Weekly Devotional 9-01-14 Don’t Enter Eternity as an Enemy of God
Tuan Sian Sang, a Christian brother in Myanmar wrote, “It is too soon to go to hell at a hundred years old, and not too soon to go to heaven at twenty.” This was his response to the devotional titled “Faithful Brothers” dated 8-18-14. Assuredly His comment is laden with implications because to enter hell at any age is to enter as an enemy of God. It is the abode of all those who in their lifetime rejected God’s provision of salvation. An abode that is eternal and where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 6:12; Luke 13:28). God’s provision of course, was the sacrifice of His only Begotten Son, Jesus.
All people die, there are no exceptions. Death is not optional, but one’s destination is. One can either enter into heaven, into the very presence of God, or he or she must be cast out and away from the presence of God for eternity as an enemy. As there is no conformity between light and darkness there is no conformity between Holy Righteous God and unrighteous man. A person who will not surrender himself or herself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will, when they pass from this present experience of life, eternally live in torment because of that rejection.
We who have been brought out of alienation and made friends of God must be eternally grateful. Our destination is heaven. Being in His presence is our future. Writing of this, John the apostle wrote, “1Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ 5Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ 6And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death’” (Revelation 21:1-8 NKJV). Wow! What a future!
To those who are not friends of God, but enemies, it must be asked, what is it that keeps you from turning to Him? Given what follows this present experience of life, what reason can you possibly have?
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Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of man
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