Yesterday a newsfeed headline “How to Prepare Now for the Complete End of the World” caught my eye. I didn’t read the article right away, but it got me thinking.
Are we near the “complete end of the world”? The spreading covid19 virus, the doom and gloom of climate change purveyors, the local civil unrest over aboriginal land claims, and more, compound to give me a feeling that life, if not about to end may not return to “normal” anytime soon…maybe ever.
The danger that the covid19 virus poses to seniors (I’m in that age group) is especially concerning. And so, in my staring match with mortality, I ask myself, am I ready for the end? Are you?
I did read the above article this morning. I’m not sure I like its answers. It describes a “rewilding movement” where people get back to stone age living—making fire, hunting, wearing animal skins, eating roots and herbs, living in communes of yurts, basically like the hippies of the 1960s, only more primitive.
“Rewilding” may be a solution if commerce grinds to a halt and technology dies. Trouble is, there’s still a personal end of the world beyond that. How do I prepare for the complete end of my personal world?
For me that means being ready to die and meet God.
Suppose you were to die today and stand before God, and He were to say to you, “Why should I let you into My heaven?”* What would you say? Would you say, I’ve done my best; I’ve done more good things than bad; I’ve been better than John down the street…?
I live with the conviction that we can give God a satisfactory answer. The Bible explains it this way.
1. Grace
– Heaven is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8,9).
– It is not earned or deserved (Romans 6:23).
2. Man
– But man (humans, males and females) are sinners (Romans 3:23)
– We don’t and can’t live up to heaven’s standard of perfection (Matthew 5:48).
– We can’t save ourselves (Proverbs 14:12).
3. God
– Is merciful (Jeremiah 31:3b).
– But He is also just and must punish sin (Exodus 34:7b).
In order to solve the dilemma of His mercy and justice…
4. Jesus
– God sent Jesus to earth 2000+ years ago to live and die as the infinite perfect God-man (John 1:1,14).
– For 33 years Jesus lived on earth. Those years are recorded in the Bible (books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).
– At the age of 33 years, Jesus was crucified—died.
– His death was/is the payment to God that our sins deserve (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:24).
– His death in our stead shows God’s mercy while at the same time satisfying God’s need for justice. We call it GRACE: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
5. Faith
– We accept this gift of Christ’s death on our behalf through faith.
– It is more than intellectual faith, but a believing faith where I entrust our lives to Him now and for eternity (Acts 16:31).
– If we have believed in Him in this way, we know that He will accept us into heaven because He has said so (John 3:16; 6:37,47; John 14:1-3).
And so, when we come to the end of our personal world, and stand before God and He asks us, “Why should I let you into My heaven?” I can say, you can say, because Jesus paid the penalty for my sin.
Need to explore more? Get yourself a Bible or access one online. Read it. Start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).
* This explanation of the Gospel is adapted from Evangelism Explosion materials.
Violet Nesdoly 