I have discovered a talent, a quality in myself that is wonderful and comforting: I can take the thoughts that are unpleasant or unwanted and put them out of my mind. Just forget them! Can you do that? Income taxes need to be ready…a dental appointment…bills have to be paid…the office needs to be cleaned…just put the thought out of my mind…try not to think about it...just forget it!
Now – isn’t that better? Now you can think about pleasant things. Thoughts that make you feel good about yourself and your life.
There is just one quality that I’m still working on. That is the ability to make those things disappear by merely forgetting them. I keep putting those thoughts out of my mind, but April 15th does not go away. That cavity in my tooth is still there even though I have put that thought out of my mind. Forgetting or ignoring doesn’t take away the realities or the obligations of life.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you have that same “talent”, and it doesn’t work for you any better than it works for me. It seems like a good idea, but just like the Ford Edsel, it doesn’t “sell.”
When it comes to Bible principles, that idea doesn’t work either. Many want to ignore the fact that God has said there will be a day in which we must give an account for our deeds, for how we have lived in respect to what He has commanded. Wait, now, don’t put this paper down. This is most important!
The income tax folks have informed us that they will examine the information on our tax returns, and if they are not correct they can call us in for an audit. And they can do it – I know – I have been through that, and it reminded me again that merely putting the thought out of my mind did not solve the problem.
Note what the Bible says about our “audit” on the judgment day. Romans 2:6 says He will “render to each one according to his deeds.” You can put it out of your mind, but that will not change anything. In Romans 14:12 we read, “…every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” And, we read in 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
The Bible does not give us an alternative to God’s truth by merely “putting it out of our mind.” That might make us feel better “for a season”, but it will not remove the fact that God has the authority for bringing us to judgment.
What Does The Bible Say About That Day?
- It is an “appointed” day, Hebrews 9:27. We all have that appointment.
- It will come “as a thief in the night,” 2 Peter 3:10, without any warning, 1 Thessalonians 5:2.
- There will be no time for any last
minute preparations, Matthew 24:42, 25:1-13.
- The choices we make now will determine our destiny then, Matthew 7:13-14, 21-29.
- Heaven is for those who have lived in harmony with God’s will and have borne good fruit for the Lord, Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Peter 1:5-10.
- Previously important matters, like bank accounts, community prestige, educational attainment and political influence will not matter, Acts 10:34-35.
- Your eternal destiny will be announced, Matthew 25:31-46.
- Hell is reserved for the disobedient, the lukewarm, the “unfruitful,” and the unprepared. See Matthew 25:24-30, Galatians 5:19-21, Revelation 3:14-22, 21:8.
- We can rationalize, we can question the interpretation, we can even “decide” that the Bible is mistaken or that it does not really mean what it says – but that changes nothing. Judgment is inevitable, Luke 12:19, 45.
- We will be judged individually, not as a nation, not as a family, not as a congregation – but one by one.
If you think it would be nice to merely avoid these facts – just plan to think about them later when it is more convenient – I beg you to think again. That doesn’t work for dental appointments, for your income tax, nor does it work for what God has set forth for His people.
Heaven is too precious to miss, and hell is too terrible for anyone to experience.
