Yesterday we showed that heaven and hell are real. Today I would like to reflect on how we escape eternal torment in hell.
Hell has been created for satan and the angels who rebelled against God. As a result of the fall of Adam and Eve we are all born into sin, and because the wages of sin is death, we are all doomed to go to hell. However, no one has to go to hell because Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin with His blood on the cross. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). All we have to do to gain eternal life in the presence of the Most High Father is to acknowledge our sins and to ask Jesus to forgive us our sins.
However, it is not enough to plead forgiveness of sin and then continue as we did before. Ongoing repentance and ongoing striving to lay down all sin is required for us to gain eternal life. When we accept Jesus as Saviour, He grants us Holy Spirit to counsel us and guide us in laying down our sins of the past and to walk in the commandments of God. Please go back to the beginning of this series to understand what it means to walk in the commandments of God.
Paul advises us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12); and with good reason. This is what the Word teaches us about satan, the enemy of our souls and sin:
- "Be sober and vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pet.5:8).
- "The thief (satan) comes to kill, steal and destroy" (John 10:10).
- "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty, for people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, ungodly, heartless, remorseless, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power" (2Tim. 3:1-17).
Point three should give us an understanding of the type of behaviours that we cannot pursue if we intend to spend eternity with Christ. Please do not delay. No one can be certain that we will still be in this life tomorrow. "Behold, now is the time of favour; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2Cor.6:2).
My Prayer
Holy Spirit, please convict us of our sin and place within us an urgency to repent, to lay down our sin and to walk in the commandments of God. Please instruct us and teach us the ways of our Father, so that we can spend eternity in His awesome presence. In Jesus' name. Aman.