Consider Your Destiny
It is the fate of every person that has ever lived. There is life after death. There are two possible destinies available for all. Our bodies will die someday, but our soul will continue forever. No one can escape the fact that we all have a destiny.
We usually do not consider our destiny until we face death head on. It might be an experience of some sort, or perhaps a close call when you realize that you are lucky to be alive. But we should not wait until such times to consider our destiny. Our soul is too precious to fail to consider our destiny. If we believe the Bible to be the word of God, God tells us in no uncertain terms that we control our destiny when we are alive. Once we are dead, our destiny is sealed forever. Will you find your destiny in heaven or hell?
Sadly, most people will find themselves in hell. The reason is simple. They did not obey God. They did not honor God. They did not worship God. They did not reverence God. They did not love God.
Some may claim that they did, but the truth is that many people serve God the wrong way. They may worship God, but not according to His will. They may pick and choose which commands they will obey, but they will ignore the rest. They may claim to be a believer, but words mean nothing if there is not a life that supports such words. Many people claim to be Christians, but they don't live like it. Jesus said, "if you love me, you will keep my commandments". He also said, "Why call me Lord, Lord, yet do not what I say?". We all know that words are cheap, and often times deceitful. Only those who serve God the way God directs us through the Bible will get to heaven. All others will go to hell. There is no other option.
How often do we consider our destiny? Like I said earlier, most do not even consider their souls destination until the end. Often, there is no time left to get right with God. And despite what man may teach; there is no such thing as a deathbed confession that will allow one to enter heaven.
God's rules are specific. We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for our sins. We must repent of our sins. This includes the sorrow when we realize we have hurt God's feelings and He is not happy with us. Repentance means turning your life around to live for God and Jesus instead of living for our own selfish reasons. We must confess the name of Christ before men. We must declare to the world that we hold Jesus in such high esteem that He has become our Lord, King, and Savior. We must be baptized in water for the remission of sins. Baptism is the only way that the blood of Jesus has the power to remove sins. Sins separate us from God, and baptism is the only way to have our sins washed away. This process of baptism begins our spiritual journey of lifelong faithfulness and duty to God. During our journey we are to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God and His word. We are to learn how to treat others the way God wants us to treat them. We are to share the blessed Gospel with any and all who will listen. We are to pray for our souls so we can be saved. We should pray for our fellow Christians souls and give them the encouragement and love they deserve. And we should pray for the souls of the lost that they may come to the Lord before it is too late.
By Carey Scott

Return to the General Articles page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /