Pauly's Guitar Journal

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This is the Greatest News Ever

Please Take Five or so Minutes to Read the Greatest News ever. What is Five Minutes Compared with Eternity?

Why is this the Greatest News ever?

Consider this very carefully. Would you sell an eye for a million dollars? Possibly? How about both eyes for 20 Million? You wouldn’t because your eyes are priceless to you. Your soul is of such great value that Jesus said you should despise the value of your eyes in comparison to it. (Matthew 5:29, Mark 9:47).

Of all the things that you should prioritize in your life, it’s not your health, career, wealth, social status, or other such worldly things. It is the eternal salvation of your soul. (Mark 8:36)

If someone were pushing you towards a thousand-foot cliff, would you ask why that person was pushing you? Would you try and change your predicament? Have you ever wondered why you are going to die? Do you know that you can change your predicament? All of us in our own selfish ways have turned against God and followed the desires of our own hearts. We have lived our lives according to our own set of rules, ignoring the authority and law of God. This means that we have all sinned and we fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).

Bible sitting on table

Who of us can say we are not guilty of breaking God’s Holy and perfect law? (Exodus 20:1-17):

  1. “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.” Is God first in your life? Do you love God above all else?
  2. “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF ANY GRAVEN IMAGE.” This means that we shouldn’t make a god to suit ourselves, either with our hands, heart, or our mind (Ezekiel 14:3-7). Scripture warns that no idolater will enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Revelation 22:15). 
  3. “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN.” Have you ever taken God’s name in vain? Even Hitler’s name isn’t despised enough to be used as a curse word. If you have used God’s Holy Name as a curse word, you are a blasphemer.
  4. “REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.” Have you ever asked what God requires with regard to the Sabbath? 
  5. “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.” Have you always honored your parents in a pleasing way in the sight of God? 
  6. “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER.” Jesus warned that if we get angry without cause we are in danger of judgment (Matthew 5:21-22). If we hate our brother, God calls us a murderer. We can violate God’s Law by attitude and intent. 
  7. “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.” Jesus said “whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) Remember that God has seen every thought you have had and every sin you have ever committed. We are told that the impure, fornicators (those who have sex before marriage) and adulterers will not enter the Kingdom of God (Revelation 22:15 & Revelation 21:8). 
  8. “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.” Have you ever taken something that belonged to someone else (irrespective of its value)? Then you are a thief! 
  9. “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS.” Have you ever told a lie? Then you are a liar. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). You may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin but God does (Revelation 21:27). 
  10. “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” That means we shouldn’t desire anything that belongs to another person or be envious of them because of their possessions. The covetous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 & Ephesians 5:5).

Who of us can say we are not guilty of breaking these Commandments? Because we have a conscience, we sinned “with knowledge” that it was wrong (Romans 2:14-16). All of us have sinned, and just as with civil law, you don’t have to break ten laws to be a lawbreaker, so the Bible warns, “For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”(James 2:10). God’s wrath abides on those who disobey Him and are enemies of God in their minds by wicked works (Ephesians 2:3 & Colossians 1:21).

When You See the Greatest News

 A little girl was once watching a sheep eat grass and thought how white it looked against the green background. But when it began to snow she thought, “That sheep now looks dirty against the white snow.” It was the same sheep but with a different background. When we compare ourselves to the background of humanity’s standard we look pretty clean, when we compare ourselves to the pure, snow-white righteousness of God’s standard – His perfect Law – we can see ourselves in truth, that we are unclean and our sin filthy dirty in God’s sight. God’s law is the Holy standard (Matthew 5:17-22 & Romans 2:11-16) by which all humanity will be judged on Judgment day when each of us will be held accountable for our sins before God.

This may sound strange, but the worst thing you could do at this point in time is to try and clean up your lifestyle – you realize that you have sinned, so from now on you will keep God’s Commandments, do good deeds, say the right things and think only pure thoughts. But should a judge let a murderer go just because he says he will now live a good life? No, he’s in debt to justice and therefore must be punished. Also, time does not forgive sin. Look at Nazi war criminals. Some are still being brought to justice even to this day.

Perhaps you think that because God is good He will overlook your sins on Judgment Day. But if you were guilty of terrible crimes in a court of law and said to the judge, “Judge, I am guilty but I believe that you are a good man and will therefore overlook my crimes and let me go free,” the judge would probably respond by saying, “It is because of my goodness that I am going to see that justice is done and you are rightly punished for your crimes.” It is a sad fact that the very thing many people are hoping will save them on Judgment Day – God’s ‘goodness’ – will be the very thing that will condemn them.

Our sin has earned a wage and that wage is eternal death and separation from God in hell (Romans 6:23). The Bible describes Hell as a place of undiluted Divine wrath, unquenchable fire, misery, and pain, frustration and anger, separation and remorse. It is a place of eternal punishment (Mark 9:43-48, Matthew 13:41-42 & 49-50, 2 Peter 3:7, Revelation 20:15 & 21:8). Each one of us will stand before God our creator and be held accountable to Him for our life of sin (Hebrews 9:27).

The good news (Gospel) is that God doesn’t want us to suffer the consequences of our sin and disobedience toward Him. He has provided the way for us to be forgiven by sending His Son Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on a cross, taking our punishment for our sin so that we can be forgiven (Romans 5:8 & 9, Colossians 1:12-14, 1 Peter 1:18 & 3:18, Isaiah 53:4-5, Ephesians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 1 Timothy 1:15). This is the greatest news ever. We can be forgiven.

To accept this free gift of salvation, you must humble yourself, acknowledge and repent of your sins before God, ask for His forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:15-21), and put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Death no longer has a legal hold over those who belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 6:7-11 & Romans 10:13, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 & 56-57). If you are unsure how to pray, model your prayer on Psalm 51, which is King David’s prayer asking for God’s forgiveness.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16) 

“If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”(Romans 10:9)

Where will YOU spend eternity?

Dear friend, believe in Jesus and receive Him as your Saviour today. If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this web page over and over, without clicking away, until you understand.

Your Soul Is Worth More Than The Whole World. 

If you have asked God to forgive your sin, what should you do now?

  1. Pray Daily (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1)
  2. Read the Bible Daily (Acts 17:11, Psalms 1:2)
  3. Confess Christ Openly and Be Baptized. (Matthew 10:32, 28:19-20, Acts 2:41& Acts 8:36-38)
  4. Attend a church where the Bible is preached and Christ is honored (Hebrews 10:25, 1 Timothy 3:15, Proverbs 30:6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 & Luke 9:35)
  5. Keep Christ’s Commandments. (John 14:15 & 21, Luke 9:23)

Christian? Want to share your faith? Learn how at Living Waters.com

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