"For he says, 'In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
2 Corinthians 6:2
In a civil courtroom, the judge enters wearing a black robe symbolic of his office while the bailiff calls on those present to stand. There is a shuffling of feet as everyone rises to show due respect to the judge and his court. The attorney for the prosecution formally presses charges against the accused, presents the evidence, and calls for a conviction and sentence to punish the guilty. If he is convicted and sentenced, he is taken straight to prison. Our system has been developed to ensure a fair and just outcome, so much of our formality is an imitation of what justice looks like in the Bible as presented by God. However, God will not use a “jury of our peers” to condemn us. His knowledge of our crimes is absolute, and His justice is perfect. We can be sure that every sinner will be condemned for all eternity unless he is forgiven and transformed into a righteous servant of his Creator and Judge before the last great Day of Judgment. There is a Great Day Coming!
Today is the day of salvation! It is vital that we make proper preparation before the Lord returns, certainly before we die. It is impossible to prepare after we die because God will not give us the opportunity. After we die, we will be judged. There will be no second chance.
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Heb. 9:27)
After death, there is no plan of redemption.
- Are you preparing for Judgment Day?
- Are you ready to be called before the judgment throne of God?
Those who linger and are unprepared will receive eternal punishment.
"This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might." (Thess. 1:5-9)
- We must be ready, for we do not know when that day of reckoning will be (Matt. 24:36; 2 Pet. 3:10).
- We must make sure that we are ready while we still have the opportunity (2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:15).
The Gospel will judge us. Jesus, our Lord, and Savior, came from Heaven to bring salvation to mankind by God’s Grace (Matt. 1:21, Lk. 2:11; 19:10, 1 Tim. 1:15; Tit. 2:11). This salvation is a free gift offered to all men by God (Rom. 5:12-21). However, we must refuse to continue in sin to receive such a free gift. Why? Because we must turn from our sins and obey the Gospel to be forgiven or redeemed (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38). The Lord urges Christians and unbelievers to be ready because "There’s A Great Day Coming." May we never miss Heaven and be lost forever!
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Heb. 9:27-28).
"For I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:28-31).
There is no opportunity for obedience after death!!
Eternity is real, and we must accept that we will be either in Heaven or Hell, eternally. It will directly reflect how we have lived our lives here on earth.
ARE YOU READY TO MEET YOUR GOD?
- Two Eternal Destinies:
This morning more than 250,000 souls woke up, not knowing that it would be their last day here on earth. This will be the day that they face the Judge of all men, and most of them are unprepared. Are you prepared to meet your God? Remember, we're given two destinies: Heaven or Hell. Men may choose only two paths: death in sin or dead to sin (Romans 6). Be wise and choose well!
Knowing that someday we all will die and be raised to stand before the Judge of all when we receive our eternal reward, Heaven or hell, how seriously do we acknowledge this? Are you ready for death, resurrection, and final judgment? Man has only one earthly life and death. After judgment, men will receive their eternal destinies. The righteous will receive eternal life, a state of bliss in the presence of God. On the other hand, the wicked will receive eternal punishment, suffering, and sorrow, separated from God. How much worse could it be?
- Judgment will be fair and just!
- It will be based on Truth (Rom. 2:2).
- Men will be judged without partiality (Rom. 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17).
- Judgment will be inescapable (Rom. 2:3).
- It will be universal (Rom. 2:6, 9, 10; 10:14-12).
- It will be individual (Romans 2:6; 14:12).
- It will be thorough.
- All aspects of life will be examined (Rom. 2:7, 8, 9, 10, 16; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eccl. 12:14; Jeremiah 17:10; Luke 12:2).
- And it will be final!
- The rewards given on that day will be eternal and unalterable (Rom. 2;7; Matt. 25:46).
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)
Many skeptics, some Christians, and some non-Christians, repudiate the concept of everlasting punishment. They dare to ask why would a loving God send people to hell. They reject Jesus' teaching on hell on the grounds that a just and merciful God could not do such a thing. They lean toward the atheist's arguments, who claim that if there were a God, He would not be so unjust as to send people to hell.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has declared that He will sit on His throne of glory and separate the righteous from the wicked. He will do this as the shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Both will be judged according to their works (righteous and evil works). Then the dreadful sentence will be executed accordingly. God urges men to acknowledge their lost condition outside of Christ and accept that being lost means going to hell eternally, where suffering and agony never end. The horrible thought of going to hell ought to alarm us and cause panic!! (Revelation 14:10). For this reason, we must try to rescue the lost from the broad road that leads to this terrible perdition.
- Sadly, most people refuse to believe in God.
There is indeed a great contrast between those who die in the Lord, the saved (the obedient and righteous) and those who die lost, without obeying the Gospel of Christ (Luke 16:26). There is no opportunity to obey the Gospel after death (Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46). We must make proper preparation before the Lord returns or before our death. It is impossible to prepare after our resurrection, for there will be no open door or opportunity.
In Matthew 7:23, Jesus said, “I never knew you,” to Christians whose faith did not remain active and living. A Christian can and will fall from grace if he allows his faith (his faithfulness) to die!
In Romans 2:5-10, we read that God will give eternal life only "to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." But to "those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury (hell)." God will give each of us an entrance into either Heaven or Hell according to our works or deeds. He will give eternal life (Heaven) only to those who do the will of God and persevere in faith and faithful service. Faith is not complete without active, good, and righteous works. We are justified by works and not by faith alone.
"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:18-26)
Modern Protestants err by making a distinction between "the faith that saves" (without obedience or "works") and the faith that obeys the Lord Jesus. But such theology is pure folly! The Bible does not speak that way!
Those who willfully reject and disobey the Gospel of Christ “shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might.” (2 Thess. 1:9) After death, judgment will follow. There will be no second chance for salvation (Heb. 9:27). “There is a great gulf fixed” (the perfect tense form in the Greek Testament stresses the abiding nature of this separation), and to pass from one realm to the other, it is impossible (Luke 16:26). In hell, there's no plan of redemption (Luke 16:28-31).
- The Bible is crystal clear about the consequences of our choices here in this life.
There is a right and wrong way to live, and we must stop to reflect frequently. We will either spend eternity in Heaven or Hell (Romans 6:23; Romans 14:10). The truth is that since God raised Jesus from the grave, He has given us the assurance that God will make mankind accountable on that Final Day of Judgment (Acts 17:31). So, Heaven and Hell are real. This is not some theorized possibility or folktale. God wants all men to be with Him in Heaven (1 Tim. 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9). Yet, Jesus has stated that most of mankind will end up in Hell (Matt. 7:13-14). Hell will be forever, and man does not have to go there. However, they must obey God now! Why? Because there is a deadline, the Day of Judgment (2 Peter 3:10-12). The eternal home of our soul and the souls of men is at stake!!
Therefore, we must endeavor to be watchful and ready for that final deadline. There will be a day when each of us will be audited and called upon to answer for our life (Rom. 14:11-12; Matt. 25:31-46). On that day, “God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:14) How will you stand on that day? Are you prepared for the final deadline?
CONCLUSION:
Christians must remember that the primary work of the church is to save souls. Every Christian must try to save souls, teaching them the Truth and persuading them to obey the Gospel to save their souls from the wrath of God.
- God has issued a divine verdict.
- He has declared a divine plan.
- He has sent forth a divine warning.
- He has warned all men everywhere.
- God has extended a divine invitation (Matt. 11:28-30).
- He has already provided security and care (John 10:10, 27, 28).
- He has already proclaimed a divine commission (Matt. 28:19-20).
It is a terrible thing to think that you are saved when you are not! Many deceive themselves, believing they are saved and don’t consider themselves to be lost. There is no middle ground between lost and saved! If one is not saved, then he is lost. Some are convinced they are saved, having accepted the doctrines of men. They teach that salvation is obtained by accepting Jesus as their personal savior and confessing His name. The Word of God does not teach that doctrine of salvation! (Rom. 6:17) Jesus has given us many warnings about the false doctrines we must avoid (Matt. 15:8-9; Rev. 2:15). When one accepts error, especially concerning salvation, he will be lost eternally (Gal. 1:6-9). God's plan of salvation is easy and is found in the New Testament. It involves faith, confession, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
My prayer is that if you haven't gotten your life right with our Lord yet, that you would please consider obeying the Gospel today!!!
Knowing that someday we all will die unless our Lord comes before we die, and knowing that we will face the most excellent Judge of all men, are you ready to face God? Are you prepared for Judgment Day? Remember, we only get one chance at life. Don't blow it!!!
May we not miss Heaven, the grandest and most glorious place ever conceived. May we be found faithful and profitable servants by our Lord and not be cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. May we teach the lost the Gospel of salvation that they may obey the Truth and be ready for Judgment Day.
Our beloved song, "There’s A Great Day Coming," compels us to be ready, for every one of us shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of himself to God.
There’s a great day coming, a great day coming,
There’s a great day coming by and by,
When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left;
Are you ready for that day to come?
There’s a bright day coming, a bright day coming,
There’s a bright day coming by and by.
But its brightness shall only come to them that love the Lord;
Are you ready for that day to come?
There’s a sad day coming, a sad day coming,
There’s a sad day coming by and by,
When the sinner shall hear his doom, ‘Depart, I know ye not;’
Are you ready for that day to come?
The Chorus,
Are you ready, are you ready,
Are you ready for that day to come?
Are you ready, are you ready,
For the judgment day?
Luci
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