In the Twinkling of an Eye

1 Corinthians 15:52-"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Last night, I texted my best friend at maybe a quarter after nine. She responded around nine thirty, and said that she would be able to talk in about thirty minutes. So, I waited, and waited, and waited. I never got a response back, and I figured that she was busy, so around eleven, I went to bed.

This morning, I woke up with a text from eleven thirty last night, saying that she had been in a bad wreck the night before. My mind absolutely panicked. She said that the car flipped several times, and it could have easily been the end of her life. Though, she walked out of the wreck only having minor scratches and cuts. 

I told this story to show how quickly life can be taken away from us. I texted my friend, and in just a short time period between when she texted me next, her life was almost ended. We have no guarantee of the next second to come. Before we take our next breath, we can be in eternity. Let's really think about that. Let's ask ourselves where we would be if we died in the next few seconds.

My dad preached a funeral for a very Godly man that went to our church today. He was very blessed to live a total of ninety six years, which is obviously super uncommon. The majority of the man's family does not attend church, and doesn't profess to have Jesus in their hearts. As I looked around at all the faces of family members, it scared me. It scared me because any of them could die at any moment, and open their eyes to Hell. They aren't necessarily bad people, but being good won't do anything for them when they enter eternity. All that matters is if they have received Jesus as their savior, and I hate to see lives spent on this Earth for sixty, seventy years, to never realize this, and end up in Hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:7- “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

We are all going to die one day; God says this. We will all return to the earth one day, our grave. It may be ten years, and it may be ten minutes away, but we will die. The most important question that we can ask ourselves right now is simply, "Am I saved?" Three simple words, but so much meaning. No matter what we have done on this Earth, the only thing that matters when it comes to death is if we're saved. If we are saved, we have everything, but if we're not, our life has been in vain.

I didn't write this blog to scare anyone, but to give them the warning that they need to hear. I don't want to see anyone die and go to Hell, but that is where the people that reject God is going to go, and once there, they have no chance of ever escaping. I plea with you to just simply take time out of your day to make sure that you are happy with the place that you would spend eternity if you were to die this very second. Don't go another second, without knowing that you would be satisfied with your end. Remember that God loves you, send His only son to die for you, and He wants to see you in Heaven one day. The things that you will have to give up on this Earth for God is nothing compared to what you will gain in Heaven, if you will accept Jesus into your heart. 

The Errors of Predestination

Predestination is simply the belief that before we are even born, it has already been foretold if we will be saved or not. Predestination guides those that are destined to be saved unto the Lord, while those that are not destined to be saved, has a lessened chance of coming to repentance.  

Revelation 3:20 - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 

In this verse, God does not say those that are predestined to be saved can call unto God, and He will answer. God says that ANY man that would call upon him will be saved. 

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Once again, God doesn't say that some should come to repentance, but ALL. 

God does not point out any specific people to be saved. Salvation is not some kind of exclusive club; it is for anyone that is willing to repent and live for Him. 

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 

In this verse, God says that we are saved by faith, a personal belief in our heart, which we have the opportunity to believe, because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 

If we were predestined to a specific eternity, did Jesus die on the cross with only a certain amount of people on his mind? Did God tell Jesus to go save this and that person, but leave the others alone to a life of sin? No, of course not. Jesus loves all, and doesn't want anyone to die lost. He died on the cross, knowing that anyone who was willing could come to salvation, and live in Heaven with Him one day. 

The Bible does not support the belief of predestination. It speaks of a savior that died so that anyone could be saved if willing to repent. In the Bible, God speaks about people that commit their life to Him, not because they were chosen to, but because they believed. God supports a life that is devoted to Him, and trusts in Him for a joyous eternity. God doesn't choose who is saved, we do, and I hope that everyone will be willing to choose God.