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About Eternity...

Most people don't engage themselves in deep thought 'till they are alone. By alone I mean not plugged into any kind of music, not watching any kind of entertainment and not having any human company.

When you find yourself alone with your thoughts, fears, dreams, successes and failures, do you wonder what this life is all about? What is on the other side of the funeral ceremony? What experiences is the deceased having , if any at all?

The concept of death as a doorway to eternal after life is a difficult concept to wrap the mind around; but one that has been contemplated for centuries. If you are an evolutionist, you will become recycled energy. If you are a creationist, on the other hand, you have a prepared place waiting for you. Either the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (known as the second death; some call it hell), or the New Jerusalem (many like to call this heaven).

Both of these prepared places are eternal conscious realities. I would hate to be eternally conscious of the reality that I was burning in a lake of fire, hearing the screams of others of like fate, in total darkness. In contrast, being eternally conscious that Christ built a city for me to enjoy, illuminated by his presence alone and enjoying the blessings of such a city is something I would seek diligently to acquire.

If you believe God and you believe that  Gods allowed a book of his words to be written, then you can learn from those words how to receive the blessings of that city and avoid the suffering of the second death. If I have awakened your interest just a little bit, let me show you some Scripture that may get you to thinking - then you can make a choice about eternity.

Do you have a Bible handy?

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Creation was crowned by God saying, "Behold, it was very good". I would like to point out though, man was given a free will allowing him to choose to love God. This makes man unique when compared with how the rest of creation relates to God. The drawback is that he could also choose to break the rule God put on his creation, namely, don't eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Adam chose knowledge rather than faith, and by doing so he brought death into this world.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Look at the progression. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Adam passed his genetics to his offspring which gave them a propensity to sin.

Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Here you find them offering a sacrifice to God, but the blood sacrifice (probably a lamb) is the only one that pleased him. This gruesome display was a graphic picture of what must happen in the future to pay for the sins of mankind. Do you ever wonder why you don't need any help getting into trouble, or that no one had to teach you how to lie or why disobeying and getting around the rules is such an enticing challenge? It's because you are your fathers child. We all can eventually trace our relatives back to Adam.  His blood runs through our veins along with the genetic code which has been passed down through the years with all the blueprints of sin as an attachment. We are now very equipped to sin.

Choosing to do what we know is not right releases death into our system causing us to eventually join the rest of humanity who have passed from time to eternity.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

Now, I want you to read a very disturbing Scripture.

Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is a place of judgment. The one sitting in the judgment seat is so terrifying that heaven and earth struggle to find a place to hide but cannot. Everyone living at this time is required to appear before the judge, and all those who have died by this time are brought back to face the judge as well. The books that are opened are the recorded acts of each individual present at this trial. And from these recordings a judgment is pronounced upon them. All of them are cast into the lake of fire and suffer the second death.

But there is a loop hole in verse 15. Can you find it? It is a negative statement that can have positive ramifications. Those not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. A logical person could then figure that those who are found written in this book are not cast into this place of torment. The key is to get yourself written in this book.

This next Scripture is a bit more encouraging.

Rev 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Here we find what is referred to by many as the New Jerusalem; and the only ones allowed in are the ones written in the Lamb's book of life. Didn't we talk about a lamb in Genesis? Also, look in verse 24 at the word 'saved'. This is another description of those written in this book.

Now let's address this lamb issue.

Since we want in the Lamb's book, we should know a little bit about who the Lamb is and how we relate to him.

Look at John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

In order to understand a lamb that takes away sin you must go back to the Old Testament and study the sacrifices. Leviticus chapters 1-19 are some heavy reading and in them you will find words like: lamb, goat, bullock, without blemish, offer it, kill it, sprinkle the blood and burn it upon the alter. Lots of ritual to remind a group of people what happened in Exodus chapter 12 - an event called the 'Passover'. Read it; it is very interesting. A lamb is slain and the blood is applied to the door posts of the house so that the death angel could identify who he should 'Passover'. This is just before God deliverers the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.

It gets better.

John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.

Now look at Mar 14:1  After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

At the time of the 'Passover' the chief priests and scribes seek to put Christ to death.

Check out Mat 26:2  Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Christ foretells of his crucifixion that is to take place around the time of the 'Passover'.

Now, lets go back a few years to learn why Jesus, who is called Christ, is so special. Ahaz, king of Judah is at war with Syria and is scared to death that he and his people are going to be taken captive or slain. God sent Isaiah to tell Ahaz not to worry. Ahaz needed a little help with his faith so God told him to ask for a sign. Ahaz hesitates and stammers so God just hammers Ahaz with the statement 'a virgin shall conceive'. Hows that for a sign. There's no way to fake that one and if it's going to be done, God has to do it.

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

This next Scripture is more information about the son this virgin will conceive.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Now go to Luk 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luk 1:29  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Luk 1:34  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Luk 1:35  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Luk 1:36  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Luk 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luk 1:38  And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

The virgin is named and so is the Son.

That brings us to the next issue. Why have a virgin conceive the Son of God? Because Jesus was born for a specific purpose. And if he is to fulfill that purpose, he has to be the Son of God not the son of another man.

Look at Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Rom 5:6  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

God wanted to show us how much he loved us even though we sin and live our lives as though he doesn't exist. So God sent his son to shed his blood and die that we might be 'saved' from the wrath of that judgment we first discussed - the lake of fire. To give you a glimpse of what the Old Testament rituals represented and the result it was supposed to produce, read this.

Heb 9:1  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
Heb 9:2  For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Heb 9:6  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Heb 9:7  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  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.

Heb 10:1  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 10:2  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3  But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Heb 10:5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Heb 10:6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Heb 10:8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Heb 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

This all represented Christ producing salvation for us.

The death and shed blood of Christ is not the end though. How can a dead person help us? Remember what we read in Isaiah 9 and in Luke 1 how that of Christ's rule there shall be no end and how he will sit on David's throne in Israel? That hasn't happened yet and Christ has to be alive in order to do it. Christ rose from the dead!

Mat 12:38  Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Luk 24:1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Luk 24:2  And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
Luk 24:3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luk 24:4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luk 24:5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luk 24:6  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luk 24:7  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luk 24:8  And they remembered his words,

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mat 20:17  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
Mat 20:18  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
Mat 20:19  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Do you believe?

Let's talk about belief or faith.

Rom 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9  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.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The word 'saved' keeps popping up again; that word describing those that live in the New Jerusalem, have themselves written in the Lamb's book of life and have escaped the wrath of God - eternal damnation in the lake of fire. How do you get this blessing? How do you get 'saved'.

1. Confess the sin that you know you have done and still do; but more importantly, confess that you are a sinner. This is between you and God.

2. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, the Christ, The Son of God.

3. Believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead after shedding his blood on the cross for you.

This last Scripture of the book of Romans that you just read says that if you do these things in faith, you shall be 'saved'. If you believe, I want you to word these last three points in your own prayer to God, commemorating this day. Make it a point to never forget what happened to you today by writing down somewhere what you did. Go back to this time and place often, especially when you are discouraged or doubtful.

Exo 13:3  And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Exo 13:4  This day came ye out in the month Abib.
Exo 13:5  And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
Exo 13:6  Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
Exo 13:7  Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
Exo 13:8  And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
Exo 13:9  And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
Exo 13:10  Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

To wrap things up, eternal life is a gift. You cannot earn it and once you take it, you can never give it back. You cannot loose it because the keeping of eternal life is in the hands of Jesus Christ. All choices have consequences, and when you choose Christ you are stuck with him.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

1Jn 5:9  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1Jn 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Your sin is no longer the issue, it's your relationship with Christ that matters now.

Heb 10:14  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Heb 10:15  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Isa 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Rom 4:8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Finally, I say to you - Get your eternal destination settled now. Get your sins forgiven now. Then spend the rest of your life pursuing your relationship with Christ and getting ready to spend eternity with him.

God bless you, and it was nice chatting with you,
John