control of my life for far too long, and now I give You control completely. It is no longer my will for my life, but Your will for my life, and Your will alone. I pray that by Your Spirit, You sanctify me, making me holy, Lord. I commit myself to You, and I know that it is by Your grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone that I am saved. Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice, thank You for shedding Your blood on the cross to pay for my sins, and thank You for making me a new creation. I receive this gift of eternal life, and I thank You, Jesus! In Your most precious name that is above all names I ask these things, amen."