Embracing Your Calling with Enthusiasm: When Love Calls Your Name (Part 1 of 3)  

Monday, September 27, 2010

“The safest road to hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” C. S. Lewis

I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was the day Love called my name. I was on the road to nowhere and completely unaware. The date was June 10, 1994. My parents, a few friends, and I went to a Billy Graham Crusade that was an event that was advertised by my church at the time. It was held at the old Cleveland Stadium(which has since been replaced by Cleveland Browns Stadium). I don’t recall what I expected from the event, but I certainty wasn’t expecting my entire life to change that day….but it did. As Billy Graham spoke I began to feel something I have never so strongly felt before–guilt, shame, and conviction. I knew I was a sinner and the Jesus I had learned about in church….was real.  I knew I needed forgiveness and that my only hope of heaven was this man who died on the cross for my sins. Doubt never entered into my mind, yet I was hesitant. This was such a huge commitment; was I willing to completely give up my right to rule my life? As people began pouring towards the front of the stadium it was then that I heard the call and I decided to answer. Was it out of fear? Perhaps to some degree. But I knew that this was real and I needed a Savior.

Early on I struggled with my new identity and faith in Christ. I questioned whether I was really saved. What if I messed up? Would God still accept me? Then I hit a critical point where I nearly lost my faith completely during my early teenage years. I wanted nothing to do with God or church for that matter and started to pick up some bad habits. Then I went to a church retreat in mid August of 1998 and again came face to face with Love.  This time the call hit me like a tidal wave and sent me in a comatose state. I was so overwhelmed with the need to recommit my life to Christ, be baptized, and start over that I was frozen with fear. After spending a few hours alone with God at the end of the retreat I knew that I couldn’t deny this unmistakable call anymore. I talked it over with my youth pastor, Lance, and decided to get baptized at my new church, Northside. Then on September 13, 1998 I was baptized and drastically was life was altered–everything changed–my attitude towards life, how I viewed the world, my habits, my relationships–I was a brand new person.  My eternal destiny changed forever…

Have you heard the call of Love and answered? There are many doubts, fears, and uncertainty when Love calls your name. You may ask: Is Christianity real? Is Jesus Christ the only way to God? Can’t I just earn my way to heaven? Doesn’t everyone go to heaven? This is not a decision to be taken likely, but at the same time it is the most critical choice you’re ever make. When it all comes down to the end of your life nothing else matters but this one single choice. It doesn’t matter how much money you made, the possessions who had, what you accomplished, the good deeds you did, how often you went to church–the choice to follow Christ is what it all comes down to. Why this is the case and how did we get here? Let’s first look at why heaven is not our default location when we die and the nature of sin.

According to a recent survey done for every American who believers he’s going to hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to heaven. This is in direct conflict with the reality of the situation as Christ stated in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Why is this so? Because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Sin is what separates us from a relationship with God; God is so holy He cannot allow sin to enter into His presence. Thus Heaven is not our default destination. Unless we find a solution to this haunting reality than we are on the default road to hell. This is not what we want to hear and there are many who choose to turn the other way and ignore the reality. The great assumption is that God loves us and He couldn’t possibly send us to hell. The truth of the matter is He doesn’t send anyone to hell, we make the decision ourselves when we reject His call for our lives.  Why do we fail to realize our need for a Savior? It’s because we fail to recognize the true nature of sin–and its consequences.

“Are you saved?” To non-believers this statement is perplexing and puzzling. “Saved from what?” they ask? Most associate being saved from a life or death situation such as being rescued from a burning building or from drowning. Since most people don’t see themselves in imminent danger, they think that they’re “okay.”  The gospel is turned down because it doesn’t seem to apply; we’ve got everything under control and aren’t in need of help. The problem is that no one is “okay” and no one is exempt for the impact of sin. It is the human condition that all humanity shares.

Sin is used pretty half-heartily in today’s society. It’s seen as fun, engaging, adventurous, cool, and irresistible. But this doesn’t change the reality of the true nature of sin. The word “sin” means to mis-aim or miss the mark. When we sin, we literally miss the mark and that mark is God Himself. All sin is against Him no matter who is affected by it.  Guilt and shame are wired into our conscience reminding us that we are made in the image of God. Why does God hate sin? The serious nature of sin goes beyond rule breaking. It literally offends every quality of God and is in direct contradiction to Him. Sin defies each and every moral perfection of God. God cannot under any circumstances have a relationship with sin or tolerate it as 1 John 1:5 says: “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” Sin also destroyed humanity. When Adam disobeyed God in the garden of Eden the curse began and the result of this curse is still felt today. Crying, toil from work, pain from child-bearing, murder, wars, and death all started from the result of the curse of sin(Genesis 3).

Sin is as natural as breathing when the curse is upon us. We often don’t view a little white lie, cheating on a test, or stealing a candy bar as a big deal. Most of the time we’re completely unaware that we even committed a sin. “But I’m not a sinner!”, you may counter. …”I’m a good person–I’ve never murdered, committed adultery, and I occasionally go to church.” To God all sin is the same. Sure some may have more consequences either now or in the future, but in the end the result is the same:“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands,  no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12) When you lie, that makes you a liar. When you lust, that makes you an adulterer. (Matthew 5:28) When you think a angry, bitter thought towards someone, that makes you a murderer. (Matthew 5:21-22)

From a spiritual standpoint all sin’s penalty is the same–death; regardless of the details. In the Garden of Eden, when God told Adam the consequences of sin He said–”You shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17)  And that death ultimately ends in hell. Hell is reality. It is not an invention to scare people into joining the Christian faith. Hell is blatantly Biblical and to deny it would be to state that everything in the Bible is false. Jesus spoke on hell more than anyone else in the Bible. He described it in graphic detail–with terms such as “darkness”, “lake of fire“, and where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:12) Also hell is eternal just like heaven–it will be consciously experienced forever.(Matthew 25:46) Just because the facts are ugly and disturbing does not make them false. If I had a choice, I would certainly not believe in hell. But to deny hell would be to deny Christ. It is the reason Love came, so that we wouldn’t have to face this nightmarish reality.

Before we look at the good news of the hope we have in Jesus Christ, let’s address why hell is necessary in the first place. Why does hell need to exist?  Hell was never meant for the human race. According to Jesus it was “prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) Hell is both necessary and just. It imprisons and punishes the devil forever providing deliverance from the rest of creation from his damaging presence. But something went terribly wrong as man decided to follow Satan and sin entered into him. A sinner’s behavior is to copy that of Satan’s. The evil urges, drives, and passions come from the sin in our flesh and that is in direct link to Satan. The sinner then is linked to him and suffers the same fate as Satan. As long as people are joined with Satan, then by default, they are part of the problem of creation. If they entered Heaven they would be bored and unhappy because they would miss the worldly pleasures and sinful delights.

The objections “How about infants that die?” “What about people that never heard of the gospel?” or “What about the mentally handicapped?” are sure to arise. These questions seem to indicate that we suspect God is not capable of fair judgment. God never punishes anyone in error or excess. Hell is the place where justice will at long last be served. It provides an answer to the dilemma of unfilled justice throughout history. As C. S. Lewis most promptly put it: “There are two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God ‘Thy will be done’ , and to those to whom God says, in the end ‘Thy will be done.’” The question is now: Which group do you fall into? The good news is that there is hope of salvation no matter how far you’ve messed up, fallen, letdown yourself and others–there is no sin to great for God to forgive. Want the good news? Keep reading and continue on to Part 2 of Created for the Call of Christ.

Sources: John Meyer, Solid, Gospel Outfitters: Worthington, OH, 2005.

Randy Alcorn, Heaven, Zondervan: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004.