Consequences for Denying The Truth

Consequences for Denying The Truth 

by David Brenneman 

My Dear Reader:  

Know this truth about life:  Eternity matters.  Where you spend it matters. What choice you make in this here this now matters concerning the truth about sin and your need for a Savior who is Christ Jesus.  

Scripture is clear that by under no other name given among men must we be saved.  Only by the name of Jesus Christ. 

If anyone saw the ramifications of a single sin served up in the moment of it, it would only maybe change how they view it.  

Only maybe?  Most people are very stubborn towards what God says about sin.  Most don't want to believe it's that bad or want to believe there's anything bad at all.  There's this lie that Satan's perpetuated that you can do a bunch of good things to cover your sin. That's not of God.  

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, enjoying himself in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed from the scraps which fell from the rich man’s table; not only that, the dogs also were coming and licking his sores. Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s arms; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he raised his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his arms. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set, so that those who want to go over from here to you will not be able, nor will any people cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I request of you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not come to this place of torment as well.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31 NASB95 

John 12:37 NASB95 "But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him."

The passage from John was part of my reading this morning and only today had I understood why the people there couldn't understand the words spoken by the Father to Jesus but the writer of the book of John.  Further proof they weren't His sheep.  At least not yet. 

Many believe they have the right to be arrogant towards a Holy God.  Millions and millions are in Hell because they arrogantly believe they could stand on their own against what God said about sin. And now they joined that rich man in Hell.  

That rich man in Hell as described by Jesus is a real man.  Lazarus that he describes is a real man.  A different Lazarus than the one Jesus raised from the dead.  But real nonetheless. 

Jesus wasn't playing a game of what if.

Jesus was describing a very real event that actually happened. 

Sin has consequences. The ultimate is when a person dies without having salvation in Christ Jesus.  Without salvation in Christ Jesus alone a person goes to Hell because they have ultimately rejected Jesus.  

People are in Hell, millions arriving every day, not because God sent them there, but because they chose to refuse salvation available only through Jesus Christ. 

My Friend if you too refuse to come to Christ to be saved you too will find yourself in the same predicament as the rich man.  You indeed may cry out for someone to come back here to warn others about the horrific consequences of sin.  

But ever since Jesus died and arose from the grave, Abraham and all who were awaiting Jesus's arrival left.  The paradise they were in was destroyed.  The Bible says He lead captive a host of captives.  He removed them from there and took them with Him to Heaven.  

Satan is the Liar and the father of lies as Jesus describes him.  He's the great deceiver.  His aim is to establish his rule in the universe. He was defeated at the cross of Jesus Christ.  All that remains is the fulfillment of the Word of God.  To give each an every person will be born a chance to turn to the living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Scripture is being fulfilled and it will be completely fulfilled as history unfolds. 

Jesus IS coming again. Satan knows not when and he cannot stop it.  

Jesus came to die for the sins of mankind.  He came to save you and I and countless others.  But you must choose. You must decide to come to Christ to be saved. 

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13 NASB