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Alyson's avatar

Scott, today’s post is spot on.

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Bruce Trussell's avatar

" And anyone not found written in the Book of Life ' was cast into the lake of fire."(Revelation 20:14b).

So your premise restated should be, based on God's Word, ' Rejection of Christ results in removing your name from the Book of Life'.

Salvation, which is why Christ voluntarily went to the cross, is to save the human race from the penalty of sin(GOOD NEWS). The penalty of sin is eternal separation from a holy, righteous God. God is Sovereign. He is the Creator. He sets the standards which are absolute. They are not open to our own interpretation from sources outside of His revelation to mankind, contained in the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible is HisStory of redemption centered around the Person & Work of Jesus Christ., His Son.

Hell, the lake of fire, Hades, eternal damnation, etc. are described by God to inform the human race of our destiny, i.e. we are born physically alive but spiritually dead, separated from God because of inherent sin passed down from Adam's original sin

(BAD NEWS), apart from accepting , by faith, that Jesus, co-equal and co-eternal with God took our sins and paid for them, i.e., Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we had a debt we could never pay.(GOOD NEWS

'" For God so loved the world(sinners) that He gave His only (uniquely born) begotten Son, that whoever believes(volition, faith) in Him should not perish but have everlasting(eternal, His life) life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world ,but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God"(John 3:16-18).

Eternal separation from God is a warning to every member of the human race; from Adam to the last human born in human history. God the Father loves us so much that He commissioned His own Son to remove the sin barrier between us and Him by sacrificing Himself in payment for our sin debt. Christ died, was buried, and was resurrected on the third day. He defeated sin , hell, the grave, and Satan by His efficacious work on the cross. Sin is no longer the issue; Christ paid the debt owed for our sins. The issue is, 'Will you accept what Jesus did for you and accept His offer of the free gift of eternal life'? Volition is the issue. Every member of the human race that has the capacity to choose for or against Christ, their eternal destiny is their choice. God has provided .the solution to the sin problem. God sends no-one to hell, the lake of fire, or being eternally separated from Him without them having been given a choice. God is perfect justice and totally fair. " He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."(John 3:36). If we put faith alone, in Christ alone; trusting in Him and His finished work on the cross; trusting in nothing else but Him, He gives us His life which is eternal life and His righteousness which cleanses us to be acceptable before a holy, righteous, and perfect God, to live forever in eternity with Him. " Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy He has saved us"(Titus 3:5). " For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast"(Ephesians 2:8,9). The choice is ours, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved"(Acts 16:31); and your name will be written in the Book of Life forever. Volition is the ISSUE!

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