What's the Big Deal?

I don't understand people who reject God. I don't know if it's because they haven't thought it through, don't care, or what. It makes no sense whatsoever to me.

First of all, let's just get this out of the way: everyone knows there is a God.

Atheists won't admit it and Agnostics (who say God has created the world and then maintained a hands-off policy as though the world was merely a top He observes while it spins) have wimped out, but both groups know there is a God, or else they wouldn't have a thing to say about it (and you know how much noise Atheists are making these days about anything related to Him). So, the issue of His existence is a non-issue, right out of the gate.

The things people say to avoid God are amazing and leave me puzzled. "Being a Christian will make me uncool." "I'll do business with God when I'm on my deathbed." "I want to do things my way." On and on it goes...but they're just excuses, and none of them are true!

Picture this: a skinny little kid of about 12 or 13, watching a Christian TV program for the first time. That skinny kid was me. There I sat, on the floor in front of the TV, and I heard the person speaking say that salvation...the way to avoid Hell and to go to Heaven when you die...is free. Well, to my little mind, that meant that I could have that without having to pay for anything. I had no money to speak of and although I would have loved it, I had no credit card, so all of that for free sounded like a sweet deal to me! I accepted.

And it was. It is. It will be.

After all, Hell was never made for you or me. (Don't believe me? It's in the Bible. God's book. He's watched over all of the translations since someone decided to start translating it and it's never lost its meaning. Not once. When you write something important, you keep an eye on it!) Here's proof: at the end of time, Jesus is going to separate those who have accepted His free gift of salvation and those who haven't. They'll literally be on His right or His left. (Hint: you wanna be on the right!)

"Then he will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41 NIV

Not prepared for us. Never meant for us.

And it's going to break His heart.

He doesn't want anyone to go there, but being the gentleman He is, He gives us the choice.

Why do so many reject such an amazing, undeserved gift? I believe that some think that the material items of this world they see as they pass through it are worth everything, but they're only temporary. Like fool's gold, they look very good, but are worthless. Nothing will drive that point home better than seeing a loved one die, then walking through their house. All of their things are still there, but they are not.

Others believe the lies the devil whispers about being uncool, etc. Lemme tell ya, there is NOTHING more uncool than going to Hell when you didn't have to, and since tomorrow isn't guaranteed, you have no idea what your death situation will be. You could be run over by a bus (God forbid!). You could be in a coma. Evangelists like Billy Graham who encourage you to accept the gift now, do so for a very good reason.

So how did this gift become available, anyway? Here's where that John 3:16 sign you've seen so often at football games comes into play (you knew it was good for something, right?):

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him [the son] shall not perish, but have everlasting life [in Heaven].

The Bible states that the payment for sin [doing bad things like lying, stealing, cheating, thinking bad thoughts, etc.] is death. That's how bad sin is for us, and in general. I'd love to be able to say I don't fall into this category, but everyone has sinned, and continues to sin (even when they don't realize it).

Jesus is God's Son, so he is the only one who didn't sin, therefore he is the only one who qualifies to take your punishment and mine for our sin - to pay our debt. He's also the only one that death couldn't hold, because he didn't qualify for death. Remember, death is the payment for sin. It's what you get if you sin, which Jesus never did.

It's as if you got a major traffic ticket and went to court. Ever been there? Don't answer that. The judge says, "You're guilty of speeding. Do you have money to pay the huge fine?" You pull out your wallet, and realize that you're broke. Your heart races, and you break out into a cold sweat, realizing that you will have to go to jail. Just then, someone enters the courtroom and announces that He's going to pay your fine. He's a guy you've seen around town but you don't really know him, and could never have done anything to earn this, but it's what gets you out of debt and jail. The judge takes a large red ink stamp and marks your case "Paid In Full". How cool is that?

God has made a way for our case to be Paid In Full. That's what the big deal is, and what a great deal it is! Don't miss it!