It is amazing how prices change. Many U.K. readers will remember the old currency of pounds, shillings and pence, when there were 12 pence to the shilling and twenty shillings to the pound. Half a crown (12.5p) would have gone a long way and a big white five-pound note was a king’s ransom! Decimalisation dispensed with that and many would argue, led to a great price increase.
Also the cost of houses, cars and even normal, every day commodities, seems to soar. Trying to keep up with this has engendered in people a great desire for riches and this keeps the gambling industry going. Why the big interest in riches? We are told all our worries would be over. People swallow all this despite the evidence showing the opposite. Many movie and sports stars with their millions of money seem to be unhappy people. With all their riches they leave behind a trail of broken marriages, deserted children and some have a suicidal end. Supposing you won the lottery! What then? A big car, a mansion with a swimming pool, a villa in the sun, a yacht and so on. But what then? Some day it must all be left behind and what then?
There is only one thing that does not change in value and that is the human soul. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8. 36. Your soul, the real person, is of more value than the entire world. The reason is simple yet most solemn, it will never cease to exist and is your most precious possession. Dear reader, you have a one-way ticket to eternity and you are not coming back. The big question is, "What is after death?"
There are but two places, heaven and hell and you have the choice. I think every sane person would say, "I don’t want to be in hell, I want to be in heaven." But how can I get there and how can I be sure? If my soul is so precious then it will take a tremendous price to buy a place in heaven for all eternity.
There is no possibility of materialistic wealth on earth buying a ‘heavenly plot’. The cost of our redemption is extremely valuable, so much so that it is recorded, "the redemption of their soul is precious" and because of this "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him," Psalm 49. 7,8. There is only one thing that can equate to the value of the soul and purchase its redemption. Here is what the apostle Peter wrote, "ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold … But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," 1 Pet. 1. 18,19. Peter is highlighting an illustration that may be found in Exodus chapter 12. The Lamb is identified in John chapter 1 verse 29, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." He, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, went to the cross of Calvary where He was crucified and He shed His precious blood and died so that we may be saved. The apostle John wrote, "...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John 1. 7.
When those who are saved reach heaven they shall sing one great song. They will not be singing of church, chapel, mission hall, gospel hall; nor will they be boasting of their religion, their good works or their ordinances. What is their song? "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Rev. 5. 9.
It is His blood alone that can redeem us and give us the assurance of a place in heaven. This alone is the vast, mighty, incalculable, price that will atone for our sins. The moment you trust Him with your soul, the value of His precious blood will be put to your account and you can be sure of heaven for all eternity. How rich are you for eternity?
Reproduced by permission of Assembly Testimony publications.
For more information visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk
No comments
Post a Comment