Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Christ at the Campfire The difference a death can be.

On the way home tonight I was thinking about how different death is for the lost and the saved.

Death really doesn't matter that much for the saved, in fact could be considered (and often is spoken of) as a promotion. Just think, no more pain, hunger, weiriness or sorrow. While the cold truth of dying is sad, and the passing from the physical to the spiritual most likely painful, other than missing the company of our saved loved ones there is nothing truly sad about the death of one of the redeemed. Their sin is gone, there is no condemnation, and they are in the presence of their Father, Savior and God. It doesn't get much better than that.

For those who are still in their sin, however, it is the end of opportunity, the abandonment of all hope. They pass from life where they have pain and sorrow to an eternity of hopelessness where there is not even the empty hope of death and the peace of oblivion. They are gone, but not finished with suffering or sorrow. In fact, suffering, sorrow and never able to see the Living God is all they have left to experience.

The saved of God must eventually die in this world, as all flesh must. Does it matter if they die now, or a hundred years hence? Their future is secure. They fall asleep here, secuming to the blackness of death to awaken in the presence of Christ! In fact, while we might think it would be better if they lived a long and peaceful life, even that would be meaningless and forgotten in an eternity of joy. Precious to the Lord are the deaths of His saints. And to them, how wonderful it must be the instant after death.

But for the lost, how they should fight for each breath, how they should struggle for one more minute of opportunity where they might be saved, for with that last breath seeps away their last hope for all eternity. Never more will they have opportunity. Never more can they ever have hope. Their one time of seeing the loving, merciful God of promise will be to bow on their knees and too late proclaim that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father, and then to hear Him say, "Depart from me ye worker of iniquity, for I never knew you". And we will stand there as they are flung into the ever burning lake of fire and know that the only thing different between them and us is the blood of Christ, the blood our robes will be dipped in, the blood our souls have been wash clean of our iniquity in. Guilty we were too until He washed us in His own blood. Standing there we will know, there but by the grace of God go I.

Oh, how sad a day when the lost, young or old, pass from life to death, for only hell awaits. How we should pray for those we know while they still live, and strive to share with them the gospel of life. As it was for us, it is their only hope, for it is the power of God unto salvation!

Great post Sanlen, and so true..

Those who have not accepted Christ into their lives will probably be very offended to read what you have written. But it is the truth. And they should know that it is God's wish that NONE should perish, but that ALL should come into everlasting life. But that is a choice that WE must make... God cannot force it upon us or make that choice for us (Well, He could, but he won't use His power to coerce.) He wants us to come to Him of our own free will. Kind of like us with our children... sometimes our beloved children stray, but they must be the ones to decide to change their lives and come back.

If anyone reads this and still is offended, remember that this is from God Himself (through the Bible), not from Penny. I am not being judgmental or holier than thou. I would love nothing better than to spend my eternal life with all of you.

The famous picture of Jesus knocking at the door ( You can find it here ) shows Jesus outside a door without a knob. Jesus cannot enter on His own; we must open the door for Him. Only then can He come into our hearts. We must invite Him.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this this morning. I don't really have time... have to get ready to go into prison. But perhaps someone needs to read it. If you want to talk to me more about this, please PM me and I'll be happy to answer your questions and talk to you.

Peace and love to everyone,

Penny

I can't fathom that 2/3rd's for the world population are doomed to hell cuzz they don't believe in Christ, but do in God.

Guess hell will be full of Muslims and Jews........

"NO MAN comes to the Father but by Me." Jesus Christ, approx 30 AD.

The Bible says that anyone who knocks will be let in. Most of them don't knock. However, missionaries are reporting a tremendous movement in Muslims countries. Christianity is spreading fast and furious under cover in many countries. Jesus is reaching for them and many are answering. In spite of the constant threat of death, they're knocking and being let in.

Dick

Tis nice, but can't believe everything that is written.

All them Jews in hell, poor bastards...

I guess that might be because you haven't came to grips with the fact that it's His show and His rules. That one is what a lot of folks struggle with in one way or for one reason or another.

Many you mention don't believe in the God but a god. Their god has different attributes and is not the God of the Bible. As for the Jews, I believe He has a special plan for them. I believe they will have the benefit of a last chance before the final bell. And yet because many still will refuse to acknowledge His soverignity, not all will accept.

What a waste at any stage in life to deny Him who only wants to acknowledge us. Man is certainly a short sighted, hard headed creature. .......least that's what my wife tells me.

indeed, rickyd, indeed.

Oh the truth is far worse, my friend. You mention 2/3 of the world's people. In fact, it will be more, I'm afraid.

Christ said that many will come to him stating that they had done many things, even claimed miracles, in His name, but He will say, Depart from me, I never knew you. 2/3 claim to believe in God, but not in Christ? Jesus says that many who say they believe in Him, but have never let go of their attempts to show themselves worthy and able to make it to heaven on their own will be in the same, in fact worse shape.

Understand, as I mentioned in the post, there is nothing different as far as our own cleanliness before God between those who are saved and the worst lost person who ever lived. There is nothing in our own actions or flesh or ability to do good that makes us worthy and they not. It is not about the people, it is all about Christ.

Even if we could shape up and never commit even the least offensive sin ever again, there is nothing we could ever do to cleanse our souls of any of the sins we had already commited. Our spirits, souls and bodies were deseased with the virus of sin, and there is no cure, not in our ability. Even if we could stop for all the future (which none of us can), the stain of sin would still be there, and cannot be removed by the hand of man.

But the Lion of Judah has prevailed to do that which no one else could!

Sin separates man from God. It did this for all time the very first time it occurred in the heart of man. It did this because, as God had promised, the instant they committed the first sin, their spirit died. They could no longer worship God, or even understand the things of God. To be in the presense of God again their spirits would have to be reborn, quickened to life again. For that to happen their sin would have to be gone.

But God had also decreed that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin. The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin, merely cover it for a time, as the skins God prepared for Adam and Eve showed. To remove sin would take the blood of someone Who was innocent and pure, someone who would volunteer to be a kinsman redeemer, some one who had no stain from his own sin, someone who was the seed of the woman who could crush the head of the serpant, someone who could understand the consequences and willingly take our place. The only one who could was God Himself.

So He Who spoke the worlds into being took upon Himself the form of a man so that He could wash our souls, black with the stain of sin, white as snow in His own blood. The great Judge, Who had declared us guilty (for we were), came down from the throne to pay our punishment, because we could not and He loves us so much.

As He had declared that sin would result in death, and as He had promised He would come to remove the curse of death, so also He declared how that promise could be received.

Not by any deed we could do, not by any action we could take, not by anything we could promise could we be forgiven. It would be a gift. As life is God's gift, so eternal life and forgiveness is as well. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any should boast.

To receive the gift of life requires the person to accept it. To accept it they must know they need it. To know they need it they must admit that they have sin and cannot clean their own souls.

All have sinned.
All are guilty.
All are condemned by our own actions.
All need the gift of forgiveness.

But to get it we have to ask God to please be merciful to a filthy sinner, a sinner just like me, and trust in Him and what He has done to pay our price. We can't trust in our own actions, or our works for God. Even the faith to believe we know comes from God. All we can do is leave everything in His hands and trust Him.

Far fewer than 1/3 of the world will give up their ability and trust their life to Him. Far fewer. It is far too easy, far too demeaning to them. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and certainly the pride of life will prevent them from admitting there is nothing they can do to save themselves. It is all about Christ.

Have you ask Christ for His free gift? He is the only one who can give it to you, and He wants to more than any of us can comprehend; enough to leave heaven and take sin upon Himself and die for us. He loves you that much.

Satan sure believes in God but he ain't got much of a future...........

If you don't believe the Bible, you have nothing. It's true. It's 100% reliable. It's the ONLY truth.

Yes, there will be lots of Jews in hell, along with the Muslims, Bhuddists, Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, and many cults. They will be joined by those who either don't care or falsely call themselves Christians. Jesus' sacrifice is there for all, but few accept it.

Dick

Outstanding post Sanlen.

Ignorance is bliss.......

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19)

Professing belief in one God is the same as the devils. Only Jesus Christ can save the soul. He said, "I am THE way, THE truth and THE life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me." He claims exclsivity in salvation. He is not just ONE way, he is THE way!

For a short while, perhaps. But eternity is a long time.

In response to your statement about there being lots of Jews in hell, I'm sure that is true. But Barak and I belong to a Messianic Jewish Congregation, and there are more and more Jews coming to the Lord, accepting Christ as Messiah. So not all Jews will be in hell, not by a long shot.

As Sanlen said, just believing in God isn't enough. Only blood sacrifice can atone for man's sin. But the catch is that the sacrifice lamb must be unbemished, without sin. Only Jesus is the perfect lamb, and He obediently went to the cross for our sins... it is His blood that wipes my sin away. His blood covers me, so that when God sees me, He no longer sees my sin. God is not a respecter of persons. We are all equal, all sinners. The only remedy is the blood of Christ. It has already been shed; all we have to do is accept it.

Penny

I'm thinking the parable of the vinyard may hold some lessons for everyone who is so damned sure that all the Jews , Mormans ,etal are going to spend eternity in a literal lake of fire .

He is the God of the living , not the dead . All the focus on the hereafter is misplaced in my opinion .He is doing for me what He promised He would do .I ain't gonna waste any time worrying about them that may hire on thirty minutes before quitin' time !

Spiritual pride is the deadliest of ALL the sins we can commit . C.S. Lewis makes the point that most of the vices the devil uses to snare us appeal to our animal nature and are not as grievous as pride , which appeals to our spiritual nature .Makes sense to me .

Maybe other folks can bemoan the fate of the spiritually mis-guided without feeling a little smug . I can't , so I don't !

Been fishin' for most of the last three weeks . Catching quite a few channel and blue catfish on rod and reel . Trotlines for big uns ain't paying off yet . Crappie ought to start spawning any day now . Heading back out tomorrow so it won't do anybody any good to bitch about anything I posted - I won't be around to read it for awhile !

Ah, but you are no longer ignorant. You have heard the gospel, you have been told of the blood shed for you, and your need for it.

Now you have only two choices. You can accept his saving gift for you, or you can reject it.

Putting it off is rejection. Perhaps God will be gratias and give you time to ponder it, but perhaps not. This moment is all we are guarenteed.

Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. It is all you are certain of.

Will you use this moment in a way you will forever be glad for, or will you reget your choice eternally? Only you can decide that now, but one thing you will never be again, and that is ignorant.

I was wondering about you just the other day, Gene. I agree with you about pride being the weak link of humanity. It's Satan's as well. I'm thinking that's why he uses it against us so effectively.

Glad to hear from you. Good fishing to you, friend. Be well.

Never said I was the ignorant one.........

Me either. Paul said that we each should work out our own salvation "with fear and trembling." I can't work out salvation for anyone but myself. As far as I am concerned, the more the merrier!

All I can do is share the gospel... the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is up to the other person to accept or reject. I am happy when others come to Christ, not because it affirms what I believe (I would believe what I believe even if I were the only Christian left), but because the joy I receive from Christ in my life is so great that I want to share it with others. It's like saying to someone, "You've got to try this new restaurant; the food is great!" When you find something truly wonderful, truly life-changing, something that gives new hope, meaning, and joy unsurpassed to life, you want others to find it, too.

Penny