Saturday, December 29, 2007

Simple Truth

Revelation 20:1-15

What a scene! Dragon-Devil slammed into prison. Resurrection of the faithful dead. A thousand year reign of glory. And then the Devil unleashed, a final battle and he’s cast into a lake of burning sulphur.

And then the “great white throne” judgment.

The whole of the Bible comes down to this. The panorama of human striving and failing--millennia of approach and avoidance with God--ends right here.

It all comes down to this moment of simple truth. A moment when there’ll be nothing more to say. No more time for excuses, justifications or rationalizations.

But I just wanted to have some fun first before I became a Christian…
But I never murdered anyone. I tried to keep the Ten Commandments…
But I was a good person, a faithful spouse, a good parent…
But I tried to be kind and honest…
But I tithed faithfully...
But I led Bible study, sang in the choir and taught Sunday school…

None of that will matter. There will be only one simple question: Is your name written in the Book of Life, or not?

And one simple answer: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life,” says John 3:16.

Jesus is the only one who can save us. He is the only one who can write our name in the Book of Life.

Will your name be found there?


"My faith has found a resting place,
not in device nor creed;
I trust the Everliving One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument,
I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul, I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out.

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation through His blood.

I need no other argument,
I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me."

"No Other Plea” by Lidie H. Edmunds

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