What If We Miss It?
What if we miss it? What if, when all is said and done, and we stand before a Holy God, we realize we had it all wrong? What if you and I are being deceived, right now, in such a way that it will ruin our very souls? I don’t want to go to hell. I want to go to Heaven. I want to run so as to win the Prize. But . . . what if we miss it?
This isn’t something I can brush off and say, “I’ll figure it out tomorrow,” or, “I’ll look into what the Bible says later—I’m too busy now with work, I’m thinking about marriage, I have enough to study already with school and everything.” No. It’s our souls, it’s our eternity we’re talking about. You or I could die tomorrow—or within a moment Jesus could return—and then what? We either have it right or we don’t. It’s that simple—and that terrifying.
I don’t mean to ask, what if we believe the wrong thing. On the contrary, actually. I mean to ask you, what if we don’t really believe the right thing? We can say we believe in Jesus. But do we?
Imagine you’re sitting on a plane and someone hands you a parachute, informing you the plane is going down and at any moment you’re going to have to jump. The danger is obvious. But the parachute can save your life. If you said you believed all they say is true, but left the parachute in the corner instead of putting it on, would you really be believing what they said and would the parachute save your life?
Do you only profess to believe what the Bible says or do you live in genuine belief? Do you merely say you believe in Jesus or have you “put on” His righteousness—do you put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-13), fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12), walk in His Footsteps (1 John 2:6), obey His commands (1 John 3:24), take up your cross and follow Him as He bids you to come (Matthew 16:24-25)? Have you “sold” the things of this world that you might “buy” the Treasure you’ve found (Matthew 13:44), that you might inherit eternal Life (Luke 18:18-23)?
Or, to illustrate it differently, imagine you’re relaxing inside your house when you find out it’s on fire. It’s going to burn to the ground and you have to escape—fast. If you believe this to be true, would you continue relaxing on the sofa, or would you run out the door, jump out a window, actually escape?
I think too many of us continue relaxing when we should be clamoring with intense resolve and a real and healthy fear of the Lord to escape our sin, our ways of unbelief, our lukewarmness. I think too many of us walk in darkness, while claiming to walk in the light, and thus deceive ourselves that the Truth abides within, when He does not. I think too many of us assume we are an exception because we go to a good church, hear a convicting sermon and say “Amen!,” have a good pastor, or are better than the next person we know.
But God doesn’t grade on a curve or give us points for who we know or where we worship—He judges, perfectly and justly. And according to everything I’ve read in Scripture, He doesn’t tolerate lukewarmness—He says, “because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” He calls the lukewarm “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:16-18). That actually sounds contrary to every description given of true believers, genuine disciples, followers of the Way.
We aren’t wretched—the Blood of Jesus cleanses us (Isaiah 1:18). We aren’t pitiful—Jesus looks on His Bride and calls her comely because He sees a reflection of His beauty (Song of Solomon 2:14, 2 Corinthians 3:18). We aren’t poor—when Jesus and the Word He speaks is precious to us, when we accept His offer of Love, we are rich (Psalm 119:72, 2 Corinthians 8:9). We aren’t blind—we live by faith with our eyes fixed on the unseen, walking in the light of His Truth (2 Corinthians 4:18, 1 John 1:6-7). We aren’t naked—we are clothed in white, the righteousness of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30, Galatians 3:27). We are His sons and daughters (1 John 3:1-2, Galatians 3:26)—if we truly believe.
Do you believe? Read the Gospels. Read 1 John. Pray. Ask Him to reveal to you the truth. Ask Him to show you areas of lukewarmness in your life and how you must change. Ask Him to help you believe. Surrender everything.
I plead with you out of love: Do not delay.