And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt. then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:2-3
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30
Contemplate this: are we the wise or the shameful? Will we go into everlasting life or everlasting contempt? How can we know now?
Are we leading people to righteousness, telling people about the saving grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ? That’s being wise.
Are we saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who died on the cross? Who bore our sins upon Himself? That’s being wise.
What is wisdom? Listening to and Obeying the Word of God with joy and a merry heart. Not with anger, nor accusative words, but with Love, with Patience, with Mercy. We are to treat one another with Grace and with Peace that passes understanding in this world.
We must ask ourselves, “Am I being wise?”. Am I honoring God with my words and my works? Am I telling people about my Jesus, testifying what He has done for me? Am I a fruitful servant? Am I even saved in this manner, by the blood of Jesus Christ? And if I am not, how can I know that I am?
Romans 10:8-10
8. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
9. that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.
Some live on the false hope, false belief that sin is not real and salvation is not necessary. This is foolishness and definitely not wisdom. Wisdom comes from God. True morality and knowing right from wrong is having the wisdom of God.
Romans 3:22-23
22. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:10, 18
10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.
18. “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Romans 6:23
23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:8
8. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:13
13. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And that’s how you can know you are saved, that’s how you can know now whether or not you are being wise or being shameful. So, again, the question is put forth: are we, are you, am I, being wise? Am I leading my family, my friends, my enemies and the strangers I meet daily to righteousness? Am I telling them, you, about my Jesus? Have I told you lately what Jesus Christ has done for me?
He saved me. He filled me with His precious Holy Spirit. He walks with me daily and all throughout my day. He talks with me, tells me things I need to hear and know. He lives in my heart, cleaning it out and making more room for His glory. My Jesus loves me. My Jesus died for me so I wouldn’t be sent into everlasting contempt. My Jesus feeds me with His daily Bread and quenches my thirst with His Living Water. My Jesus both satisfies me and gives me a hunger to know Him more.
This I want for you. But only you can make that decision. I can pray for you. But only you can make your choice. Do you want to go to heaven? Or do you want to go to hell? Hell is not a pretty place. It is not a land of endless parties, nor is it a nothingness. Hell is hot. Hell is ugly. Hell is a place where you are never happy, never satisfied. If you are selfish in this life, your selfish attitude goes with you to Hell. You can’t leave Hell after you die, so praying for this to happen after a person dies without Jesus Christ is foolishness.
Luke 16:19-31 is the parable of the rich man and the beggar. Here we learn what Hell is.
23. It is a place of torment.
24. It is hot and fiery.
26. It is separated from Paradise by a great chasm which none can cross, nor can anyone leave Hell.
We have six senses in this life. Some work like they’re supposed to, some don’t. Whether we are in Heaven or Hell, we will have all six and they will all work.
Sight
Hearing
Touch
Smell
Taste
Knowing
How do we know this? Again, read Luke 16:19-31
Luke 16:23
Torment is felt (touch)
Luke 16:23
The rich man could see Lazarus in the distance.
Luke 16:24
Though he had never seen him, the rich man recognized (knowing) Abraham right away (sight) and in his selfishness begged for the poor man to tend his needs. He was hot (touch) and thirsty (taste) and in agony (touch).
The sense of smell is implied because the man was burning and whatever is on fire smells like it is on fire. It’s not a good smell when it’s a person.
A person can speak and hear in Hell, for the rich man spoke with Abraham and heard (hearing) Abraham’s response.
As nasty as it is to choose to go to Hell, Hell will not last forever. But this is not good for those who choose to go there either.
Revelation 20:14-15
14. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
15. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
That’s Hell and Hell’s destination. Why would anyone in their right mind choose to disobey God and go to Hell? We can only have a right mind if Christ is in us and we are in Him. This comes through believing on His name,
Mark 5:9, 15, 18-20
9. "What is your name?" Jesus asked. "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."
15. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
18. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.
19. But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.”
20. So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
The man who was put in his right mind went back home and began to tell his family and friends about what his Jesus had done for him. He was being wise and fruitful.
I am in my right mind. Though the world calls me crazy, God calls me His child. Though people call me odd and radical, Jesus calls me friend. I am being wise. And it is my prayer that I continue to be so. I want you to be so, too. I pray Ephesians 3 over your life. I pray the Romans Road to Salvation into your hearts and minds. I pray the Word of God bless you and make known to you the true Love of God and that you come into the knowledge of saving grace.
