My father had been dead for several years when I got news that one of his friends was in the hospital dying. Even though I didn't know the man well, I felt God prompting me to visit him and share the gospel.
So I went to see him.
He was happy to see me and still able to have a normal conversation. And he didn’t seem offended when I moved from small talk to share Christ.
When I finished he smiled and said, “If I believed in a god it would be a universal god who saves everyone.”
If we made up our own god, I suppose most of us would design a god who saves everyone…well, maybe, not everyone. We'd probably have our god send Hitler and serial killers to Hell. Even we have some standards when we make up our own gods.
Many folks design their “perfect” god and define life by their human standards, but one day we all will meet the true God. And we'll be judged by his perfect standards and only those of us who've accepted His offer of salvation will be saved (2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30; John 3:16; Acts 4:12).
When I left my father's friend that day, he seemed to appreciate my visit, but he clearly wasn’t buying my Christianity– not even on his deathbed.
He died the following week.
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To read about the contrast between this man's death and the death of my mother, see The Comfort of Psalm 23. I also shared this devotion about my mother in my book Wisdom for Life. If you own a copy, you might want to read Day 13 because it has some details that aren't in the online devotion. And I also encourage you to check out Eternal Life on Bite Size Bible Study. It explains what happened when I shared Christ with a dying stranger.
If you'd like to know more about the Wisdom for Life Devotional, read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" or "read sample" on Lifeway or Amazon.
I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.
God HAS saved everyone when He sent His son Jesus Christ to suffer and die for our sins...However, you must put in some effort yourself for salvation. All God asks is that you believe in Jesus Christ to be saved...If you can't even do that for God after all He's done for you, maybe you deserve Hell!
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right...God doesn't ask the impossible of us...All He asks is that you believe in Jesus Christ, our ONLY salvation...If you can't do something as simple as that then you deserve what you 're going to get.
DeleteSalvation is of the Lord. Not us. It's entirely His work to save a soul. Left to our own devices we would never turn to God. It's the working of the Holy Spirit to cause a soul to seek Christ.
DeleteU know I am a Christian that believes in a loving, Pursuing God. He is the Shepherd looking for his lost sheep. He sees ur heart and ur circumstances. Have u ever been so dejected/rejected/abused that u could not feel God or were not even exposed to his true being to know how to behave and love? I’m sure ALL of us have or will at some pt in our existence on Earth. Do u think God would dump u b/c of that? Or do u think He may show u how LOVED u have been on the other side of ur life on Earth, How beautiful a creation u were and how that being can still exist? God does nothing wrong!!! Every LIFE is not a mistake !!! And our Loving God will pursue his children :)
ReplyDeleteHi Erin,
DeleteYes, we have a God who pursues us, who loves us, and who gives us every opportunity to follow Him. He is so much more patient and loving and forgiving than any of us.
But He has very, very clearly told us in His Word that those who reject Him will go to Hell. If we believe what Scripture tells us about His great love, then we must believe what it tells us about the punishment of those who reject His love.
Either both are true or neither are true because both are clearly proclaimed in God's Word.
I do think we have been inconsiderate if we say ppl should just go to hell, I know the God who abounds in love for his ppl, so let not be any one who will condenm, only God can do that, we are just vessels to diliver his word the rest is up to Him (God)
ReplyDeleteHi Unknown,
DeleteYou are right that we cannot condemn any person to Hell. That is God's job. But we are commanded to warn people that if they reject Christ's free offer of salvation, they will go to Hell. That is our responsibility.