Fact No. 1: Your Sinfulness
Sin is a hard fact to face especially when it is your own. Many today will admit they are not perfect, but very few will admit they are sinful and defiled before God. Yet, the Lord Jesus said, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mark 7:21-23) You must understand that, "...man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7). What does God see in your heart? The Lord Jesus said, "Ye have heard... Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matt. 5:27-28). Hatred is an attitude of the heart and yet the Bible says, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." (1 John 3:15). When you have cursed in anger or used God's name in vain, it was because "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matt. 12:34) The fact is "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked...for the imaginations of man's heart is evil from his youth," therefore "the scripture hath concluded all under sin." (Jer. 17:9; Gen. 8:21; Gal. 3:22).
Fact No. 2: Your Sentence
God keeps a record and your trial is just ahead. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27). At the Judgment, your sin will come out as evidence against you. Since God is holy and just, he must punish all unrighteousness. "Be sure your sin will find you out. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness...And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened...and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books...For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Num. 32:23; Acts 17:31; Rev. 20:12; Luke 12:2; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rev. 21:8).
If you had broken God's Law in even one point, your situation would be alarming. But, you have committed sins more in number and greater in magnitude than you know or even imagine. On the Day of Judgment, if you receive what you have earned, you will perish in a burning Hell forever. But, the Bible says, "The Lord...is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance...for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." (2 Pet. 3:9; Psa. 130:7). There is hope for the guilty!
Fact No. 3: Your Substitute
In God's great love for sinners, He has provided the only possible way of salvation. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I declare unto you the gospel...how that Christ died for our sins...And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day...And ye know that he (Jesus Christ) was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross...he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 John 3:5; Col. 1:20; Heb. 7:25).
Jesus Christ took your punishment and died in your place when He hung on the cross. His blood paid your ransom and He then rose from the dead to make your salvation possible! But, you must respond with, "...repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21). Listen to the Lord's great invitation and promise, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life...and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (Matt. 11:28; John 6:37, 47; 5:24).
Cover image from Light of the World by Jack T. Chick. Used by permission.
