THIS SAD STORY reflects truths of our Christian faith that I have often shared. That Christ died to offer eternal life, i.e.,
salvation, to ALL people. His blood shed on Calvary purchased a full
pardon from the prison of sin and death for ALL people. However, until
each person individually claims that free gift through receiving Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior, through faith alone - there is no pardon.
Those people who do not freely accept and receive His "paid in full" pardon - remain in their sin prison, condemned to eternal spiritual death.
This is taught in Jesus' parable found in Matthew 20:1-16, where the landowner hired workers to work in his vineyard. He hired some at the beginning of the day, and he hired others only an hour before quitting time. Yet, he paid all the workers, regardless of how many hours they had worked, one denarius, a day's wages. When the early workers complained that they had worked longer for the same amount, Jesus told them, "Did you not agree to work a day for one denarius? If I wish to pay others the same denarius - is it not lawful for Me to do so?" That is God's mercy, that in His grace He offers full forgiveness to all who, through faith, will believe and receive Him as Lord and Savior - at any time in our lives.
The moral of that story is: The greatest gift that Christ can give is His promised eternal life in the presence of God the Father. There is no greater gift. And, those who receive this gift earlier in life are blessed, for we get to share His Gospel truth with more people. Yet, those who receive this gift at the last hour - still have been given that same blessed gift, eternal life in His presence.
And, this is what we Christian believers must continue to tell people. Everyone has until that last breath to receive Christ and His assurance of eternal life. However, once that last breath has been breathed in this mortal body - there is NO second chance. Once that last breath is taken - our next breath takes us into eternity. That eternity for a believer is to be spent in the glorious presence of God. That eternity for a non-believer is to be spent outside, void of the presence of God, and that can only be called "hell."
Consider the danger of waiting to receive His gift, eternal salvation, at a later time. None of us knows when that last moment will come upon us. We may be in good health one moment - and taken in death by an accident, an act of violence, or an unknown, unexpected illness the next. What if that person had waited to receive Christ later, not wanting to miss any of the world's fun - and that last moment came upon him/her unexpectedly?
Most of us recognize the two most renown atheists in our world today - Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Both have been very active over the recent years writing books and participating in public debates where they attempt to prove that God does not exist. Not long ago, Christopher Hitchens died. And, some who knew him well say that, once he found that he had terminal cancer, he was starting to question his own atheism, starting to consider becoming a Christian believer.
But, a question we will continue to ponder: which was more important to Hitchens, his eternal soul - OR - his world class reputation as an atheist, a denier of God? That is a question that even his close friends cannot answer, only God and Christopher Hitchens know - and now that last moment for his eternal decision has passed for Hitchens, his last breath has been breathed in his mortal body. Personally, I do pray that I will see him in heaven. That would be an added blessing for me. But, as we read in the article below, no one really knows. These excerpts are from that article:
This story rather reflects the saying we have all heard over the years, "In war, there are no atheists in the foxhole."
I urge you to read the full article - and then share it with any unbelieving FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors) in your circle of influence. The one put on the right track toward the cross - may be a close FRAN!
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
This is taught in Jesus' parable found in Matthew 20:1-16, where the landowner hired workers to work in his vineyard. He hired some at the beginning of the day, and he hired others only an hour before quitting time. Yet, he paid all the workers, regardless of how many hours they had worked, one denarius, a day's wages. When the early workers complained that they had worked longer for the same amount, Jesus told them, "Did you not agree to work a day for one denarius? If I wish to pay others the same denarius - is it not lawful for Me to do so?" That is God's mercy, that in His grace He offers full forgiveness to all who, through faith, will believe and receive Him as Lord and Savior - at any time in our lives.
The moral of that story is: The greatest gift that Christ can give is His promised eternal life in the presence of God the Father. There is no greater gift. And, those who receive this gift earlier in life are blessed, for we get to share His Gospel truth with more people. Yet, those who receive this gift at the last hour - still have been given that same blessed gift, eternal life in His presence.
And, this is what we Christian believers must continue to tell people. Everyone has until that last breath to receive Christ and His assurance of eternal life. However, once that last breath has been breathed in this mortal body - there is NO second chance. Once that last breath is taken - our next breath takes us into eternity. That eternity for a believer is to be spent in the glorious presence of God. That eternity for a non-believer is to be spent outside, void of the presence of God, and that can only be called "hell."
Consider the danger of waiting to receive His gift, eternal salvation, at a later time. None of us knows when that last moment will come upon us. We may be in good health one moment - and taken in death by an accident, an act of violence, or an unknown, unexpected illness the next. What if that person had waited to receive Christ later, not wanting to miss any of the world's fun - and that last moment came upon him/her unexpectedly?
Most of us recognize the two most renown atheists in our world today - Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Both have been very active over the recent years writing books and participating in public debates where they attempt to prove that God does not exist. Not long ago, Christopher Hitchens died. And, some who knew him well say that, once he found that he had terminal cancer, he was starting to question his own atheism, starting to consider becoming a Christian believer.
But, a question we will continue to ponder: which was more important to Hitchens, his eternal soul - OR - his world class reputation as an atheist, a denier of God? That is a question that even his close friends cannot answer, only God and Christopher Hitchens know - and now that last moment for his eternal decision has passed for Hitchens, his last breath has been breathed in his mortal body. Personally, I do pray that I will see him in heaven. That would be an added blessing for me. But, as we read in the article below, no one really knows. These excerpts are from that article:
The famed atheist writer Christopher Hitchens was contemplating converting to evangelical Christianity before his death, according Christian author and friend Larry Alex Taunton. . . .
Taunton is not saying the search was successful. “It’s not my claim that Christopher converted. It’s that Christopher was contemplating conversion.”
By this point, Hitchens was battling the esophageal cancer that would claim his life. “Christopher was in a difficult place,” Taunton remembers. “He’s a dying man. He asked me why I thought he didn’t convert. I said ‘You’ve created a global reputation as an atheist. Your fortune, your reputation is based on it. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to admit you were wrong. You created a prison for yourself.'”
. . . .
Only God knows whether there was, in (Doug) Wilson’s words, “a gracious twist at the end.” Taunton said that he only knows Hitchens’ ears and heart were open.
https://stream.org/author-famed-atheist-christopher-hitchens-contemplating-christianity-death/
This story rather reflects the saying we have all heard over the years, "In war, there are no atheists in the foxhole."
I urge you to read the full article - and then share it with any unbelieving FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors) in your circle of influence. The one put on the right track toward the cross - may be a close FRAN!
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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