No Free Pass

Choose Wisely

11Then 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. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before cGod, 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. 13The 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. 14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20: 11 - 15 NKJV

Recently Dennis pointed something out to me which Wayne Jacobsen had pointed out as a criticism of the Paul Young story The Shack.  The those who adhere to this theory of universalism will state without question that it is our Lords intention that all mankind will be saved.  Therefore, whatever works we do here on earth are for not as we are already saved.  It is our heavenly Fathers love nature which will not allow anyone to be condemned to a eternity in torment.  For if God is love, then He could never allow one to be condemned to torment in hell.  I might consider playing the devils advocate on this issue, were it not for scripture which tells us otherwise.  The apostle John tells us in Revelation of how it was revealed to him that "Anyone not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."  So, if God is willing to condemn all who are not found in His book of life to a eternity of suffering in the lake of fire, did He not love those who will be condemned?  Absolutely not, for God is the same yesterday, today and forever {Hebrews 13:8}.  Knowing this, I believe that it is a falsehood to hold to the belief that God would somehow turn His back on us despite our shortcomings.  Remember, it is God who loved us despite our sin condition {Romans 5: 8}.  Could God have passed us by despite His love nature for His children?  Absolutely, but instead He chose to reveal His love to us that we might spend eternity with Him.  It was never our heavenly Fathers intention to condemn us for our trespasses, but to reconcile His children unto Himself.  So what of those whose names will not be found in our Lords book of life?  Did God not love them as well?  YES.  The question here is not one of our Lords love for us, that is undeniable.  However, the question we face is one of choice.  That is...our choice.  Do we choose to accept what God is offering us or do we simply trust in ourselves?  Of course, it is understood that to trust in ourselves as independent is in error.  So, the choice we are left with is....

10He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, eand that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5: 10 - 13 NKJV

What is that choice which we must make?  Well, the apostle John lays it out for us in John 5.  For we are told "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Sof of God does not have life."  This is the choice we must face.  Indeed, making this choice for Jesus is not a "effort" for salvation on our part, but simply our choice to accept Christ Jesus or not.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2: 8 - 10 NKJV

This is very same choice which the condemned thief on the cross next to Jesus made, that he might be with Him in paradise {Luke 23: 43}.  Jesus did not reach out to this man, he reached out to Jesus.  The truth of Jesus had been revealed and he chose life.  It is this very same choice which we ourselves are faced with today.  Will we choose Jesus or our own way?  Keep in mind that choosing our own way is not the way our Lord desires for us.  Indeed, it is our heavenly Fathers desire that all of His children would come to accept Jesus {John 3: 16-17}.  However, instead of a flat out guarantee for our salvation, God gives us the choice whether to accept His Son or not.  This has absolutely nothing to do with Gods love for us, but everything to do with what choice will make.  Choose wisely.

~Scott~