No matter how you approach the subject, Hell is an awful thought. Hell is a place where the eternal torment and pain in unquenchable fire. (flames). Hell is a terrible memories and horrible thirst. Hell is a place of eternal separation from everything of beauty that resides in this world. Hell is eternal separation from the presence of God. Hell is a place for Satan (Devil) and his angels., but all those who reject Jesus as Lord and Savior will go there for all eternity. Hell would be a horrible place to spend eternity. The only thing worst is to Go to hell with Heaven on your mind. Does that really happens?
Theses are the people and their rejection of the Savior.
Judas Iscariot- He kissed the gates of heaven and went to Hell- Matt. 26:49; Acts 1:25.
Felix- He looked into salvation, but he wanted to wait to a more convenient time. Acts 24:25.
Herod Agrippa- He steeped up to the very door of heaven and turned away- Acts 26:28.
Festus- He heard the claims of the Gospel and called them the ravings of a mad man-Acts 26:24.
The very same thing takes place in this text; this Rich man was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, " Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, " Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: " You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness, you shall not defraud; 'honor your Father and Mother. He replied and said to him, ' You are lacking one thing, " Go and sell what you have, and give to the [poor ] and you will have treasure in Heaven; then come, follow me. At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. "How hard it is for those who have wealth, to enter the "kingdom of God!" ( Their wealth was more important then the salvation of their Soul!)
People today come into our churches, ( they hear the gospel message, they are told to acknowledge and repent of their sins, and turn to Jesus for salvation, but many leave the church just like they came in, lost and still on their way to Hell, and to die, with Heaven on their mind.
Matthew tells us " the Rich Man" had his youth, (Matt. 19:22) He lived a life of Privilege. The world was his! Anything he wanted was well within his reach.
Luke tells us that this man was a "ruler", (Luke 18:18). This probably means that he was an influential leader local synagogue.
According to all the information we have about this man, it appears that he was very moral, (v.20.)
He lived a good life. People all over looked at this rich moral young man, as a religious leader. He was riding high on his success. Looking on his life, you might think, he had it all. But, appearances are deceiving! In spite of everything, He had one big "skeleton" in his closet! An itch he couldn't scratch! Even with his much, his swift climb of the ladder (Social), it failed to give him what he wanted most (peace with God). Maybe you are in this same situation?Maybe you are a church leader, teacher, and everybody thinks your life is complete. But you know something is missing. You know what it takes to live, but are unprepared to die. For you do not have spiritual peace with God.
He came running's to Jesus' to fulfill his needs that his senses and the urgency, requited, action and he was ashamed to admit he has a spiritual need. He wants to know how he might " inherit eternal life."
This young man has a lot going for him. He, has it all! Yet, with all his power, his possessions and privileges, he still does not know the answer to the greatest of all questions, He knows a lot of things, but he is forced to admit, that He doesn't know the way to Heaven! He comes to Jesus with thoughts of Heaven on his mind.
You don't find many people who are thinking about eternity! Most people are so wrapped up in themselves and their lives that they have no thoughts of God, Heaven, hell, or eternity. " We can go at anytime!
People know a lot about many things, but their thoughts hardly ever turn to matters of God! Man can split atoms, put a man on the moon, harness the power of the sun, wind and rain, but he doesn't know how to get to Heaven, and eventually takes the road to hell. Sad fact is, most people don't even care to know. You see, death is coming; ( Heb. 9:27). If we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins, but a fearful and flaming fire, that is going to consume the adversaries. In the days of Moses, if you rejected; evidently sin against the law, but not just any law, but idolaters, (Dt. 17,2:7). One day soon, we will leave this world forever, we don't know the exact date? When we do, we will either go to Heaven or Hell. When you die, it will be determined by what you do with Jesus, while you are alive. You see the young man's confusion in our text was this, he was concerned about the right issue, in the presence of the right person, John 14:6; Acts 4:12. He comes at the right time, Isa. 55:6; and he came the right way, 1 Peter 5;5. This man gets a lot of things right in his encounter with the Lord. But, it is the things he gets wrong that causes him trouble. (1, He thinks salvation can be earned. He's looking for the "Do" oriented salvation. He wants to have a hand in it. He wants to be involved in it. He wants to get his salvation like he's gotten everything else in life: He wants to earn it for himself. He seems to think that if he can do just enough good things, then God would reward him with eternal life: Salvation is not a reward for service, but it is the gift of Grace, JOHN 10:28!
THE BIBLE TELLS US IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT SALVATION IS NEVER ABOUT "DO" Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Salvation through Jesus Christ, is always about "Done!" When Jesus died on the cross, He said it is "finished!" He did it all and there is nothing you and I can do to add to it or get in on our own.
Salvation was achieved by Jesus when He died on the cross and rose again. It is received by us when we accepted what He did by faith! Salvation has never been about what we can do, but it has always been about what Jesus did!
No comments:
Post a Comment