Questions, questions, questions...

What's going to happen when I die?  

Invariably, whenever I am involved in a conversation with someone where important issues are brought up, the dialogue steers toward eternity... Whether there's a heaven or a hell the way the Bible says there is - and ultimately, the question of whether they believe they are good enough to get into heaven...

The Bible says a couple of things that are worth noting in order to begin to answer "the big question." First off, we are told that, "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..." (Hebrews 9:27) So, according to God, and His Word, reincarnation is out... We also see that, "...the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) If the wages of a day of work is a paycheck, then the answer to the question "why do we die" becomes an easy one... We die because we've sinned...

Perhaps now you're asking yourself the question, "well, I've heard the word 'sin' used a million times, mostly flipped about by televangelists and those weirdos yelling on street corners, but what IS sin?" Well, once again, the Bible gives us the answer... "sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4) And the law the Bible is referring to is God's Law, the Ten Commandments.

Now, if you're honest with yourself, you'll have to admit, as I have, that you've lied, stolen, and used God or Jesus' name as a swear word, or in a fashion unbecoming of your Creator - but do you realize that Jesus said that if you hate your brother, or even call someone a fool, that you're in danger of being condemned to hell? (Matthew 5:22)

And most people think that the command "thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14) refers only to people who are married meaning that they're not supposed to have an extra-marital affair - but check out what Jesus said... (Matthew 5:27-28) You see, God is not merely concerned with what we do with our hands or our mouth, in fact, the Bible says that God requires truth in our inward parts... (Psalms 51:6) In the Day of Judgment, God is going to look at our hearts and our minds, and without holiness, and righteousness written thereon, He will turn His back on us as though He never knew us... (Matthew 7:23)

But that's not the end of the story - in fact, there IS Good News! You've been told before that "there's 'good news' and there's 'bad news'" and then you've been asked which you'd like first... And, like most everyone, you most likely requested the bad news first - well that was it... You, like me, are a sinner in need of a Savior - like a criminal walking into a court of law, you have a fine to pay, and believe me, you cannot afford to pay it.

Then what's this "Good News" already? You're asking, and here it is... 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, God Himself came to Earth in the form of a man - the Bible says that he "became flesh" (John 1:14) and lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:25) a performed many miracles and wonders to establish His deity. Over 700 years before Jesus' birth, the Prophet Isaiah wrote about what He would go through for those who would believe in Him...

"...There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins—that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.

But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief..."             Isaiah 53:2-10

So you can see, perhaps for the first time, that Jesus went to the cross, to bear the punishment (pay the fine, if you will) for the sins you committed against God. The Bible says that God showed His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, He sent Christ to die for us. (Romans 5:8) God knew you were going to break His laws, and His judgment, as powerful as it is, cannot be appeased by our own 'good works.' We need to have a 'fine payer' a representative in that heavenly courtroom. And that is what Christ has done for us - He stepped forward and offered Himself up as a ransom (1 Timothy 2:6) for those who would believe.

You've read or heard no doubt that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Please note that "He gave His only Son" for those "who believe[s] in Him" and not for the WHOLE world... Therefore, everyone is not going to heaven - remember up above? The soul that sins, it shall die... (Ezekiel 18:20)

So how do we get this "eternal life"? Do we just "believe" and poof, we're Christians bound for heaven when we die? Well, it would be fun if it were that easy - a LOT more people would be bound for glory, and a lot fewer headed for hell. Jesus' first words of public ministry were "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 4:17)

Now, a lot of people claim that they are "OK" with God - they grew up in church, maybe they were even baptized at some point - but the question is, "is God 'OK' with you?" If you were to drop dead right now, before even reaching the end of this writing, and the next thing you know, you're on your knees before The One who made you - would He be 'OK' with you, or say He never knew you?

Have you repented (realized your sins against the Creator God - and turned away from them) forsaking your sins, and turned toward Christ in faith for the forgiveness of your sins? I put it that way because many people believe that because they haven't killed anyone, or because they go to church, or give money to charities, that their good will outweigh their bad (Ephesians 2:8-9) they are therefore, trusting in their own goodness, and not Christ's sacrifice to make the payment I referred to above...

If you've never done that - repented of your sins, and put your faith in Christ, I want to encourage you to do that right now, right where you are... Contrary to what many people might tell you, it is a GOOD thing to question your faith if you're not 100% sure that you'd go to Heaven if God were to take you right now... (2 Corinthians 13:5) You cannot do anything to save yourself, Christ has already done everything necessary - and He calls you to repent of your sins and trust in Him alone.

The Bible says that when you cry out to Him for mercy, He will save you - you will begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and He will fill you with it... (Matthew 5:6) Whereas you once loved the darkness and hated the light, He will cause you to step out into the light and shun the darkness... (Isaiah 5:20)

If you believe that God is preparing your heart, then do not let another day go by without making your calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10) For today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) and even if its not your last day, it is undoubtedly the most important.

May God Richly Bless the prayers of your heart - I hope to see you heaven one day.

Sincerely,

-Benjamin