Reality

Early in the evening this past Friday my dad called me and told me his uncle died. He was my great uncle, and I knew him, but not as well as my dad did. My dad is the oldest child, and his mom was I believe the second child. His uncle, her brother was the youngest. My dad said he was more like a big brother than an uncle. My interaction with him was family reunions, Thanksgiving when I was younger, the two weeks I spent down there helping bail hay, and hunting trips on his farm.

I was surprised by his death, my dad found out within an hour and let me know. He had been in the hospital but I hadn't known that. I've wondered a lot over the last few days if he had a relationship with Jesus. I honestly don't know. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been at the forefront of my mind.

Heaven really came into full reality for me in December/January when I was ministering to a man dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. As I sat and talked about death, dying, and Heaven, with a man who was getting ready to stand before God and be welcomed into His eternal presence my heart was full of joy for him, and honestly a little jealousy towards him. As I shared the promises of hope from Scripture with him, part of me longed to see Jesus is a way that I never have before. There are some pictures of the senior fellowship group hanging in the hall way of the church and I walk by his picture daily. I'm reminded every day that he is in the presence of Jesus.

But while Heaven is the presence of God, Hell is the opposite, separation from God. Hell was created for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25.41). Humans were made to exist in a relationship with God. We were created for the presence of God. But when sin entered the world we were separated from God. Because God is Holy and Righteous, He cannot be around sin. Sin cannot enter the presence of God. Romans 3.23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,".

Sin is a serious thing, it demands life as payment. And as Romans 6.23a states, "For the wages of sin is death,". Sin in our lives means that we cannot enter the presence of Holy God. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been on my mind. We live in a world where people die. "Roughly 56,597,034 people leaving us every year. That's about a 155,000 a day." (http://ask.yahoo.com/20051128.html, [from 2005]) How many of those people have a relationship with Jesus?

Hell is a reality. But Heaven is also a reality. Just as sin brings death, God brings life. The end of Romans 6.23 declares, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's desire is for all to be saved (2 Peter 3.9). The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be save (Romans 10.13) and that if you simply confess with your mouth that Christ is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10.9-10).

Christ died on the cross to pay the price for sin. He died in our place. Remember sin demands life as payment, and Christ made that payment. But it wasn't enough for Him just to die. He rose from the dead, conquering sin, death, and Hell forever. Because Christ lives, we also can live. Paul said if Jesus didn't rise again then our faith is worthless, and we are to be pitied above all other men (1 Corinthians 15.12-19).

A pastor friend told me about a month ago about a sermon he had once heard. When Jesus died He paid the price for all sin (1 Peter 3.18). All sin has been paid for, but not all sin has been confessed. He said that in the sermon he heard the preacher pointed out that all people who go to Hell go forgiven, they just never received the free gift that God offers. People go to Hell needlessly. God offers the free gift of life and salvation in Christ. All we have to do is receive it from Him. And yet people still die in sin.

I want to be intentional about sharing the message of salvation. Yesterday I preached it, I write about it on here a lot, but I want to be more intentional about it. The reality is that this world is full of people who are dying and going to Hell because they don't have a relationship with Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14.6). I want to share Jesus, and the message of hope and life that is in Him. God desires that none should perish, and so He made it possible for us to have eternal life.

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you