I once heard a sermon where the preacher stated that he thought Ephesians 2:12 was the saddest verse in the Bible.
- Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
I understand why he said this – it is very sad to think about someone, anyone, being alienated from God. But as sad as that is, I believe the Bible tells us about something much worse.
Living without God is sad.
Dying without God is eternally tragic!
Sad Situation
Living without God is an empty existence. Hopelessly misguided, doomed to God’s wrath, willfully rebellious, and blinded by Satan – that describes the state of one who is alienated from God.
- Galatians 4:8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.
- Ephesians 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
- Romans 1:21-22 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Serious Sentence
Somebody has to pay for your sin. Jesus Christ died on a cross to pay your sin debt; He rose from the grave to make you righteous before God. If you don’t accept Christ’s payment – You will pay your sin debt by spending eternity in hell separated from God.
- John 3:18-19 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
- John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
- Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
- Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Surprising Solution
God loves you and wants to give you something you don’t deserve and cannot earn: forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life. He’s not asking you to clean yourself up – you are incapable of doing that. God made a way for you to be in right relationship with Him – Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
- 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
- Titus 3:3-5 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Single Savior
Jesus, God in the flesh, is not a way to God; He is the only way to God. Surrender your life to Jesus. He died for you – live for Him!
- John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
- John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
- 1 John 5:10-12 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
We are all going to spend eternity in one of two places – Heaven or hell. You have to be 100% righteous to go to Heaven. Try as you may, you can’t do that yourself. You, and I, and everyone else will always fall short of God’s standards and requirements. If we could do it on our own, Jesus’ death as the once for all final sacrifice for sin was pointless. Come to know God the Father through God the Son, Jesus Christ.
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
- John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Are you without God?
Humble yourself before Him,
Turn away from your sin,
Surrender to Jesus as Lord of your life,
Join your brothers and sisters in the family of God!
Prayer
Loving, patient, gracious Father – may the truth of Your Word touch the life of someone who needs salvation in Christ. Please make a way for a faithful follower of Jesus to be there, to encourage, to answer questions, to share the way, the truth and the life. I humbly and confidently lift this prayer to You in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
