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DON’T COME
SHORT
Most everyone in America knows that the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle
Seahawks 28-24 in the Super Bowl on Sunday. It was the most watched event in
TV history! With about 20 seconds left in the game, the Seahawks came one yard
short of winning the world championship when unheralded rookie free agent Malcom
Butler made a spectacular interception at the goal line to seal the deal for
the Patriots.
If you consider that heartbreaking, how about your journey in life? The Hebrew
writer had warned Christians not to follow the disobedient example of the Israelites
who did not go into the promised land and died in the wilderness because of
their unbelief (Heb. 3:17-19). Then he said, “Therefore, let us
fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you seem
to have come short of it” (Heb. 4:1). The Seahawks came so close,
but they lost and it’s too late to change the play to run Marshawn Lynch
into the end zone as most people expected to happen and are still upset about
it even today. But it’s still just a game.
In real life, you need to fear because even though there is the promise of entering
His rest, you can come short of going to the promised land of heaven through
Jesus Christ (John 14:2-3, 6). You only have one life to live since the judgment
will come after your death (Heb. 9:27). There are no second chances after death.
After you die, you can’t change the deeds that you have done and if you
have sin on your soul it will go before the Lord in judgment (1 Tim. 5:24).
No sin will enter into heaven (Rev. 21:27) and those who die in their sins will
suffer in hell for all of eternity (Mark 9:43-48). People need to fear God because
He is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28).
We are all guilty of sin, but by God’s grace Jesus tasted death for everyone
and paid the penalty for their sins through His precious blood so that you can
be saved from the wrath to come (Rom. 3:23; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 1:18). Jesus is
only the author of eternal life to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9) not just to those
who have faith only- even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:20).
The Lord has given commands as to what to do to be saved:
You must hear the gospel (Jesus died, buried, and rose again)- (Rom. 10:17)
You must believe that Jesus is the Son of God & confess it before men (John
8:24; Acts 8:37)
You must repent of your sins (Acts 2:38; 17:30)
You must be baptized in water in order to be forgiven of your sins (John 3:5;
Acts 8:38)
You must be faithful to the Lord until death (Rev. 2:10)
As a Christian, realize that you can drift away from God’s Word so that
you neglect so great a salvation in Jesus Christ and come short of eternal life
also (Heb. 2:1-3; 4:1). If you think that the word of God is dull & boring
(Heb. 5:11); if you are not holding fast to the confession of your faith until
the end (Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:23); if you are forsaking worshiping the Lord with
the saints (Heb. 10:25); you need to repent of your sins and get back to worshiping
God faithfully and being holy once again. If you ignore the admonitions of the
Scripture so that you sin willfully against the Lord, there is no more sacrifice
for sin and only a terrifying expectation of judgment (Heb. 10:26-31).
You can run and endure the race to the goal line by fixing your eyes on Jesus,
who finished the race and has sat down at God’s right hand. If you are
growing weary and losing heart, think about how much He endured with joy so
that you might be saved (Heb. 12:2-3). You can have eternal life through Christ
and have no regrets! Will you press on towards the goal of heaven or will you
fall short of the goal line like the Seahawks did and lose your soul (Phil.
3:13-14)? Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be too late. Decide to
make your life right with the Lord by obeying the gospel or being restored!
by Steve Locklair
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