NOT NOW? THEN WHEN?

NOT NOW? THEN WHEN?

So many people say, “When I stand before God I am going to tell him…..” Or, “When I stand before God I will just take whatever comes.” And for others the reaction is more like, “I know I need to do something, but not right now.”

Please, look closely at this verse, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev 20:12). 

Notice very carefully that those who come into the presence of God on the Day of Judgment…are silent. Nobody is asked to defend their position, or to explain their situation or, and more importantly, nobody on that day is offered a second chance. The only thing that happens on that day, before God passes judgment, is “the books were (or will be) opened.” And if you read that verse one more time you will also notice that “another book was opened” also. Why two sets of books?

Today, as you read this, your name is in a book in heaven. And today, while you are still here on this earth and alive, you can decide which book your name is in. If we could go up into heaven right now, if we could enter God’s judgment hall today and open the books of heaven, your name would be in one of those books.

Far too often people get the idea that somehow if they can just do a few really good things God would let them into heaven. Which good things would that be? How many of those good things would it take? How would you know when you have completed just enough of those good things? And what if you died just before you finished that last really good thing? But, it just isn’t true. That is not the way God designed it. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Jesus died as our sacrifice for sin so that our names might be written in the Book of Life. Jesus paid the debt for our sin. Our work, or our effort in any form, cannot ever pay for our sin. God will only accept the sinless blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf:

Romans_3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God….

Hebrews_9:22b  …and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Hebrews_10:18  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering (needed) for sin.

Looking at these passages, our names are already in His books if our sins have been removed by the sacrifice of Christ. Your name is either in the “books” or your name is in the “book” as we arrive at the judgment seat. The distinction between the “books” and the “book” is given in verse 15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The dead, those who are not saved, are judged out of the things written in the books (v.12-13). The final judgment is eternal and that judgment will be horrible if your name is in the books. It may be worse for one than for another but, eternity in hell is horrifying no matter how you may view it.

I have heard so many make jokes about it. I have heard people say, “Well, at least I will be with my friends and we will party when we get there.” In reality, it is more likely that we will blame one another for being there. And we will undoubtedly be praying that none of our family members ever have to join us there.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus shares the only instance we have of a real life record of a man going to hell. His response is not what so many joke about today. Instead, the man in hell (Luke 16) is in torment and begs for even a drop of water to cool his thirst. And his final thoughts are on his family. He pleads with Abraham to send someone to his five brothers who are still alive on earth to warn them about this horrible place. Abraham’s response is unbelievable, but so true, especially when we understand how evil the human heart can be. He said that if they will not listen to the Word of God being preached here, while they are alive, they would not listen even if a ghost from hell appeared before them as a testimony.

How many times have you heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached? Every time you heard it you were given an opportunity to move your name from the books of judgment to the Book of Life. As you read this today you are being given one more chance. It could in fact be, your last chance. God does not owe us even one chance to be saved. If you have ever heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and been given one opportunity to be saved and have your name placed in the Book of Life, that was one more chance than God owes any of us. Did you receive Christ at that time? Did you get saved that day and have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Or, did you say, “Not now.” Will you wake up tomorrow morning and have one more chance? Or, will you discover your name was written in the books of judgment as God reads from their pages and proclaims, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41)?

If not now, then when? Normally, none of us plan to die. Most of us go to bed in the evening fully expecting to wake up here, on earth, in the morning. But, will we?

If you died today are you sure heaven will be your home for eternity? To find out how you can have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life go to: http://christxalted.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-be-born-again.html