DO NOT GO TO DAMNATION!
As far as damnation is
concerned, many people think that it is not true. They deem it only an invented
story that does not need to be taken seriously. They think that it is better
not to think about it at all, because they will nevertheless see what really
happens when they die: so why take bother one’s head with this issue in which
no certain conclusion can be reached? They also discuss with pleasure many
spiritual issues that are not essential in the salvation of their sole (female
priests, whether God can create a stone so large He Himself cannot carry, etc).
They perhaps try to dismiss the discussion about what happens after this life
by thinking about these trivial issues.
But is damnation true after all? Is there life after death?
Jesus – who spoke much about Heaven by saying, for example: “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2) –
also often spoke about damnation. He mentioned both places in his speeches, so
we should think about whether they are true. How can anyone be 100% sure that
the next verses are not true? They indicate that our acts are significant and
how we live our lives is nothing but trivial. If we live our life in
impenitence, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. They also indicate that it
is a serious matter if our name is not included in the Book of Life: we will go
to damnation:
- (Rev 20:12-15) And I saw the dead,
small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged
out of those things which were written in the books, according to their
works.
13 And the sea
gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their
works.
14 And death and
hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And
whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire.
- (Rev 22:14,15) Blessed are they that do
his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter
in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.
- (Rev 21:3-8) And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things
are passed away.
5 And he
that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words
are true and faithful.
6 And he said to
me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will
give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that
overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my
son.
8 But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake
which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
DO WE HAVE HOPE?
When we noted on grounds of
the verses above that wrongdoers will go to damnation, the next question is:
can we rescue ourselves from this and go to Heaven instead? Is there hope for a
person who has lived deep in sin, led an immoral life, practiced homosexuality
or other sins? Is there any answer to this and what the Bible says about it? We
look at this issue in the light of the next examples:
Turn to God
Firstly
it is good to understand that we have hope. Even though we have filled our
lives with the pleasures of this life, fornication, playboy life, witchcraft,
or sins in general when looking for satisfaction, it is good to understand that
all things can be forgiven and we can receive eternal life. Even though these
things, such as sin in general, lead to damnation, things will immediately
change if we turn to God through Jesus Christ, confess our sins and confess
that we have been away from Him. We can receive forgiveness of our sins in the
same way as the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15 who squandered his wealth on a
reckless life but who later turned to his father. Do therefore in the same way.
Turn to heavenly God and give Him your life. Tell Him that you want to follow
Him with all your heart and that His will would come true in your life:
- (Luke 15:13, 18-20) And not many days
after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far
country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
18. I will arise and go to my father, and
will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you,
19 And am no more
worthy to be called your son: make me as one of your hired servants.
20 And he
arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed
him.
Life in Jesus Christ
The second important issue to understand is
that
the foundation for
the forgiveness of our sins is that Jesus died for us. The Bible clearly tells us
that only He is the way to Heaven, to God, and through Him we can receive the
forgiveness of sins and eternal life. If we turn to Him, we will receive these
wonderful gifts immediately. Turn therefore to Him and do not reject the gift
of eternal life that is offered to you. Then, you may spend eternity with God,
and the “heavenly satisfaction” and life in Heaven will certainly be better
than anything you have experienced in this life:
- (John 14:6) Jesus said to him, I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
- (John 5:40) And you will not come to
me, that you might have life.
- (Acts 10:43) To him give all the
prophets witness, that through his name whoever believes in him shall
receive remission of sins.
- (Acts 13:38,39) Be it known to
you therefore, men and brothers, that through this man is preached to you
the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all
that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be
justified by the law of Moses.
The prayer of salvation: Lord, Jesus, I
turn to You. I admit that I have sinned against You and have not lived
according to Your will. However, I want to turn from my sins and follow You
with all my heart. I also believe that my sins have been forgiven by Your
atonement work and I have received eternal life through You. I thank You for
the salvation You have given me. Amen.
REJECTING GRACE
As mentioned above,
everything has been done for us, and to Heaven can be got only by grace and
through Jesus Christ, it affects also our life. It means that we must also turn
to God and receive grace. We must turn to Jesus Christ so that we can be saved
and go to heaven. Only by receiving Him we can be there one day.
But what if we reject the grace of God and Jesus? What if we take
no notice of Him and the coming life? Will there be any consequences of it?
Does it have an effect on our eternity?
The answer to the previous is of course that if we reject Jesus and
the gift of eternal life, we will have to pay for our own sins. We will have to
redeem our sins in eternal damnation – in a place, from where there is no way
out. All of this is because we have simply turned our back on the only
possibility to be saved and to get to God’s paradise. We have rejected our only
possibility to get to Heaven. God wants to save everyone but we ourselves can
reject the call. Therefore, do not personally turn your back on God’s call but let save
yourself already today so that you wouldn’t have to regret later. It is the
best decision what can you do ever:
- (1 Tim 2:3,4) For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
4 Who will have
all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- (John 3:16) For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- (Eze 18:23,32) Have I any
pleasure at all that the wicked should die? said the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and
live?
32 For I have no
pleasure in the death of him that dies, said the Lord GOD: why turn yourselves,
and live you.
Let’s
look at the next quote as well, because this is well illustrated in it. The
text tells how we can reject grace again and again and finally pay for it in
damnation because we have not cared for grace. It is an indication of how it
can happen to us if
we
take no notice of the coming life and eternity.
Therefore, do not turn your back on God’s
grace, but turn to Him in time so that you will not have to regret the choice
you made. You can change the decisions you made in some computer software, but
once you have crossed the border, it is no longer possible. You cannot change
your position there. This is why you must allow yourself to be saved now, so
that you would not have to regret your decision on the other side of the
border:
"Why was I given the
chance? Why had I been equipped with an immortal soul? Why did I not care about
it? Oh, how my own neglect pierces me so dreadfully and I still know that I
cannot and will not die. But to live a deadly life is worse than ten thousand
deaths, and I still could have been helped once but I did not want to! Oh, this
is the gnawing worm that never dies. Once, I could have been happy; once I was
offered salvation but I rejected it. If it had happened only once and I would
have rejected it, even that would have been unforgivable foolishness, but it
was offered to me a thousand times, and I resisted it as often (so lousy I was).
Damn the sin which with its deceitful enjoyment enchants mankind to eternal
destruction! God called me often but I resisted Him as often. He reached out
his hands but I did not care. How often did I go against His commands, how
often I resisted His reprimands! But now, the situation has changed, for now He
follows my accident and mocks the ruin that has come for my part. He could have
helped me then, but I did not want His help. Therefore, these eternal pains are
just a reward for my own deeds and I am condemned to suffer." (John
Bunyan, Näkyjä taivaasta ja helvetistä [Visions of Heaven and Hell], p.
67)
