Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied. But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to our God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 1 Corinthians 15:1-25 NASB
My Dear Reader:
This morning as I was reading in my Bible, that thought was prominent in my mind. The thought that of all the created beings in this universe, only physical mankind entertains the thought of God not existing.
The greatest wars fought throughout the world really were between those who believed and those who didn't.
In our United States, countless legal battles go on between those who believe and those who do not.
But this battle, in all its array, regardless of where and when, only exists in the physical world.
My Friend, it's only in this world!
In Heaven or in Hell, this unbelief doesn't exist. The attractions of this world are by design to sway opinions away from a Godly life. It's by design because of the nature of Satan's manipulation of our sin nature.
Look at what this war that takes place in the mind is about.
It's you either coming to Christ for salvation or it's you rejecting that salvation.
That's the straight up truth. It's not about your rights or lack thereof.
The battles in the courts would have you believe its about personal liberty or personal rights. The right to force believers to shut up and accept those who do not.
Satan cares not for the lives he has to ruin. He can ruin a life, or at least seek permission to, just because it suits his plans. He cares not about 1 or a million dying. As long as those 1 or a million do not go to Heaven. Each person coming to Christ is a defeat to him.
He will play on emotions. Will stir up emotions of individuals and groups in order to try to serve up a defeat to the Church of Christ Jesus.
You who haven't believed enough to ask Jesus to save you are being played.
You are never going to be overwhelmed or overloaded with doubt about the reality of the God of the Bible. That is a waste of resources on Satan's part. You will be given just enough to keep you from recognizing the truth.
You must choose to take that step towards discovering the truth in Jesus Christ concerning you yourself. Scripture says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
Scripture also says that to each is given a measure of faith. You must choose what to do with it.
In other countries in this very hour people by the hundreds and thousands or even by a few, are being killed because they chose to believe the God of the Bible. In Jesus Christ for salvation. No other reason but that. The real truth is that in an instant they are ushered into the Kingdom of God in Heaven.
In our lifetime we may or may not experience that particular method for leaving this world.
Outside of the physical world every created being knows that the God of this Universe is very real. Beit in Heaven or Hell, everyone knows the truth.
Let not the possibility of how your life might end alter your thoughts on coming to Christ.
Let not what you only think you might "lose" deter you from reaching out of the muck and mire of your life to a living hope in Christ Jesus.
Let not what you fear deter you either. Fear of giving up this or that.
Truth is when you are no longer in this world regardless of Heaven or Hell you gave it all up anyway!
My Friend, the purpose of this blog is to point people to Jesus. In much the same way as Andrew was known to be as a Disciple of Jesus Christ.
Rather that give in to fears or arguments or anything that comes to mind to stop you, ask yourself what is the real reason you fight the truth so much?
Regardless of the reason a person is in Hell, nobody there wants to be there. Every excuse they refused to let go of in saying no to salvation is now a moot point. They chose to reject Christ Jesus for salvation and are now wanting to not be where they are. Some there want a second chance but it's too late. Some there, in their pride and arrogance, rage at Jesus for sentencing them to be there. The reality is those people are there because they too rejected Christ. They died in their sins.
Before you go off into your day today, I would like you to really consider that Jesus loved you enough to take your death sentence from you. If only you would come and be saved. You have to ask. It's not a given. I have attached to this post some simple steps on how to be saved.
I know that the time to say yes to salvation is drawing to a close. Soon God the Father will tell Jesus its time. Soon millions of people will vanish who did come to Christ. If you haven't received the free gift of Salvation, you will still be here during the 7 most horrific years mankind has ever seen. It will appear that Hell had come to Earth. The Judgment of God will be happening.
Please really consider why you doubt, why you fight so hard against the truth.
The truth of that will surprise you.
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