Heavenly ID

In the last book of the Bible we read at least four descriptions of those who will be in heaven. My dear reader, are these true of you?

The first of several songs of praise to be found in this same book commences with the words, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” Revelation 1.5. It is evident that those who will populate heaven, have been cleansed from the defilement of sin. The unsullied purity and holiness of that celestial abode can never be contaminated by the loathsome defilement of sin; “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie …” Revelation 21.27. If you compare yourself with others, you may never be persuaded about your unclean state but when you stand in the fullest, purest, clearest light of the holiness of God Who “is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” 1John 1.5, you will understand your unfitness to be where God dwells. God’s verdict is final and non-negotiable, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3.23.

Have you been cleansed? If not, then why not avail yourself of the cleansing power of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, which cleanseth from all sin, 1John 1.7.

Another great song, described as “a new song” is heard in heaven in Revelation chapter 5. Among the words of praise ascribed to the Lamb are these, “For Thou wast slain, And hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood …” Revelation 5.9. Another characteristic of those who will be in heaven is that they have been redeemed from the bondage of sin. Redemption suggests deliverance because of a price that has been paid. One of the greatest causes of joy in the heart of a believer is the knowledge that we have been delivered from the power of sin presently and from its penalty forever. The Son of God willingly took our place upon the cross and sustained the full punishment that was due to our sins. “Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free; For God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.” Dear Reader, have you that assurance that you will never be in hell because you have trusted Him Who “…bare our sins in His own body on the tree” 1Peter 2.24. If not, then hell is inescapable!

Revelation 21.24 further describes the inhabitants of heaven as “them which are saved”. They have been rescued from the very real consequences of their sins. They were not able to accomplish this by their own efforts; they could not purchase this salvation at any price; it could never be merited but it can be received. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6.23. It is the product of the atoning sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ and can only be obtained by faith in Him, Acts 4.12.

Finally, the closing words of Revelation chapter 21 emphasise that those who will be in heaven, “…are written in the Lamb’s book of life”. By wondrous grace their names are in God’s great register, inscribed there the moment they trusted Christ and never to be obliterated from those pages. Is your name there, my friend? That is all important for “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20.15.

Do you fit the picture? God has graphically described those who will share His home forever. If these descriptions are not true of you, why not, just now, trust Christ, the only Saviour of sinners and start for heaven, assured that you will be there eternally.

Written by  a Guest Blogger (Assembly Testimony 2010) for FTMP

For more information or to get in contact visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Was Jesus just a mythical figure?

Jesus said - "Love your neighbour". BUT was Jesus even a real 

man. Once in a while someone decides to prove that Jesus is just a 

religious myth! What do YOU think? Was the story of Jesus 

developed to create a religion or to control people? I am not so

sure! Listen and let me know where you think the evidence points. 

https://soundcloud.com/seekthetruthpodcast/seek-the-truth-bible-media-podcasts-is-the-evidence-for-jesus-reliable?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=email

My latest purchase - The Book of Books by Melvyn Bragg

I am working in Bracknell for a week and happened to pop into Waterstones for a browse! I just happened to! Well to be honest I can’t resist popping into bookshops especially if they do a good decaffeinated latte.

I hear the coffee connoisseurs breathing in deeply at the insult. Coffee’s not coffee unless it’s really coffee I hear them say!

Anyway back to my real reason for writing. I was browsing through the clearance shelves and spotted this book – The Book of Books by Melvyn Bragg. It was only £3 and on a topic that I couldn’t resist. The main thesis of the book is this (in Melvyn Bragg’s own words) – ‘but whoever you are in the English-speaking world, I hope to persuade you to consider that the King James Bible has driven the making of that world over the last 400 years, often in most unanticipated ways’.

Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God and that it is able to make people ‘wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus’.
The impact that the King James Bible has had on the world is immense. Politically, socially and culturally it’s influence is well beyond what most people imagine. My question, however, to my readers is this – has the bible had an impact on your life? The objective of the bible was not essentially to change the political landscape or remould the morals of nations but to bring mankind to God. To do this the Bible makes us aware of God’s creatorial rights, of His standards of morality and our inability to reach them. It teaches the abject failure of humanly designed religion to produce salvation and that the work of salvation which was accomplished by the incarnation (the coming of the Son of God from heaven to earth at Bethlehem), Jesus’ perfect life, His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection.

God’s offer is that of redemption (to clear the debt God says you owe Him), to cleanse from sin and to save from coming judgment. To benefit from this offer we need to acknowledge our need and guilt, to confess our sins before God (there is a direct line of communications to God that opens when we pray) and to rest entirely on Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Any reliance on our character or behaviour indicates that we do not really feel we need Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour but that we feel that we can achieve acceptance with God on our own terms. This is plainly untrue if we believe what God has revealed about this matter in the Bible. ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’, John 3:16.

All you need to know is in the Bible – ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God’, Romans 10:17