The Greatest Decision
Life is full of choices. God has given us the ability to make choices within the boundaries of His creation. Someone wisely stated, "Your life will be the product of the choices you make."
There is one choice, however, that will affect all the other choices you make in this life. And the truth is this one choice will determine where you will spend eternity.
Eternity begins when we leave this earth, when our physical bodies die. Judgment before God is inevitable for every person.
Hebrews 9:27-28 tells us, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
In the book of John, the Word of God says in the 3rd chapter and 36th verse:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
The Bible tells us there are only two choices when it comes to eternity. We can believe on the Son, Jesus Christ, or not believe the Son.
The result of those two choices is also plain. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he that believes not the Son of God shall not see life, and in fact, the wrath of God abides on Him.
To believe on the Son means to believe all that the Bible tells us about the Son of God and why He came. Those who do not believe the Son reject what the Bible says about Jesus Christ.
So what does the Bible say about the Son of God?
1. Jesus Christ is God, who became man without ceasing to be God.
In John 1:1-3, we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Then in the 14th verse of that same chapter, we read further, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
John, one of the apostles of the Lord, penned this record to give an account and personal witness to this One He personally knew, Jesus Christ.
He tells us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He is God. As being "the Word," Jesus Christ revealed to all men everywhere in a tangible and personal way God.
2. Jesus Christ, being God in the flesh, lived a sinless, perfect life.
All men who enter into this world, except the Lord Jesus Christ, sin and are sinners. To sin means to break God's law and come short of His glory.
In Romans chapter 3, we read of the sinfulness of all men.
Romans 3:10-20 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
In the 23rd verse of that same chapter, the Bible declares the sad truth, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
It is easy for us to compare ourselves with others and think we are ok and good people. But when we compare our thoughts and our actions to God's Word, we immediately discover we have broken God's law-- we have all sinned and continue to sin.
Because of our sin, we are separated from God, and every person deserves the judgment of God.
Isaiah 59:1-3 tells us "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness."
Our problem is a sin problem. God told Adam and Eve in the beginning that the result of sin would be death (separation from God) and in Romans 6:23, we read, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
We see in this verse that eternal life is a gift of God that is through Jesus Christ our Lord, which leads us to a third truth about Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father because He loves us.
In the 3rd chapter of John in the 16th verse we read, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The mission of Jesus Christ was so that we would not perish.
In fact, God's heart is revealed in 2 Peter 3:9, where we read, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Because God loves us, and because sin has ruined every man, God sent His Son. He is not willing that any should perish. Quite simply, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came to seek after the lost.
Matthew 18:11 "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
Luke 19:10 states as well, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
We discover the amazing truth, that because God loves us, He died for us.
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
That leads us to a fourth truth revealed about Jesus Christ.
4. Jesus Christ died for our sins, the just for the unjust.
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
5. Before Jesus died, He cried out, "It is finished."
The Savior’s work of redemption and the ground of our salvation was finished by His atoning work on the cross.
1 John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
6. Jesus Christ was buried in a tomb and rose from the grave.
Matthew 28:5-7 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you."
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
He is alive, and He is coming again(Titus 2:13). After 40 days (Acts 1:3), He ascended back into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3, 12:2).
His resurrection declares that He is the Son of God and is for our justification (Romans 4:25).
So what does this mean for you and me?
1. We are all sinners. Every person must come to a place of agreeing with what God says is true- we are guilty as charged.
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
2. The wages of that sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Every person who enters this world deserves death because of our sin. It is a wage that must be paid. God has made a way for man to be saved through the payment of our sins on the cross by Jesus Christ. Therefore, every man can receive the gift of God, eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So the greatest decision anyone will ever make is to believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior.
The Bible says that God demonstrated His love toward us, while we were yet sinners, through the atoning death of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8). This is the greatest news that anyone could be given.
The fact is that God loves you and me and desires that we receive this gift of Salvation, which Jesus Christ purchased.
You can receive that gift by believing and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
The Word of God tells us that it is not just a prayer of words that saves but a heart belief of all the Bible says about the Lord Jesus Christ and man.
Do you believe? Have you called on the name of the Lord?
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
If you have not done so- call upon the name of the Lord right now-- cry out to Him believe and trusting Him.
If you have trusted in Jesus Christ for your Salvation today, please reach out to us at lbcsnowhill@outlook.com. We would love to be able to rejoice with you-- on the greatest decision you have ever made.