Going Up?

A preacher once visited a dying man in a last ditch effort to win him over to God. "Renounce Satan," the preacher shouted. "No!" the dying man cried.

"Renounce Satan," the preacher thundered again. "No!" the dying man repeated.

"You're on your death bed, Jack," the minister pleaded. "There's no hope for you at all. Why won't you renounce Satan?"

"Because," the dying man said, "I'm not aiming to make anyone mad until I find out where I'm going!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sad part about this little story is that so many people who call themselves Christian really are unsure of their final destination after death. Whether they believe that good works are the key to salvation, or even the frequency of their church attendance, they are doubtful of whether they have successfully fulfilled their mission on earth. Or maybe they're just worried if they've been good enough.

These people, though they call themselves Christian, have missed the whole point.

Christianity does not simply describe those who follow Jesus -- it describes an attitude toward Jesus. Man's sin was paid for by the blood of Jesus. Satan was defeated when Christ rose from the dead. Anyone who accepts this accepts that Jesus as Lord. It's just that simple.

No person can save himself without Jesus, though a surprising number try. Tragically, they are doomed to failure from the beginning. Repentance of sins leads to forgiveness from God. Repentance of sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is all that is needed for salvation. After that, the horror of being hurled into the fiery pit is simply a nightmare that is never going to happen. You can, instead, look forward to spending eternity with God in a place of unspeakable joy, where all your tears will be washed away.

Why spend your life in uncertainty? Know for sure. Repent now. Renounce Satan and accept Jesus Christ as Lord, and you will never have to wonder again.

That 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 NIV)

[ by Ed Price -- from 'Themestream' ]