More and more, it's becoming necessary to consent to the services we receive.
Do you need a medical procedure, online services, etc.? Then be ready to sign a
piece of paper to grant consent; first, they give you information to explain what you agree or disagree with. That kind of consent
is called informed consent-implying you know precisely what you're getting
into.
Similarly, we must consent to what will happen to us regarding our
sins. Whether or not we know and agree, we are each accountable to God. He has
given us two options for how we want our sins to be treated.
Before you tell yourself you are not as sinful as others, you
must know what the Bible (the Word of God) says. It says: "No one is
righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have
turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one"
(Romans 3:10-12).
You might ask why we are in this predicament. It's because we are
descendants of sinners (Adam and Eve). They sinned by believing Satan's lie and
acting on it, thereby disobeying God; their sinful nature and the consequences
of their sin (separation between God and man) were passed on to us, their
descendants (see Genesis 3).
Being kind and loving, God has provided His Son, Jesus, to take
on the penalty of our sins through death. This is what we know so far:
- We
are all sinners,
- God hates sin and has separated
Himself from us. But, being so kind,
- He has made Jesus our
substitute to take on our punishment to restore our relationship with
Him.
So, in the matter of sin, we have a decision to make; one can
either choose to pay for their own sin (remain separated from God) or accept
Jesus' death as payment for their sin and therefore regain a relationship with
God: "To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to
become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting
from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God" (John
1:12-13).
Dear reader, you have the decision to make: now that you have all
the facts to base your decision on, which option appeals to you? Also, know
that time is not on your side; once you die, you've missed the opportunity, and
by default, you will remain eternally separated from God, which means an eternity
in hell. In addition, know that no one else can make that decision for you; the prayers and nice things said at your funeral won't change your
destination. Consider this passage: "There is no judgment against anyone
who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been
judged for not believing in God's one and only Son" (John
3:18).
Informed decisions exonerate the individuals enforcing the rule.
Therefore no one can blame God for going to hell; they chose hell by not
choosing heaven through faith in Jesus. If you are reading this, you still have
time, but not long. This is the day of salvation; don't procrastinate. God
loves you but will not force you to choose one way or another; He says to all
of us: "Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between
blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you
make. Oh, that you would choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
If you'd like Jesus to be your substitute, repent of your sin
and ask God for forgiveness through the work of His Son, Jesus. Call on Jesus today to ensure you'll have life in heaven at the end of this life. You can pray
the prayer below sincerely:
Dear God, I know I'm a
sinner, and ask for Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I
believe that He died for my sin and that You raised Him to life. I want to
trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my
life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."
If you've accepted Jesus'
death in your place and have prayed, welcome into the family of God! You are
now His child; as confirmation, He has put His Holy Spirit into your heart.
Live as a child of God by following what He says in the Bible, reading and
praying daily, and obeying what he tells you. Obeying the Word of God gradually
changes you (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Next, find a local Bible-believing church
for fellowship and growth in your relationship with God.
God bless you and your new
life!
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