TO ALL: 'atalkin my way into heaven.
"how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Heb. 2:3a
A) "How shall we escape?"
+ By not dying and never having to face God---hmmm don't think that will work. 'Ol Methuselah made it to 969, but even he finally died.
Even though a few thousand make it to 100 now, even they finally die.
+ By getting on a space ship and migrate to some other planet---hmmm do you think that will allow you to put off your dying?
+ By "outrunning" God---being the great escape artist?
+ By joining forces with Lucifer and a 1/3 of the angels and fight God's kingdom---and---just why would you join Lucifer over Jesus? What has he got to offer? Good looks? Good luck.
+ By accepting Jesus' finished work on the cross---the perfect atonement/substitute payer for my sins? Hmmmm believe that will work!
B) "If we neglect"
+ If we neglect shaving for one day, it begins to "show up"; if we neglect mowing the lawn, it begins to "show up"; whatever we neglect, it'll eventually show; if we neglect changing our tires, they'll eventually blow up and go flat; if we neglect changing oil in our cars, the engine will cease to work. Neglecting God's offer of forgiveness and free grace? Hmmmm sounds pretty foolish to me.
C) "So great a salvation"
+ What could be greater than to have the ultimate Judge commute our death sentence? "For the wages of sin is death..."
+ What could be greater than to have the ultimate Judge pay for our sins himself and let us go free?
+ What could be greater than to have the ultimate Judge say: "Enter into heaven and enjoy the mansion I have prepared for you."
Postlude
I once endeavored to conduct a Bible Study with a person, a man trained in law school---now retired---I spent an evening with him in his home trying to establish a Biblical presentation that I have conducted countless times through the years (a Campus Crusade approach but established upon making friends with people and enlarging the presentation). I finally asked him the EE question: "If you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to say to you: 'Why should I let you into my heaven' what would you say?"
He thought about that question for some time and his answer still rings in my ears: "I think I could talk Him into it."
This man died two days later. Suddenly. He hadn't even been sick or had any forewarning.
Needless to say, I was glad that I had at least tried.
But I'll let you answer the question for yourself.
"Do you think he talked God into letting him in?"
J. |
