Plexit

In the UK we have been suffering through two years of Brexit, and the arguments why we should stay or leave the EU, depending on which side of the debate fence you sit on. Whichever way you look at it, at least we are talking about it ad nauseum (literally!).

At the same time, there is another referendum which is more serious, but few talk about it. Let me introduce you to Plexit, the vote we all have but few cast, on what we do to prepare for the sure and certain event called ‘Planet Exit’. I suggest that we don’t have to give it much thought, because we have been convinced that everybody goes to heaven anyway. We will make a few exceptions for some murderers and peopophiles, but other than a few exceptions heaven is a cert! Really?

If you think we are here on this earth as a result of chance, an accident of nature, or a mutation of evolution, then you should have no worry about leaving this earth, because it then stands to reason that there can be no heaven or hell. But most people agree that there is a God, whether they go to church or not. In the same manner, they have convinced themselves that this loving God would never send any of His creation to hell. Ergo, it’s heaven!! How convenient.

On the other side of the debate are the Christians who believe by faith in a glorious heaven, and know it in their heart.They are also very aware of the real existence of the devil and his hell. The Bible talks a great deal about both heaven and hell and leaves the decision to us. This is a choice we make in the here and now. We can’t change our mind when we get to the wrong place in eternity. What are we doing to prepare, because the Bible is clear?

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2Corinthians6:2NKJV

Remain

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John15:5,6

The word ‘if’ is very small, but has an enormous meaning. The dictionary defines ‘if’ as: on condition, provided, providing, presuming, supposing, and you can replace the word ‘if’ with any of these and keep the meaning and context the same. The verses are clear. We must stay close to Jesus in order to be able to bear fruit, or be productive. If we stray from Him, and these verses say that we can, we are in danger of hell fire. That is a loss of salvation, and I can see no other way to interpret or read these words of Jesus.

I don’t want to get into a theological argument, but instead want to emphasise the need for us as Christians to keep short accounts with our Saviour. Stay close. Be like Him. Remain in Him. To do otherwise opens us up to the dangers of a lost eternity, and let’s face it, none of us want that because we have the promise of heaven.

Jesus wasn’t talking to the unconvinced around Him, He was talking to those believers who were already committed to His ways, ie the disciples, and if they had to be counselled to remain in Him, then how much more we need to be careful how we treat our salvation. The prospect of heaven fills us with delight, but the very thought of hell is a serious matter. Jesus said it was serious, and I trust we don’t downplay the thought of hell as a bad joke or in a light and flippant manner.

Now What?

It’s not the way I would have wanted it, but my friend of many years was in the hospital Intensive Care Unit having suffered a serious and very unexpected heart attack. I visited when I could, but wanted to make sure his wife and family were not crowded out during visiting hours. I had known Brian since Primary School and Sunday School, and in those early years we were inseparable. As sometimes happens, life steps in and although we stayed friends, we didn’t see each other as much outside of the very occasional church service at weddings and funerals etc..

We were regular church goers, but nowadays only just. Unlike the old days when we were a fixture in serious faith and attendance. Now we were what is called ‘nominal Christians’, but the seed had been sown and we both knew “the way” to the Father’s heart. Brian was in a small room of four patients, each one in ICU and getting the best treatment, but it was evident in all the beds lay a man, suspended between life and death. Unfortunately for the other patients, and even the staff, one of the needy was an ‘aggressive atheist’ and he was very vocal about there being no God, and if He existed, He was never any good to him. He blamed everything on God from his occasional cold, to the serious circumstances which brought him to this hospital ward, and everything in between.

Brian never could suffer fools gladly, but anytime I was there, he remained very composed and quiet, and only responded quietly when a barb was directed straight at him. One night I was putting some fruit into his little bedside cabinet when I noticed a small Bible. That took me right back to the times we would talk endlessly about our faith in Jesus Christ and how much He meant to us. As I left the visit to allow Brian’s wife to spend the last part of the time with him, I could still hear the other man shouting at God, and swearing at anyone who looked like they would listen. The noise followed me down the corridor and only stopped when I got into the lift.

Maria called me early next morning with the news that her husband had passed away, quietly, peacefully, and surrounded by his wife, family and the old, now retired Pastor whom we respected and who had helped to lead us to the salvation that only God can give. Maria confided in me the last words of her husband. He had been talking and praying with the old, saintly Pastor, and Brian told him with a broad smile that he prayed for the first time in years. “I just said I’m sorry God, would you please forgive me”? While this was happening, the aggressive atheist’s life was ebbing away too. He died cursing God with his last breath. Now my question remains: “Now What?” Is the sinner’s prayer ever too late? Does this remind you of anything in another place and time?

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke23:39-43

A Dreadful Thing

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.                                    Hebrews 10:30,31 NIV

Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher took this as the text of a sermon in July 1741 and many came to know Christ in a very real and miraculous way in Enfield, Massachusetts. He titled his message, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”. This sermon, as a result, has gone down in history as a part of the great awakening in the early days before the USA was formed.

Of course, we have advanced in so many ways, and so much so that we would never hear or condone such a sermon from one of our pulpits. To suggest that God could be angry with sin in such a way that it would be a great dread, is unthinkable and out of step with society. We say, God is a God of Love, and He would never act or behave in that manner. This man Edwards was an extremist.

Don’t you think it strange that our churches in this enlightened age are declining and some are even having to merge, or even close down? We have made God so ‘luvvy-duvvy’ that He is incapable of serious judgement of our wrongs, or to put the words correctly, our sins. Yes, we should not over emphasise hell and judgement at the expense of the great Love of God, but we cannot ignore the truth of Scripture that it indeed “is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” as described by the writer to Hebrews.

Are we becoming too afraid to preach the whole counsel of God’s love AND judgement? If that is the case, then why should it be so?

The Journey - Nearing the End

When the sight of the summit comes into view, perhaps as you climb over a hillock, you find yourself smiling and getting an inner strength to make the final push to the peak. You know it will be worth it, partly because of the effort you have put in already, and partly due to the fact that in spite of the sore feet and legs, the sense of accomplishment is very real. And at this point, any pain is forgotten, and you can only see the summit. You are not quite there yet.

Have you been in the room of someone who is at the final part of their life’s journey, but haven’t quite reached the end? My experience has shown that there are folks who have made up their mind to be the kind of pilgrim who have an assurance that God will say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of heaven”. Being in the presence of a saint going home is an experience never to be forgotten. Sadly, there are some others who do not have that same peace, and the end of the road is clouded, dark, and uncertain.

The kind of journey’s end you and I will face is the result of our own choices down the years we have been given, until we got to this point. I have known many people who never gave their ‘ending’ much thought while they had the time, and when time was running out, they panicked. A few made a good end, but most didn’t. How about you?

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have served the Lord faithfully. Now, a prize is waiting for me—the crown that will show I am right with God. The Lord, the judge who judges rightly, will give it to me on that Day. Yes, he will give it to me and to everyone else who is eagerly looking forward to his coming. 2 Timothy 4:7,8

A Wee Flutter?

The occasional gamble on the horses, or football, or the lottery would be called a ‘wee flutter’ and those who do gamble will give a lot of thought to the odds, and the chances of winning. The thought is for a little risk, you might just win a lot of money. If you lose, it isn’t the end of the world. You can have another go the following week.

Studies show that the vast majority of people believe in a god of some kind, and life after death, ie some kind of heaven. Most religions will also say that the opposite of heaven would be some kind of torment, or hell for ever. Christianity believes in a real heaven to be gained, and a real hell to be shunned or avoided at all costs.

Since most folks take a lot of trouble to check the odds on their wee flutter, you would think these same folks would give a lot more consideration to the ‘odds’ of going to heaven or hell. Sadly, that is not the case. We are conditioned to believe that we all get to heaven after death, and that’s in spite of the fact that there is an alternative. How many funerals have you been to that even mentioned the possibility of hell? I can’t think of any because it’s no comfort to the grieving family. However, the person who has died will have given a little thought to the question of their eternal destiny at some time, and considered it in the same way they thought about that lottery ticket and took the gamble.

Our eternal destiny is not a lottery, and we shouldn’t treat it as such. The trouble is if we think it through there’s a problem. We realise that we must do something about it, make a choice, and to be sure of heaven, we must actively believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour, and you know in your heart, that He will change your life. We are not ready for that, so we gamble our eternity on the chance that we will get into heaven somehow someway anyway, no matter how we have lived our life. Are you happy with that arrangement?

There is a way that people think is right, but it leads only to death. Proverbs 14:12

Hell

Some send their car there when it breaks down, some tell those they don’t like to go there, and I have even heard it used on the streets by a mother to her child. Yes, honestly! We use the word almost without thinking, but does the place really exist?

Have you been to any funerals? I guess in every case, the minister will say nothing but good things about the deceased, and suggest that Heaven is the goal. So, we are happy, and even encouraged to think that Heaven exists and that’s where we will go.

We feel very comfortable with the idea of Heaven, even those who are not very religious. Part of that may be because we don’t want to think of anything bad when our life ends. It is comforting to think that we will spend forever in a good and happy place of light, surrounded by angels and nice music. But is that a true picture?

Parents think nothing about correcting their children when they do something wrong, and if correction doesn’t work, then punishment. This could be the removal of a toy (that could be an iPhone!), being sent to your room, or in the past physical correction like a smack. Today, we frown on any kind of corporal punishment, and as a result we have softened the concept of our loving parents doing anything to hurt us, even when we do something wrong and deserve it. So, parents are encouraged to help, guide, and affirm their children, but never punish, after all they might get the idea they don’t love them. I well remember a loving mum smacking her child because they ran out into the roadway and into the path of an oncoming car. Fortunately, the car driver saw the child, and swerved to avoid her. Immediately after the smack, came a long, tearful hug and kiss. Did that mum love her child? Undeniably. Did that child know she was loved? Again, certainly.  

The Bible talks a lot about correction and punishment, but we have chosen to concentrate on, and only emphasise the God of love. However, we must take the Bible as a whole, and when we do, we will see that God’s love and justice are inextricably linked. He does not give one without the other. I read that some theologians think that hell is a metaphor, or imaginary, to give the ‘idea’ of punishment which is meant to keep us on the narrow way. On a human level, what would happen if you said to your child, ‘you are being punished for doing wrong, but don’t worry, it’s only an imaginary punishment, it’s not real’? I don’t want to burst your bubble, but God says that not everyone will go to Heaven. Some will go to hell. That, my friend is an uncomfortable thought, but true nonetheless. I suppose we comfort ourselves by thinking that hell is filled with the Hitlers of this world, and no one like us, right? So what do we do with these verses? If there is no justice, we would never have to worry about how we lived, would we? Just asking.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIV

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14 NIV

Untouchables

I heard a Military Scripture Reader speak today, and the openness about his work and calling was both refreshing, but also challenging. How do you square the circle of giving the gospel to a soldier who faces a tour in Afghanistan and puts his life on the line? How do you approach the core belief of real places like heaven and yes, hell, without putting a young soldier on a guilt trip before he is deployed, while staying true to the truth of the Scripture?

The Army Scripture Reader told his story. He was watching the repatriation of a soldier, killed in action, his coffin draped in the Union Flag and bearing his cap, as it was escorted from the back of a Hercules air transporter by members of his unit who marched slowly as the journey to his final place of rest was continued. The question that came to the mind of this young Scripture Reader startled me. “Where is that young soldier NOW”? He believes it was straight from God, and the question catapulted him into service to present the gospel to mostly young, and godless soldiers. Now read the question again.

We have come to venerate our military, and we get very protective and patriotic when they go on active service, and when they return, either as a triumphant marching unit, or in a coffin. The young men who offer their life in their country’s service can do no wrong, and are almost raised to sainthood. They are honoured in church and society alike for the price they are willing to pay for our continued freedom, and rightly so.

Now back to the question that God placed in the mind of our young Scripture Reader. He emphasised that the Word of God is true for all, and does not exempt soldiers, sailors or airmen, no matter their rank, or how highly we think of them. Like us all, when presented with the truth of the gospel, they have a choice to make, the answer to which will determine whether they spend eternity in heaven or hell. No in between state, one or the other. So perhaps we need to see behind the sentiment of the bravery and the uniform, and recognise the need of a Saviour in our military that we all have, and the same question we must all answer.

Be Sure

...you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23 NKJV

The simplest words are the easiest to remember and apply to our lives. This verse is a favourite in Sunday School, and can be understood by the youngest. Why is it then that we more advanced and intelligent adults seem to forget the simple truth of the verse? We seem to be surprised that our actions, not only have consequences, but those sins we commit, even those way back in our lives will find us out.... someday!

One of the best known UK TV presenters died a year ago, and he was venerated as a great man with monuments to his fame erected in his home town, and in those other places where he gave his time freely to help charities in prisons, hospitals and children’s homes. But wait a minute, this same man now has a list of hundreds of incidences of child abuses of the worst kinds coming to light. His young victims were afraid to come forward, or were even discouraged from damaging his career or charity work. So in his life they kept quiet. After all, who would believe them over such a famous celebrity?

There are two words which are not heard today, for the sake of offending someone’s feelings. One of the words is ‘sin’ and the other is ‘hell’. Why do we avoid them? I think it is because we don’t really accept them as severe any more. We have believed the lie of the devil, that neither are real, or at least not as bad as we have been told by our Sunday School teachers. I don’t know about you, but there are few words which adequately describe the sordid actions of this famous and previously trusted presenter, but for me the word is ‘sin’. Plain and simple. As for his eventual eternal destination, that is not for me to judge, because only God is qualified to do that. Having said that, let us not discount the reality of a place of punishment, and if sin is not addressed by us, and remains unforgiven by God, His Holy Justice is clear as described in His Word. We ignore sin and hell at our eternal peril. For my part, I prefer the gift of God, rather than the wages I may deserve.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NKJV