REUTERS\/Fabrizio Bensch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen 9-year-old Charlotte Sena was abducted off a bicycle trail last weekend while camping with her family at a New York state park, a massive search immediately ensued involving up to 400 local, state and federal law enforcement officers. Thankfully, Charlotte was rescued after police discovered fingerprints on a ransom note left by her kidnapper at the girl\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
The fingerprints of Craig Ross Jr. were in a law enforcement database due to a 1999 drunken driving charge. After authorities located a home occupied by the suspect\u2019s mother, Charlotte was found in a camper parked behind the building. The young girl was found in a cabinet where she was covered up, but appeared to be \u201coutwardly physically unharmed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without those crucial fingerprints, who knows what might have happened to Charlotte?<\/p>\n
I would like to switch gears a bit and address something pertaining to your own set of fingerprints. You may be aware that Heaven has a detailed record of your entire life. You realize what this means, don\u2019t you? Your fingerprints are in Heaven\u2019s database of offenders.<\/p>\n
This is the point at which many people\u00a0\u201ccheck out.\u201d They wrongly assume that any discussion concerning their sins against God is pointless and not worth considering. They feel God doesn\u2019t want to frighten people regarding their appointment in His courtroom on Judgment Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freeze right there in your analysis! Hold that thought. Don\u2019t instantly dismiss it without first giving it some serious reflection.<\/p>\n
The devil, of course, wants you to avoid any such contemplation. Satan whispers to you:\u00a0\u201cYou are just fine. You have nothing to worry about regarding Heaven and Hell. You are a good person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freeze that frame! Study it intently. And then ask yourself,\u00a0\u201cCan I really trust my own analysis on this issue?\u201d\u00a0\u201cWhat if I am wrong about the way God deals with offenders?\u201d\u00a0\u201cCan I afford to be wrong about my eternal destination?\u201d<\/p>\n
Scripture declares:\u00a0\u201cThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom\u201d (Proverbs 9:10).<\/p>\n
Have you ever been afraid that God might punish you forever for your sins? Do you realize what God did to rescue you from eternal punishment in Hell? If you don\u2019t embrace the good news of the Gospel before you take your final breath, you will enter Heaven\u2019s courtroom on Judgment Day with blood on your hands, rather than the blood of Jesus cleansing your soul.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are just trying to scare me Dan.\u201d No, I am trying to warn you if you do not yet know the One who went to the cross to suffer the punishment you and I deserve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I am absolutely trying to convince you to reject conventional wisdom. Why? Simply put, \u201cThe wisdom of this world is foolishness in God\u2019s sight\u201d (1 Corinthians 3:19). Let that fact sink into your mind as you consider how many times over the years you have been wrong about something.<\/p>\n
Does your opinion carry more weight than the Word of God? What makes you think your perspective is reliable, especially concerning your record of offenses in Heaven?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death\u201d (Proverbs 14:12). That could easily be you if you are not careful.<\/p>\n
Do you see things from Heaven\u2019s standpoint, or simply from your limited vantage point? The Apostle John saw a vision of what will transpire at the end of time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books\u201d (Revelation 20:11-13).<\/p>\n
These books contain a detailed record of our lives. How many times have you violated God\u2019s perfect standard with your thoughts, words and deeds? Each one of your violations is recorded in Heaven’s books. The evidence against you is actually much stronger than fingerprints, and it will condemn you on Judgment Day.<\/p>\n
That is, unless your name is written in the book of life. You see, the book of life contains the names of those who have accepted the free pardon God offers us. This pardon is available to anyone who will come to the Father through the Son. It is for anyone who will repent of their sins and accept Christ\u2019s sacrifice on the cross as the payment for their sins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. This doesn\u2019t mean it is easy to live the Christian life, but it is certainly easy to be saved, redeemed, justified, born again and forgiven through faith in the Savior. Justification occurs on the front end of your relationship with God. (see Romans 5:1,9 and Galatians 3:16,24).<\/p>\n
And what about those who refuse to place their trust in Jesus?<\/p>\n
John wrote,\u00a0\u201cIf anyone\u2019s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire\u201d (Revelation 20:15).<\/p>\n
\u201cThere you go again Dan. You are trying to frighten me.\u201d Not at all. I am just trying to warn you. There is absolutely no reason to be afraid if you will simply humble yourself before your Creator and accept the payment He made for your sins on the cross. Turn away from your sins and come to the Lord with childlike faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away\u201d (2 Corinthians 3:16).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unless you turn to Jesus and receive Him as your Savior, you will remain spiritually blind and unconcerned about Heaven\u2019s detailed database of offenders. That is, until you enter God\u2019s courtroom on Judgment Day. You will become deeply concerned at that moment I assure you.<\/p>\n
We all have fallen far short of God\u2019s perfect standard. If left to ourselves, we would be lost and condemned to Hell forever. No one wants to be thrown into the lake of fire, but that won\u2019t prevent it from happening to everyone whose name is not in the book of life.<\/p>\n
As an ambassador for the King of Kings, I strongly urge you to forsake conventional wisdom, and rely instead upon God\u2019s wisdom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus\u201d (2 Timothy 3:15).<\/p>\n
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Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church\u00a0in Papillion, Nebraska.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n