No one can stop us

  No one can stop us

The criminal crucified with Jesus is recorded as saying, 

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”

                                                                                                Luke 23:42,43

The following is a an inscription found on the linen wrappings of the Egyptian Mummy Thothmes II 1493-1479 B.C.

“Hail to thee, O my father Osiris, I have come and I have embalmed this my flesh so that my body may not decay.”

For thousands of years mankind has believed in an afterlife and a God or gods. Today if surveys are correct the majority of people around the world still believe in an afterlife.

The Egyptians created great pyramids for their kings laying in them vast amounts of grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife.

About four thousand seven hundred years ago the Bronze age Beaker people buried their dead in the crouched position accompanied by grave goods that included food and drinking vessels and body ornamentation and even weapons.

In middle Iron age Britain some bodies were even laid along side carts to speed them into the afterlife. 

We all must die as Seneca the Younger said in 65A.D.

“Anyone can stop a man’s life, but no one his death: a thousand doors open onto it.”

The question is where will we spend eternity. I as a Christian do not believe we can live a life good enough to stand before a holy God.

Isaiah said,

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”   Isaiah 64:6

I believe God knew this that is why he reached down to us through his one and only Son Jesus Christ.

I believe Jesus when he said,

 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

I don’t think God cares too much about our way of life, or whether we are a pauper, prince or king.

I believe God only care for us as individuals. The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians states,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

Ephesians 2:8,9.

At the beginning of this article I quoted a conversation recorded in the book of Luke between one of the criminals crucified with Jesus and Jesus. He said

““We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:41-43

That man did what I as a Christian believe all men must do. He recognized that Jesus was innocent of what he was being crucified for and that he was the Son of God. He then confessed his sins to Christ, who forgave those sins.

Jesus making it clear saying “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

At this point Jesus was either lying or telling the truth. 

If he is telling the truth and I believe he is. Then he must be the one and only Son of God. For only God can forgive sin.

If he is telling the truth then what the John states,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

 And what I have quoted from John 14:6 is true,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   John 14:6

No other faith in the world makes that claim. No other founder of any faith in the world makes that claim.

Therefore it comes down to the individual. Do you believe the claims of Jesus or not.

Think about it.

Faith and You

Faith and you
Blaise Pascal wrote,
Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal
The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                               Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

                                                             Hebrews 11:6.

An individual has a lifetime to decide whether they believe in God or not. They have a lifetime to determine if what Jesus and his disciples believed and taught is right.
Sadly a lot of people for a myriad of reasons don’t care about what comes after this life. They see only what is in this physical world. The hear and now.  Faith God, it seems is beyond their comprehension.
Still I believe everyone at some point in their life needs to ask themselves a series of questions.
Dose life have any meaning?
What happens after this life?
Is this life all there is?
When we die do we simply pass into oblivion?
Does God exist?
Is there a Heaven and Hell?
I as a Christian believe there is life beyond the grave. I believe God exists. I believe what we do in this life will determine where we will spend eternity.
I believe that our faith in God and the salvation he offers through Jesus Christ is available to all who would call on His name. I believe Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh.
I believe what the apostle John a man who knew Jesus personally wrote about Jesus,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.....  
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4, 10-14
The choice however is up to you the reader. Do you believe in God? Do you believe Jesus is the Saviour of mankind?
Please think about it.