Day 2684 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Matthew 7:14 NIV

Yesterday we discussed this sudden onslaught that Christianity is facing due to the recent changes that our country has made. It's one thing for our faith to not be all that popular because it does involve this responsibility to at least try to live upright and righteously, and that's just not something that all that many care to do. But it's a whole different ball game when the unpopularity turns to full-on hatred and disdain. And unfortunately, that's what we're starting to see as people are no longer holding back their true feelings about this faith that we proclaim and the truth that it's built upon.

As the world continues along its chosen path of foolishness and hatred and evil desires, our faith will grow more unpopular. It only stands to reason that a people who want only to run wild and live recklessly don't want to hear from anyone who professes a faith that goes against that way of life as it may reveal the flaws in the armor that so many are hiding behind. People have to retain this delightful illusion that everything they're doing is okay, and so anyone who dares say otherwise must be silenced, or at the very least, made to look bad.

And so we find ourselves on what may well be the precipice of the final epilogue that we've been forewarned would come at some point. The Bible makes it perfectly clear that this world and the majority of people in it will grow darker as sin continues to flourish and the hearts of many fall away from following Christ. And as we go along down this road we call life with all of these changes unfolding, we're seeing more and more that those warnings are incredibly accurate. As I said, people aren't holding back their true feelings anymore. Many hate our faith, the truth is holds, and the audacity we have in sharing such a message that goes against the wants and wishes of a fallen world.

Yesterday we discussed the fact that the message of the cross is considered foolish to those who are outside of our faith and all too happy to remain there. What I wanted to discuss today is something that goes in hand with that truth. One of the things that I think will surprise us is just how narrow this path becomes. I think we tend to assume that Heaven will be crowded while hell is home to only a few who are the absolute worst of the worst. But we also tend to forget just how seriously God takes sin.

Personally, I always had this assumption that our faith would be something that basically everyone would at some point find their way to believing in and trusting. It's such a beautiful gift and undeserved opportunity. To have our sins forgiven, our souls saved, and the promise of an eternity of peaceful rest in Heaven. But sadly, it seems increasingly clear that our faith isn't going to end up being as widespread as I think many of us thought it would be. The devil is really doing an incredible job of luring people further and further away by convincing them that our faith is foolish and they don't need the limits or responsibility that it demands.

As hard as it may be to consider, what the Bible says is true, and so we shouldn’t be surprised when the vast majority begin to turn on Christianity. The gate will be small and the road will be narrow, and those who find it will be few. Now as messengers carrying such a remarkable hope, we think that everyone we encounter will openly receive the truth of the Gospel and take advantage of the salvation that leads to eternal life. But sadly, sin and wickedness are growing so popular that the balance seems to be swinging the other way, and the whole idea of repentance gets more laughs than a really witty one-liner.

What I'm getting at is something that's even hard to write. But here it is: Few will find eternal life. Few. Growing up, I always envisioned Heaven as somewhat of a glorious reunion where all of our family, all of our friends, nearly everyone we ever knew and everyone we didn't know would end up. Billions of people all rejoicing and enjoying rest from their earthly toil while only a handful of the worst would miss out. But I think that comes from this wishful thinking kind of mindset that also convinces us that we're doing good enough, that there's such a thing as 'little sins', and that our mistakes aren't really that dangerous.

Friends, we have a gross tendency to take things too lightly. I think we try to rationalize things according to how our minds work. And one of the things that I think many of us kind get a little tangled up is the idea of God's love and forgiveness. Make no mistake, He loves us and offers us the opportunity to be forgiven for our mistakes and idiocy. But He is still a just, jealous, and righteous God. And where we tangle it up is in thinking that the loving and kind part overrides the righteous judgement side.

We are expected and commanded to live our lives in full submission to His authority where we seek to grow more like Christ every single day. But how often do we stop short of giving that calling everything we have so that we can still give a little of our time and energy to the things that we like or that we want? For many, faith is still seen as sort of game of horseshoes. Close counts. Trying is all that matters. Just do your best and God will take care of the rest. But seeing faith as something that we can afford to get wrong only causes us to take it far lighter than we should, and in doing so, we take His mercy for granted and live under the assumption that our best is good enough.

It isn't.

My point is that God isn't going to just forget about being the righteous judge that He has to be. And we're fooling ourselves if we honestly think that He's going to let us off the hook simply because He's a nice guy. As much as nobody wants to consider this, hell may very well be more highly populated than Heaven is. Yep, said it. Hell may have more eternal residents than Heaven ends up with because as humans, we tend to assume the best and take things far too lightly. But God doesn't, and He won't, and we have to stop living like He will.

Friends, everyone wants to go to Heaven, but nobody is willing to die to get there. Nobody is willing to give up everything required to see those gates open. Nobody is willing to completely lay down their lives and take up their cross and walk this walk that we've spent so much time talking about. It shouldn't be easy. It shouldn't be comfortable. It shouldn't be popular because it requires letting go of every worldly vice that is popular. Our faith demands a fully surrendered heart, and we simply can't surrender what's being given away to a hundred other things.

The fact of the matter is that we will all stand before God one day, and there we will receive the final verdict of where we spend eternity. If we took our salvation as seriously as God did when He sent Christ, then we'd know we can't make it alone. We can't earn Heaven. And He simply isn’t going to turn a blind eye to our constant choice to ignore Him and forsake His calling to live holy. And sadly, many won't even try because our faith is considered foolish to even those who profess the name of Christ. It's more than just knowing His name, it's about knowing Him and if we don't know Him and live lives that prove that relationship, then nothing else really matters. Without a relationship with Christ as our Lord and Savior, we ain't getting through those gates.

It’s easy to throw on some nice clothes and sit in a pew for an hour. What about the other 167 hours of the week? Those count too!

Many will continue to shirk the idea of righteousness as sin remains far more selfishly enjoyable. Too many people just want to have fun and ignore the consequences, so sin will continue to grow more and more popular. And when we see the rise of sin continue, we have to remember that continuing to live in sin will mean eternal suffering. We don't want that, and we don't want that for anyone else. But still, sin will be judged, and the verdict for those guilty will be death. Christ took that punishment, but we have to let Him take control of our hearts. If we don't, then our debt remains and we'll be the ones paying it.

It may seem like several of these posts are veering toward the hellfire and brimstone, but it's not a game. Few will find it. Not many. Not a bunch. Not most. Not everyone. Few. The world is passing away because of sin, and the majority of people will sadly pass away along with it. We have a chance to be among the few, but it requires living as differently from the world as possible. Time to cut the nonsense, start getting things together, and live as if our faith matters. Heaven isn't just some club where all you need is the secret handshake and password. Heaven is a reward for those who humbly followed Christ forsaking everything else.

We'd better start getting real serious because God has been serious about sin all along, and make no mistake, His righteousness will see every sinner sent to hell. He wants to see everyone come to their senses and repent of their sins so they don’t have to spend eternity suffering. But if there is no punishment, then there is no justice. And if there is no justice, then He isn’t the God He claims to be. And if He’s not the God He claims to be, then our faith means nothing and Christ’s death was meaningless.

Be among the few. Try to bring some others along with you. But do not be surprised when the majority of people refuse to, because sin is just too widespread and enjoyable. And many will never choose to give it up and repent of it. Guess what I'm trying to say is that hell's gonna be crowded, and as sad as that fact is, we all have a choice. We all have a chance. But it requires doing what’s hard and unpopular. It requires going against this world and following the narrow road that leads to eternal life. And honestly, if anyone chooses to ignore God, deny Christ, love sin, and laugh at repentance, should they be rewarded with eternal life?

You want fair? God is fair. But that’s not necessarily the peaceful promise that many try to make it out to be. It should be terrifying!

#LeaveNoSoulUntold