Judgment?  God is about to wrap up history by bringing before Him all who have ever lived for a final accounting at the Last Judgment. It’s only natural to experience a sense of fear when we hear that term. It is indeed a terrifying prospect! Yet for those who have become God’s children, judgment will be the most treasured moment of their lives. The majesty of eternal life awaits God’s chosen ones. What He has in store for His people defies imagination.

Even now we have a chance of glimpsing eternity. A spiritual reality surrounds us—just as real as the physical one we now inhabit. But only those who have been born again into relationship with Jesus can experience it. Those who do not know Christ remain blinded to the presence of this supernatural world. God knows all about this; it has been a part of His plan from the very beginning.

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?

Why do Christians sometimes run to non-biblical sources to gain what they imagine to be profound wisdom? Think about it: the Bible contains a wealth of information regarding God’s nature, the purpose for His creation, and His amazing plan to bring us into conformity with His will—all culminating in sharing His glory with us eternally. Yet for many this doesn’t seem to be enough. So, they pursue wisdom not only from secular sources but also from the teachings of other religions.

Ask this question: How can anything of enduring relevance be gained from those who believe in many gods—or even those who believe that there is only one God, yet reject Christ’s divinity? The answer clear: NOTHING! At best these philosophies and belief systems result merely in human wisdom, and at worst demonic deception. Get to know your Bible intimately, and the urge to seek further enlightenment will disappear.

“Wisdom shouts in the street…Turn to me and I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” so says the book of Proverbs. It is God shouting this message. Just imagine it—the Creator of all things calling you, calling, not as a whisper, but as a roar! And He continues to cry out today. Yet because He does not threaten immediate judgment on those who spurn Him, God’s call goes largely ignored, drowned out by the clamor of self-centeredness.

              But He delivers a clear warning: “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand no one paid attention,” you will be ignored “when distress and anguish come upon you.” God promises blessing for those who respond to Him, and judgment for those who refuse. Which will be your heritage? Choose wisely; choose life—eternal life in Jesus our Lord!

Ask yourself: “Why do I believe what I believe?“ Belief is basic to the nature of man; it is the most powerful of all human drives. Because this is so, philosophy has flourished down through history—the early Greeks being a prime example. Philosophy has always been spurred by the question of the nature of life. So, the question keeps arising: “What is truth?” just as Pilate asked Jesus while examining Him.

Truth is simply reality—things the way they really are, not as we wished they were. Be careful! Many of man’s misguided ideas have infiltrated Christ’s Church itself. Absolute truth is derived from God’s revelation, because only He knows how things truly are. And what God has revealed is unquestionably found most prominently in the Bible. Get to know your Bible intimately and you will find His truth deeply rooted as the foundation of the eternal life Jesus promised.

Jesus wants each and every one of us for His very own. But He wants us to want Him. That’s His plan in a nutshell. And God has provided everything we need to step right into our place as His treasured sons and daughters. The Apostle Peter said it well: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:2-3)

We merely need to obey what He has revealed to us. All we have to do is say “yes” to Him. Here’s how: Acknowledge the sin that has separated you from God; turn away from it; surrender control of your life to God; invite Jesus Christ into your heart as your Savior and Lord. It’s that simple!

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?

God’s Book of Life contains a record of all who truly belong to Him. At the Last Judgment, all whose names are not found written in it will be thrown into a lake of fire, which, of course, results in eternal separation from God. Failure to take advantage of Christ’s offer of salvation will be the supreme regret of a person’s life.

Just think about the unbearable sorrow people will feel as they see the promise of union with God slipping away before their very eyes—the chance to share His life in a place where time ceases to exist, eternity, lost forever. And then it’s too late to make amends. Now is the time for that! Our greatest fear should not merely be the prospect of going to hell, but that of missing the purpose for which we were created in the first place. What greater anguish could there ever be!

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?

The reality of human suffering strikes at the very heart of God’s intention for His creation. God is not unjust; He’s merely fulfilling His purpose with the ultimate goal of eternal life in mind. So, does God want us to be miserable during our lives here on earth? Not at all! He wants us to be happy, just not at the expense of what we’ve truly been designed for.

For God, happiness is defined as joy. We sometimes experience true joy—that delightful inner feeling springing up through our emotions. Yet for most people it’s rare, because joy is rooted in peace. And peace is what’s missing when relationship with God is lacking. Jesus said it best: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart troubled nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?

From the very beginning God planned to send His Son, Jesus, to reconcile sinful people to Himself. His purpose involved Jesus’ own suffering on an inconceivable scale, culminating in His death on a Roman cross. We can’t begin to imagine the pain and humiliation He suffered on our part. No one in history has suffered more intensely. Laying aside His privileged position to share our humanity, Jesus paid the ultimate price for us all.

Jesus knows and understands each one of us for who we truly are. All our weaknesses, along with all the temptations natural to the human condition, are no surprise to Him. By personally taking part in human suffering, He has provided us the supreme remedy. As the Bible says, “We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?

We are all destined to suffer in this life; it’s unavoidable. But why do some have to suffer so much more than others? One answer may be that suffering is not necessarily an evil in God’s eyes. He uses suffering to draw to Himself those who are seeking truth. Security, prosperity and the pursuit of pleasure frequently do just the opposite. People who have everything they could ever want often are miserable to the point of burying themselves under destructive obsessions in their attempt to escape reality.

Even more to the point, the horrific level of suffering found in this world is not God’s doing at all. People bring most of it on themselves, since rejection of God’s purpose sets the stage for evil to flourish. As evil people gain control over the lives of others, evil is unleashed on an unbelievable scale. It can always be traced back to sin.

From: The Path through the Maze—Answering Life’s Ultimate Question: What Happens After We Die?