\u201cI\u2019ve never done anything so bad. I never harmed anyone. I\u2019ve always lived a clean life. God won\u2019t condemn me to everlasting punishment because of anything I\u2019ve done.\u201d So runs the common reply of many who are urged to come to Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life.<\/p>\n
If you had committed murder and would come before the court to receive your sentence, you could hardly plead like this: \u201cI have never stolen anything from anybody. I have always been kind to others except in this one instance. I\u2019ve always lived a clean moral life and the court should be lenient with me because this is my only crime.\u201d You know that plea would be useless, for you would have already committed the worst crime with which you could be charged.
\n
\nEven so, whether or not you have committed murder, God declares that you deserve the death penalty: \u201cFor all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.\u201d \u201cFor the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord\u201d (Romans 3:23; 6:23).<\/p>\n
If you refuse to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, you do not love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Thus you stand condemned before God until you accept Jesus Christ as Saviour, and surrender to Him as Lord of your life. By stubbornly and self righteously rejecting Him, you break the greatest commandment in the law of God, regardless of what other sins you have or have not committed.<\/p>\n
In the day of judgment you will be found worthy of the death sentence because you have rejected the only pardon God has, forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. Trusting in your own good deeds will only testify of your rebellious self-righteousness. \u201cIf we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us\u201d (1 John 1:8-10).<\/p>\n
You are hereby commanded that, laying aside all other business, you personally be and appear at the judgment seat of Christ, on the great and final day of the Lord, there to testify to the truth that while upon earth you rejected Christ, neglected the church, and insulted the Holy Spirit time after time, and although you knew your duty, you did it not.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, you shall then and there receive sentence according to your deeds, \u201cDepart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire\u201d (Matthew 25:41).<\/p>\n
Christian Light Publications, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Phone (540) 434-0768.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI\u2019ve never done anything so bad. I never harmed anyone. I\u2019ve always lived a clean life. God won\u2019t condemn me to everlasting punishment because of anything I\u2019ve done.\u201d So runs the common reply of many who are urged to come to Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. If you had committed murder and would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n