When Morning Comes

21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.22“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7: 21 - 23 NKJV

I heard some radio pulpit pounder ask the question the other morning what it would be like if you suddenly woke up one morning to find that you were on the wrong side of our Lords salvation?  That you had been wrong the whole time.  What would that be like?  Well, the trouble with that question is that nobody, save one man, has ever returned to life after being dead.  Yes, there have been a few well documented occurances of after death experiences, but not the real deal.  I know of nobody who died and then woke up three days later just in time to tell everyone all about it.  Well, there was that one guy.  Because I have a dog in the fight, my own view on this question has never been in doubt.  Yes, I know my future and I know how it is I got there.  But what about those who never knew the right path into eternal life with our heavenly Father, what about them?  It's not as if the scriptures have somehow been lost in translation, as the bible is one of the most printed and read books in history.  Not only in english, but in countless languages and dialects around the world.  Every day we hear of yet another ministry that has dedicated itself to bring the good news of Jesus to yet another region of the earth.  It would seem that as christians we're winning the battle of ensuring that everyone knows of the our Lords message of love.  Yet Jesus Himself proclaimed that in that day many will come before Him expecting to be welcomed only to be sadly dissapointed.  That's right, even though it is the very desire of Christ Jesus that each and every one of Gods children would repent and return to Him, there will be those to who He will proclaim "I never knew you."  Yes, even believers will be counted among that crowd.  Those verses used to stab at my heart because one of my greatest fears is my salvation being for not.  I didn't want to be among those left on the outside of eternity with God.

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.
1 John 5: 11 - 12 NKJV

So, how is it that I can say with confidence that I will be with my Lord for eternity?  Well, for one thing, I followed the right path to get there.  For Jesus proclaimed that nobody will ever come to the Father except through Him {John 14:6}.  No matter how rich or successful you are, it is only through Christ Jesus that you will enter in our Lords eternity.  Yes, but didn't Jesus say that many believers will come before Him to which He will send away?  Yes, it is written.  So, if Jesus is willing to refuse those who believe in Him what chance do I have?  Well, do the math.  This is not some closely guarded government secret disgarded in a bunch of Hillary Clintons deleted emails but something every believer should know and trust in their hearts.  We know that it is only through Christ that we even have access to our Lords eternity, He is the narrow path to God.  What is so confusing about that?  So, if we indeed have Jesus, we will have life.  Do you have Jesus?  Are you assured in your heart that He is in you?  The apostle Paul spoke to the fact that he (Paul) no longer lived, but that Jesus lived in Him {Galations 2:20}.  That, is having and knowing Jesus in your life.  However, I also believe that someone who ultimately knows of Jesus and He who sent Him will be saved as well.  That is some pretty good company to be in.  One of the benefits of ultimately knowing that your future is secured is the conflict it takes away from your life here on earth.  Imagine a life where you no longer need to be worried about living up to some righteous standard just in order to be assured of your eternity with God.  That was never what God intended for His children.  On the contrary, Gods desire was that we would live in relationship with Him.  This was the relationship we once had with God which was lost in the garden.  The good news is that it's also a relationship we can have with Him today through Christ.  When we come to know Jesus on a personal level, we not only become one with Jesus, but with the Father as well.  When that day comes, we'll know where we stand. 

~Scott~