Have You Considered This?
Pastor Dennis Costella
Fundamental Evangelistic Association
WE ALL SPEND a great
amount of time, effort and money to care for our earthly needs. However, few seem
concerned about their eternal well-being. Are we too busy? We should not be! Long ago the
Lord Jesus Christ asked, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?"(Mark 8:36-37). Do you have the answers to these vital questions? Do you
know where you will spend eternity?
Please take a few moments right now to seriously consider what God wants you to know
about life now and hereafter. It will be time well spent-perhaps the most crucial few
minutes you will ever spend in your entire life.
The written Word of God, the Bible, emphatically states what we must understand and
what we must believe if we are to be brought into a right relationship with our Creator.
It really does not matter what our opinions might be, but it makes all the difference in
the world what Almighty God has said must be.
WE FACE A SERIOUS PROBLEM...
The first thing the Bible reveals to us is our natural standing before God. We are
"by nature the children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3), and "dead
in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). We have proven time and time again that
we are sinners by birth and practice. There are no exceptions: "As it is written,
there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). "For all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We all fall short of
the divine standard of absolute holiness. We stand before the Righteous Judge - guilty as
charged.
Consider the consequences if, at this very moment, you should die in this condition.
The Bible removes all uncertainty concerning what lies beyond the grave: "...it
is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
The outcome of this judgment is also revealed. Until the sin problem is settled, there is
no possible way a guilty sinner can enter the glories of Heaven. Revelation 21:27 states: "There
shall in no wise enter into it [heaven] any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's
book of life." No one can enter that celestial city unless the defilement of sin
has been erased and his name is written in the "Lamb's book of life."
Heaven is the dwelling place of God, and no one who is yet in their sin can be allowed to
enter into the Lord's holy presence.
The next vitally important question that must be asked is, "If one dying
in his sin cannot possibly enter Heaven, then where will he spend eternity?"
Revelation 20:15 provides the answer: "And whosoever was not found written in
the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Hell is a place of everlasting
and literal torment. This eternal existence in the lake of fire is "the second
death" and is the just penalty for sin - "the wages of sin is
death" (Romans 6:23). All who die in their sins face the reality of eternal
suffering - the bitter end of sin.
WHAT WE CANNOT DO...
Since God's Word plainly declares that we are all sinners and, therefore, justly barred
from Heaven and bound instead for Hell, the following question is of preeminent
importance: "What are we going to do about our sin?"
People give many different answers in response to this incredibly vital question. Many
feel their sin can be erased by living a good life, or "turning over a new leaf"
and trying to do better. Others see themselves as "just as good as the next
person" and believe their good will outweigh their bad in the end. Still others
sincerely believe that by joining a church or going through religious ceremonies (baptism,
confirmation, confession, partaking of the Lord's Supper, etc.) the burden of sin's guilt
and its awful penalty can be relieved.
But the Word of God is very definite concerning the error of such reasoning, and the
utter futility of any self-effort to remedy our sinful condition. It is "not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us"
(Titus 3:5).
Actually, we have no righteousness of our own, nor could we do any good work that would
help in the slightest way to accomplish our salvation. The Bible says, "We are
all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses [our good works] are as
filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). We can make our lives appear more respectable by
honest effort, holy resolve and religious activity, but inwardly the heart is still
unchanged. We may be conceal our sin, but we cannot wash it away. Good works, religious
ceremonies and pious intentions can never cancel our sin.
WHAT GOD HAS DONE...
What, then, must we do to be saved? Since the Bible plainly teaches that we can do
nothing to save ourselves from sin and its penalty, then how can we be made acceptable
before God? Once again, the answer is found in God's Holy Word. What a wonderful answer we
find: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly" (Romans 5:6). Think of that! When we were without strength, completely
unable to do anything to attain our own salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ - God the Son -
died in our place!
God knew we were utterly helpless as Hell - bound sinners, and in accordance with His
grace, He intervened in our behalf. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this
world to shed His precious blood as the full payment for sin. In so doing, Jesus Christ
died the death the sinner deserves.
Why did He do this? Why would Jesus die for us? Romans 5:8 has the answer: "But
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us."
As Jesus Christ hung on Calvary's cross, He was not dying for His own sins, for He was
the sinless Lamb of God. He died in our place and bore the penalty for sin that we
deserved.
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities,
the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath
laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1
Peter 2:24).
"Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification" (Romans 4:25).
The penalty for sin had to be paid, and God the Father placed our sin upon the bruised
and bleeding body of His beloved Son. The full weight and penalty for sin - our sin - fell
upon the crucified Lord of Glory. He was our sin-bearer, our substitute. God loved us
while we were yet sinners and sent His beloved Son to die in our place. What amazing love!
When Jesus Christ cried out from the cross, "It is finished," He had indeed
finished or completed, through His death, an all-sufficient offering for sin - a perfect
salvation. We cannot add to it nor do any good work to deserve what God has provided full
and free through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. God has done it all! We must
simply believe it and receive it.
A MARVELOUS SOLUTION...
The Bible is very clear concerning what you must now do in order to receive the gift of
salvation God has provided by His grace. You must personally accept it, or His gift will
profit you absolutely nothing.
Only the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that was shed on Calvary's cross has
the power to cleanse from sin, and it is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that the
cleansing power of the Blood is applied.
Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh. It is His sacrificial death on the cross
that provides salvation for any lost sinner who will trust in Him as the only Savior and
the only way to Heaven. When we genuinely believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died, was
buried and rose again bodily from the tomb, and that all this was done to provide a
perfect salvation for sinful man, then we receive full forgiveness of sins and the gift of
everlasting life.
Please take note of these promises from God's Word which describe the present and
future standing of one who trusts Christ as Savior:
"To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever
believeth in Him shall receive remission [forgiveness] of sins" (Acts
10:43). This is how the sin problem is resolved. When one believes on Christ, his sin is
forgiven and the cleansed sinner is made acceptable before God; he is no longer guilty -
he has been justified!
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him
that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life" (John 5:24).
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power [authority] to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Romans
5:1-2).
"For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is
the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved"
(John 3:16-17).
AN IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY...
Yes, my friend, the moment you believe (and believing is nothing more nor less than
taking God at His Word), you receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life!
Therefore, you now stand before God complete and perfect in Christ's righteousness and not
in your own self-righteousness which is but "filthy rags" in His sight.
When you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior by faith, you are "...made
the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). "To
declare...His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
Do not be deceived by the widespread belief that no one can be absolutely certain as to
whether or not he has truly been "saved" or "born-again." God says we
can know, and this is because God's salvation is based upon the sure promises of God's
Word and upon the finished work of Christ on the cross. The believer is told in 1 John
5:11-13 that he can know for certain that he has passed from death unto life and that his
sins have been forever forgiven:
"And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life
is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath
not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God."
"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by
Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28).
Would you like to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior right now? If so, then trust Him,
and Him alone. Trust Him not only with your head, but with your whole heart as well: "That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him [the Lord Jesus Christ] from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).
Believe what God's Word says concerning the following facts: first, we all need of the
Savior; second, we are totally unable to do anything to save ourselves; and third, God has
provided a full and eternal salvation through the death, burial and the resurrection of
His dear Son. Turn away from confidence away from those things through which you had hoped
to attain salvation: "doing good," sacraments, rituals, church membership,
morality, religion, etc. Do not believe the false notion that "death ends it
all." Instead, place your trust - your faith - only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Accept
this glorious invitation God extends to the sinner.
Along with this simple invitation, however, please keep in mind the incredible
seriousness of the condition of all who disregard God's invitation to receive His free
gift of salvation. The apostle Paul preached to all the unsaved "repentance toward
God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). This speaks of the
condition that exists between God and all who are without Christ - a change toward God is
desperately needed! Yes, there must be a conviction brought about by the Holy Spirit of
the fact that an all-Holy God has been offended by our sin. All who have not believed this
Gospel message and have not, therefore, received His Son are at this very moment alienated
from Him. No matter how religious or how good someone may seem to be, if he has not yet
received Jesus Christ, then he is utterly lost in sin and, in reality, is an enemy of
Almighty God. The Bible states without equivocation: "He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).
All who turn to God from their sinful ways and false confidences and instead believe in
simple, childlike faith what the Bible says concerning these imperative truths will have,
at this moment, everlasting life! Upon believing the Gospel, your sins are washed away,
the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within, and you become a child of God. Accept the blessed
promises of the Word of God as your own and rely upon the Author of those promises to keep
them both now and for all eternity. Receive Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour today.
"And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely" (Revelation 22:17).
-Dennis Costella
Fundamental Bible Church,
Los Osos, CA
email