The Pop Quiz

This world is loaded—year after year, century after century--with evil, with demonic inhumanity, with spiritual corruption, with all kinds of immorality and unrighteousness, with hatred, cruelty, gross injustice, terror, violence, and horror. Calling it sheer ungodliness doesn't seem nearly strong enough.

I'm not going to downplay how bad that is. I'm not going to blow smoke and say Aw, it ain't that bad because, well, it is that bad. It's even far far worse than that bad. Immeasurably worse. This world is no longer close to the beautiful, wonderful, very very good world that God originally made it to be. 

So let's stand back, way way back, and look at the big picture from eternity past on one side to eternity future on the other. In this present earth age, we are sandwiched in the middle, kind of like the middle of a big Oreo. Can you see that? We're sandwiched between eternity past on one side and eternity future on the other. In the middle, this present earth age resembles a temporary blip on God's radar. It’s a very long blip, but a temporary one just the same.

For each and every human being, this present earth age is like a pop quiz. Yes, I'm calling it a pop quiz, the most important one ever. This pop quiz has one purpose: To see who will choose to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus.

He wants you in heaven with Him. He really wants you in heaven with Him, but it must be on His terms. 

He wants to love on you without holding back. He wants to frolic and laugh and indulge himself in loving on you for all eternity. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it. But it's your choice to love Him and be with Him or not.

Here's the catch: To be with Him in heaven, your holiness and purity must match Jesus' holiness and purity. You can't achieve that on your own; you can't get there through your own efforts or religious activity. You can’t earn or grow your own right standing with God. No human being ever could.

Other than Jesus, everyone who ever lived has fallen far short of the perfection God requires. That falling short is called sin. The price for sin, for each and every sin, is eternal separation from God. Romans 6:23.

That presents us with an unsolvable dilemma, right? Well, here’s God’s solution. The Father sent His son Jesus to take all of the impurity of mankind on Himself. By His death on the cross, He took the punishment we all deserve.

Scripture is clear: Jesus took everyone's impurity upon Himself in order that "whosoever will" might have His right standing with the Father. 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 2:2, Revelation 22:17

How does that work? The exchange of your impurity for His purity--of His death as a substitute for yours--is not automatic. Let me explain. He gave each of us free will and a choice to make. 

He's already paid the price for all of humanity's sin, but that universal payment still has to be applied individually to your account before God. So, to do that, you must accept for yourself the payment Jesus made. You must then choose to turn from your own ways and accept Him as your Buyer, your Owner, and your Master.

Okay, here's your pop quiz. Answer yes or no to each question. Do it out loud. Speak your response to God.

1. Do you want to be right with God? Yes or no.

2. Do you recognize that you can't get there on your own? Yes or no.

3. Do you want to know Jesus and have Him be your Buyer, your Owner, and your Master? Yes or no.

4. Do you accept the price He paid for you on the cross? Yes or no.

5. Will you ask Jesus to come into your life, to make Himself at home in your heart, to change what He wants to change, fix what He wants to fix, and fill you as only He can through His Holy Spirit? Yes or no.

6. If you ever struggle with surrendering something to Him, can you at least tell Him that you are willing to be made willing? Yes or no. 

If you say Yes to each of those six questions, you’re ready to pray this simple prayer after me. The words are less important than the attitude of your heart.

Father, I know that my sins have separated me from you. I want to turn away from my sinful life toward you. I’m asking you to wash me from all my sins. Please transform me and work in me to be the person you want me to be.

I believe that your son, Jesus Christ, died for all of my sins—past, present, and future. He died once for all of them. Jesus was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Buyer, Owner, and Master of my life, to rule and reign in my heart and in my life from this day forward. I want to belong to Jesus, lock, stock, and barrel.

Please fill me with your Holy Spirit to help me walk in your ways and do your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Congratulations! Either here or there, I'll be seeing you.