Come, All Who Are Thirsty

Salvation (forgiveness of sins and “eternal life”[1]) is open to “everyone” (Mat 7:8, 26; Luk 6:47; 12:8; Act 2:21; Rom 1:16; Gal 3:22; cf. Mat 24:14; 25:32; 28:19; Mar 13:10; Luk 2:30–32; 24:47; Joh 6:37; Act 1:8; 10:35; 13:47; 17:30; 20:21; Rom 3:29–30; 11:32; 16:26; Gal 3:8, 22, 28; Tit 2:11–12; Rev 12:5; 22:17; Gen 22:18; Isa 2:2) equally (Gen 18:25; 1Pe 1:17; Rom 2:11; 10:12; 11:32; Col 3:25; Job 34:19; Pro 22:2; Eph 6:9; Act 10:34–35; 15:9; 2Co 5:10; Rev 19:11; Deu 10:17) and “impartially”[2] (see Gen 18:25; Gal 2:6; 1Pe 1:17; Rom 2:11; 10:12; 11:32; Col 3:25; Job 34:19; Pro 22:2; Eph 6:9; Act 10:34–35; 15:9; 2Co 5:10; Deu 10:17; Isa 11:3–5). And unlike man, who seldom forgives and never forgets, and who often holds a grudge and seeks revenge for years, decades, and even generations, God offers complete forgiveness for any and all sins (Mat 12:31–32; 26:28; Mar 3:28; Luk 12:10; 24:47; 1Jn 1:7; Eph 1:6–8; cf. Mat 9:6; Mar 2:10; Luk 5:24), no matter what they are or how long you have committed them, for He is a God of amazing “love,” “peace,” “patience,” “kindness,”[3] “compassion,” “mercy,” and “grace.”[4] On Judgment Day, He will remember your sins no more as if you had never committed them (Heb 8:12; 10:17; Act 2:38; 3:19; Rom 8:1; Col 1:13–14; Eph 1:6–8; cf. Psa 51:7; 103:12; Isa 1:18; 43:25; 44:22; Jer 31:34; Mic 7:18–19; cf. Mat 5:4), and He will also raise you up to eternal life in heaven with Him as He makes all things new and when sin, corruption, disease, pain, suffering, and death are abolished for all eternity.[5]

But to approach God, you must admit you’re a sinner and come to Him in humility (Jas 4:6; Pro 11:2; 29:23)—right now, today—and receive the wonderful gift of eternal life through Christ, offered out of God’s kindness, compassion, mercy, and grace. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. … Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (Jas 4:8–10; cf. Heb 4:16; 7:19, 25; 10:22; Psa 34:18; 145:18; Lam 3:22–23). He offers this forgiveness through the “good news”[6] of “the gospel of the grace of God” (Act 20:24), which is also “the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mar 1:1), “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16; cf. Joh 3:16, 18, 36; 6:35, 37–40; 12:46; Mat 11:28–30; 20:28; Act 2:21; 10:43; Rom 9:33; Tit 2:11; Rev 22:17).

GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS ARE MASSIVE

Yes, God’s lovingkindness, grace, and mercy are massive! Remember that God can use anyone:

• He used a murderer to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt (Moses, Exo 2:11–12).
• He used a prostitute to help protect the Israelites (Rahab, Jos 2:1–24).
• He used another murderer who became a great apostle (Paul, Act 22:20).[7]

The apostle Paul had persecuted and even helped put to death some of the very first believers in Christ, and yet Jesus forgave him. Then Paul went on to become one of the greatest saints of all time. God can do just the same for you. Don’t let guilt or shame stop you from coming to Jesus; He has already taken all your sins on Himself (Rom 5:8; 8:3; 2Co 5:21; Isa 53:4–6, 9–12; Gal 3:13; Eph 5:2; 1Pe 3:18)—if you let Him. Maybe you have some deep, dark secrets or deeds that no one knows about, but friend, He already knows about them all, for “nothing is hidden” from God—not your “thoughts” and not even the deep, dark, secret things of the human heart. He even knows the “motives” behind your actions.[8] Let Jesus take all your sin and guilt. Don’t decide for yourself that you can’t be forgiven for what you have done—let Jesus decide! Or maybe you’re trapped in an addiction like I was. It doesn’t matter what kind, for they are all the same at the core: lack of hope combined with chemical dependency. But Christ can also take all that away from you and give you hope in return. Amazing![9]

Peter once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive those who sinned against him (Mat 18:21–22), probably expecting to hear a relatively small number. Peter even suggested the number seven (i.e., a number that we as humans think is reasonable). However, the Lord answered with the number “seventy times seven” (i.e., 490). Now, the actual number given here isn’t the important part;[10] what’s important is the magnitude of the number—it’s an ENORMOUS number, far higher than anything that Peter might have even remotely imagined in his own mind! This demonstrates how great God’s love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and grace are for us (Eph 3:14–21; cf. Joh 3:16–18)—far greater than what the mind of man thinks is reasonable and far beyond what we would expect from any human.

YOU HAVE A CHOICE

So, friend, you now have some choices to make that will stand for all eternity. God gave you free will to choose whom to believe and obey.[11] You must first decide whether God exists or not (Heb 11:6), for He is the author of all life. Only in God can “light” and “life” be found; away from Him there is only “darkness” and “death.”[12] Next, you must “choose” (Jos 24:15; cf. Rev 22:11, 17; Pro 1:29; Joh 6:67–68; Deu 30:19) between God (and life) or sin, Satan, and death (2Co 4:4). You must actively choose to disown Satan, who is your father while you are in sin (Joh 8:38, 41, 44, 47; Jos 24:15; 1Jn 3:8–10; Act 13:10; cf. Mat 5:6; Rev 22:11), and accept and follow (believe and obey) God and His Christ Jesus.[13] Those who do so “become children of God” (see Joh 1:12–13; 11:52; Act 17:29; Rom 8:14–16, 21; 9:8; Php 2:15; 1Jn 3:1–2, 10; 5:2; cf. Mar 14:36; Gal 3:26; 4:6–7; 2Co 6:18)[14]—you are actually adopted into God’s family instead of remaining in Satan’s (Rom 8:15–17, 23; Eph 1:5; 2:19).

Jesus said, “Follow me” nineteen times,[15]^, [16] and He said, “Come to me” eight times,[17] most famously as, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mat 11:28–30; cf. Rom 6:21–23; Joh 8:31–36).[18] Are you willing to turn from “worthless idols” (Jer 18:15 NKJV; Jon 2:8 NKJV) or wanting to be your own “god” to serve the “living and true God” (1Th 1:9)?

It is largely “pride” (see 1Jn 2:16; Pro 11:2; 16:5, 18; 29:23; Gal 6:3; Jas 4:6), along with a continued desire to satisfy “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1Jn 2:16), that causes one to deny God and reject the Gospel. It also causes man to wrongfully (and arrogantly) think that he is his own god (Psa 14:1; 53:1; Pro 14:12; 16:18; 1Co 1:18–25; 2:14; 3:19). It is further written that some will think that the Gospel and all this “Jesus stuff” is “foolishness”[19] (see Rom 1:21; Mat 7:24–27; 1Co 1:18–24; 2:14; 3:18–20; Luk 24:25; 2Co 4:3; 2Th 2:10; Psa 14:1).[20] You must choose to accept and follow either “the wisdom of the world”[21] (1Co 1:20; cf. 1Co 3:19; 1:27; Jas 3:14–15; Pro 14:12; 16:25; Rom 3:4; 1Jn 2:15), which leads to eternal death (Pro 14:12; 16:25), or “the wisdom from above” (“the wisdom of God”; Jas 3:17; 1Co 1:20–21; cf. Eph 3:10; Act 5:29; Jas 1:5; 3:15; Pro 23:23), which is also “the wisdom that leads to salvation [eternal life]” (2Ti 3:15; cf. Pro 1:7; 3:5–7; Mat 7:24–27). One must discard the wisdom of man to find God and eternal life (Rom 3:4; cf. 2Co 4:4).

So, will you keep thinking yourself “wise in your own eyes” (see Isa 5:21), or are you ready to admit you’re a sinner in need of a Savior and humble yourself, get down on your knees before God, and acknowledge Him for who He is, repent of your sins, and ask for forgiveness? I fully understand that it’s not easy to humble yourself before God and admit that you’re a sinner, but friend, that’s the truth! You can’t run or hide from that fact (Rom 3:10, 23; Rev 6:15–17; Pro 14:12; 16:2, 25; Jer 17:9)!

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

Truth be told, I thought the Bible was nonsense and foolishness for many years, but I have come “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pe 2:9; cf. Col 1:13; 1Th 5:4–5; Eph 5:8; 6:12; Rom 2:19; Act 26:18; Joh 1:5; 3:19–20; 8:12; Psa 107:10–11). I have learned that there is more wisdom, life, and power in a single syllable of Scripture than there is in all the atom bombs created by man and all the books written and stored up in the great libraries of the world. While mankind only seems intent on endless, nonstop destruction and killing, Jesus came to give life and to give it “abundantly” (Joh 10:10). It is man who is responsible for this fallen world and for the sin, suffering, death, and misery we see all around us—not God!

So, are you willing to become as a child again and realize that you don’t know the truth and start out again as a “child of God” with God as your “Father,” instead of remaining a child of Satan?[22] Are you willing to seek God’s truth instead of man’s truth? Even as a child trusts his parents (Mat 11:25–26; 18:3–4), are you willing to “trust in the Lord”?[23] Or will you go on as you always have, thinking that all this God, Bible, Jesus, and judgment-to-come stuff is “foolishness”? Yes, you must decide whether this Gospel message is “foolishness” or “truth” (Joh 17:17; 2Co 4:2; 6:7; Eph 1:13; Col 1:5; 2Ti 2:15; Jas 1:18; cf. Joh 4:23–24; Rom 3:4 Tit 1:2; Num 23:19; Psa 145:18). You must pick one or the other—there is no middle ground. You will have to decide whether you wish to remain in “darkness” or come into the “light.”[24]

We are told, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Pro 1:7; cf. Mat 10:28; Luk 5:26; 23:40; Joh 9:31; Act 9:31; 10:2, 22; 13:16, 26; 2Co 5:11; 7:1; 1Pe 2:17; Rev 14:7; 19:5; Psa 19:9; 111:10; Pro 1:29–30; 2:5; 9:10; 14:27; 19:23; 23:17; 31:30; Job 28:28), and it is only from God’s wisdom that you can obtain eternal life. Moreover, we can only find God’s wisdom in the Bible. Scripture also tells us that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (Joh 3:19; cf. Joh 1:5; Psa 107:10–11). You can continue your sinful behavior (i.e., darkness) if you choose to, but God, through Christ, can “set you free” from being held “captive” and a “slave to sin” (see Eph 4:8; Rom 6:6; 8:2), for as it is written, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Joh 8:31–32).

And lastly, do you want Jesus to be your Attorney on the great Day of Judgment, or do you want to go before God on that Day, represent yourself, and try to plead your case? It is often said, A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client. Remember, Jesus will also be your Judge—and this Judge knows everything you have ever thought, said, and done. You can ensure that you will receive a verdict of “NOT GUILTY” of sin even before the trial starts by choosing life in Christ. Amazing!

TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION

Jesus invites all who are “thirsty” (Joh 7:37–38; Rev 22:17; Tit 2:11; 1Ti 2:4; cf. Joh 3:16, 18, 36; 6:35, 37–40; 12:46; Mat 11:28–30; 20:28; Act 2:21; 10:43; Rom 1:16; 9:33) to come to Him. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Mat 7:7–8). God “desires all [people] to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Ti 2:3–4), “not wishing for any to perish [in judgment]” (2Pe 3:9). Do you want to drink from “the fountain of the water of life” offered by Christ (Rev 21:6; cf. Mat 11:28–30; Joh 4:10; 7:38; Rev 22:1, 17)? You can make that choice right now, today, as it is written: “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2Co 6:2; cf. Heb 3:8–15; 4:7)—if you choose God and life over sin and death, today. None of us may get tomorrow or even this afternoon (Luk 12:16–21; Jas 4:13–16; cf. Jas 1:10–11; Eph 5:15–16; 1Pe 1:24; Psa 39:4–5; 90:9–12; 102:11; 144:4; Pro 27:1; Ecc 3:1–2).

If you find these words stirring your heart, please don’t ignore them and keep putting things off. That is a sign that God is calling out to you right here and right now. Don’t harden your heart to that calling (like Pharaoh did). We should greatly heed the warning given in Scripture that there comes a time when God will no longer strive to reach those who have hardened their hearts beyond the point of no return. As the Lord says, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Gen 6:3). It is the Holy Spirit Who is trying to “convict” (Joh 16:8) you of your sin(s), and it is He Who is striving with you to come to repentance and turn to the Lord Jesus as your Savior—right now.[25] If you keep resisting the pleadings and striving of the “Spirit of truth” (Joh 14:17; 15:26; 16:13), there remains no other recourse for you to be saved (i.e., led into truth and salvation).[26]

So what do you do now? Do you go on denying that God even exists? Do you take “the way [which] is broad that leads to destruction [eternal death], and there are many who enter through it,” or do you choose to “enter through the narrow gate” (Mat 7:13) to eternal life through Jesus Christ? It’s also at this very point that you are most likely to make up excuses for not believing, for continuing in your own way and living however you want and as you always have. I’ve been there. I’ve told myself whatever lie or excuse I wanted to hear so I could continue to live how I wanted to. But you’re only fooling yourself. You may even try to talk yourself out of believing this stuff—I’ve been there too. Maybe you are different than me, but I doubt it.

It is also right here and right now that you will face doubts: How could all this Gospel and Jesus stuff be true? It’s natural to have questions and doubts about all this, for we are discussing a very weighty matter here (the eternal destiny of your soul). Even the great John the Baptist had to face his fears and doubts at one time. Of John, we are told that “among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Mat 11:11). John was “filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb” (Luk 1:15), a prophet of God wholly set apart to be the forerunner for Christ from birth (Mat 3:3; Mar 1:3; Luk 3:4; Joh 1:23). Even further, John had even seen Jesus confirmed by the voice of God Himself at Jesus’ baptism, which John had administered personally (Mat 3:1–17; Mar 1:9–11). And yet, despite all that, even John had a moment of doubt. While in prison, John inquired of Jesus again as to whether He was truly the Christ as foretold in Scripture (Mat 11:2–6). Jesus reminded John that the miracles He performed matched prophecies in OT Scripture and confirmed His claim of deity. We are not told, but it is likely that John went back through the Scriptures to reconfirm his belief that Jesus was, in fact, the Christ and the Messiah. But here is the important part: John addressed his doubt. He didn’t let it overcome and defeat him, or worse, cause him to not believe.

So whatever fears or doubts you may still have, please address them head-on. Maybe you still have questions on science versus the Bible, on Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection, or on His claim to be God. But at some point, as I have already mentioned, you will have to decide whether you believe “the wisdom of the world” (i.e., the wisdom of man and the ways of this world; 1Co 1:20; cf. 1Co 3:19; 1:27; Jas 3:14–15; Pro 14:12; 16:25; Rom 3:4) or “the wisdom from above”[27] and “the word of God” (Act 4:31; 6:7; 8:14; 11:1; etc.). You will find that in nearly all cases relating to the spiritual war in which we are engaged with “the world forces of darkness and the spiritual forces of wickedness [evil]” (paraphrase; Eph 6:12),[28] it is the popular, trendy, and majority opinions of man that are actually the wrong (broad) way (Mat 7:13). Following the herd leads to eternal death (Pro 14:12; 16:25); in contrast, following God leads to life. Remember, there is a “spirit of error” (1Jn 4:6) in the world, and there are “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1Ti 4:1), which are trying to keep you from eternal life and also from having peace in and with God. Learn the lesson from John’s example: Don’t let momentary fears and doubts derail your faith (2Ti 4:7; Php 3:12–14; 1Co 16:13; Eph 6:11). If necessary, redouble your efforts to read and study Scripture in order to solidify any areas about which you have doubts, questions, or concerns.

The “wide gate and broad way”[29] (paraphrase; see Mat 7:13–14) is to just go on in life as you always have, in sin and lusting after the things “of this world,”[30] without regard for God or others. That is also the worldly, popular way: I’m gonna get what I can get now, by any means possible, for I only care about ‘me and mine.’ And when I die, so what? It’s all over, and I go into nothingness. But that “broad way,” which the vast majority of humanity chooses, leads to eternal death, and as I have explained previously, you will not go into “nothingness” when you die. Death is not an extinction event (our ending); it is the separation of the soul from the body. Your soul lives on forever; the only question is where—in heaven or hell. And here’s the amazing part: You get to decide[31] which of those it is by either accepting or rejecting Jesus. If you want “eternal life” in heaven, you will have to stop pursuing the things “of this world,” repent of your sins, turn from your own selfish, lustful, sinful desires, and instead pursue the things of God and His Christ.

IT TAKES COURAGE

Understand that going forward to eternal life in Christ will take “courage,” “strength” of character, “boldness” (for the truth and Christ), personal “discipline,” moderation, “self-control,” and “endurance”/“perseverance”; you may even face “persecution,” “trials,” “tribulations,” “suffering,” “hardship,” and other difficulties in choosing to go forward in and with Christ and in standing for the truth of the Gospel in a massively corrupt and wicked world. As it is written, “You will be hated by all nations because of My [Jesus’] name” (Mat 24:9; cf. Mat 10:22; Mar 13:13; Luk 21:17).[32]^, [33] You may even have to leave a life of ease and luxury, depending on the will of God. Others may try to talk you out of it, or they may laugh at and mock you, saying, Why are you dumb enough to believe all that God and Jesus stuff? You will almost certainly face ridicule, taunting, insults, and jokes against you, but you must go forward in “courage” if you want eternal life with God and His Christ Jesus in heaven.[34]

And lastly, while it always seems to be “cool” for man to be part of the “rebels,”[35] in this particular (spiritual) war it is eternally wiser to be one of the “saints” (Mat 27:52; Act 9:13, 32, 41; 26:10; Rom 1:7; 8:27; 12:13; 15:25; Eph 1:1; Rev 5:8; 8:3–4; 11:18; 13:7; 20:9; etc.), for God and His Christ (and His saints) will prevail (Gen 3:15); indeed, He has already prevailed! Christ has already won complete, total, and final “victory” (1Co 15:54–57; 1Jn 5:4) for us over sin, Satan, and death at the cross (Luk 10:18; Joh 12:31; 16:33; Rom 8:28–39; Eph 1:20–22; Col 2:14–15; Heb 2:14; 10:10–13; 1Co 15:24–26; 2Ti 1:10; 1Jn 3:8; 4:4; Rev 1:17–18; 11:15; 12:7–13; 15:2; 20:14; 21:4; cf. Gen 3:15; Mat 16:18; Psa 125:1–2; Isa 54:17; Joh 10:27–29; Heb 12:28)—“It is finished” (Joh 19:30; cf. Gen 3:15; Luk 10:18; Joh 12:31; 16:33; Rom 8:37; Eph 1:20–22; Col 2:14–15; Heb 2:14; 10:10–13; 1Co 15:24–27; 54–57; 2Ti 1:10; 1Jn 3:8; 4:4; 5:4; Rev 1:17–18; 12:7–13; 15:2; 20:14; 21:4)[36]—and there is nothing whatsoever that anyone or anything on, under, or above the earth can do to change that (Rom 8:28–31, 37–39; cf. Rom 14:11; Php 2:10; 2Th 1:6–10; 2Ti 2:13; Rev 19:11–21; 20:10–15; 22:20).

SOME COMMON OBSTACLES

Listed below are some common stumbling blocks that can hinder one from seeking and following Jesus and becoming obedient to the Gospel:

• Laziness:
  • Sheer neglect of one’s eternal soul (e.g., Esau)
  • Indifference (lack of taking time to even bother to consider your eternal destiny)
  • Being unwilling to spend the time to read, study, and learn what is written in the Bible[37]
• Pride:
  • Intellectual arrogance (thinking the Bible can’t be true, science has disproved the Bible, you know more than God, God can’t mean this or that when He said so in His Word, etc.)
  • Thinking you can approach God however you want or however you think or feel it should be done (instead of abiding by God’s instructions)
  • Denying the existence of God[38]
  • Thinking of oneself as a so-called “elite” person or group
  • Thinking you can argue or negotiate with God on Judgment Day and convince Him that you were a “good person” (or thinking you will get a “second chance” after death)
• Moral Issues:
  • Considering oneself to be basically a “good person” (e.g., “I didn’t commit any ‘really bad’ sins, such as murder, rape, robbery, etc.”)
  • Thinking you don’t need a Savior (see prior item) and that everyone goes to heaven (well, the “good people” anyway)
• Social Concerns:
  • Just following the crowd
  • Not wanting to look bad in the face of what’s “popular” in society
  • Trying to conform to societal norms
• Fear:
  • Following the crowd again
  • Concern of being ridiculed for confessing faith in Jesus
  • Prioritizing ease and security above following Christ
  • Not wanting to be separated or isolated from what’s popular
  • Afraid of the hardship that following Jesus might bring

I hope you don’t let any of those stumbling blocks prevent you from seeking eternal life in Christ. Nothing whatsoever can be more important to you!

GOING FORWARD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

To continue further from this point, you must be fully convinced in your own mind that Jesus is, in fact, who He said He was: God in the “flesh,” “the Christ of God,” “the Son of God,” “the Messiah,” and our “Savior” (Mat 1:1, 16, 20–23; 3:17; 14:33; 17:5; 26:63–64; Mar 1:1, 24; 5:7; 9:7–8; Luk 1:35; 2:11; 3:22; 9:20, 35; Joh 1:1–2, 14, 34, 36, 41; 3:16–17; 4:25, 42; 5:32; 8:58; 10:30; 20:31; Act 2:36; 5:31; 17:3; Rom 1:3–4; 8:3; Gal 2:20; 4:4; Php 2:5–8; Col 1:15; 2:9; 1Th 1:9; 1Ti 3:16; 2Ti 1:10; Tit 3:4; Heb 2:7–9, 14–17; 4:14; 2Pe 3:18; 1Jn 4:2–3, 14; 5:12, 20; 2Jn 7; Jud 25; Rev 1:17; 2:8; 22:13; cf. Isa 7:14).[39] You have free will to “choose” (Jos 24:15; cf. Rev 22:11, 17; Pro 1:29; Joh 6:67–68; Deu 30:19) whether to believe that or not and to accept or reject Jesus. If you don’t want to be with Jesus in this life, you don’t have to be, but understand that if you don’t want Him in this life, you won’t be with Him in the next life either—and the next life is eternal.[40]

I hope you are not like the majority of humanity (Mat 7:13) who consider the Gospel message to be “foolishness.” And I pray that you desire to repent of your sinful ways, become obedient to God through the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, “call on the name of the Lord” (see Act 2:21; 22:16; Rom 10:13; 1Co 1:2; cf. Gen 4:26; Isa 12:4; Psa 91:14–15; 105:1; 116:4, 13, 17) “in spirit and truth” (Joh 4:23–24; cf. Psa 145:18; Jud 3; Col 1:23), “wash away your sins”[41] (Act 22:16; cf. Act 2:38), and then “walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4; cf. 2Co 5:17) toward “eternal life” in heaven. If so, I’ll see you in the next chapter.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR THOSE BEHIND BARS

I would like to add a note for those who find themselves behind bars and who may have no hope whatsoever left in this world. Understand that Jesus is your “hope”—it is not in man or the things of this world. You can still look forward to “eternal life” with God in heaven! While you may need to face the consequences and penalties for your actions here in this world, and while men don’t or won’t forgive you, Christ will. Do not decide for yourself that what you’ve done cannot be forgiven by God. God even forgave murderers. I’m not in any way dismissing the hurt, harm, or severity of any action(s) that you may have done, but God offers forgiveness to everyone, for His love, kindness, compassion, mercy, and grace are massive. But you must turn away from your sinful ways and turn to the Lord Jesus in humility, repentance, faith, and obedience, and you, too, can be raised up, justified, and glorified before God on Judgment Day (Rom 6:5; 8:30; 2Co 3:18; Php 3:20–21; Col 3:4; cf. 1Jn 3:2; Act 24:15; Joh 5:25; 1Th 2:12; 4:16; 1Co 15:40–57; 2Co 5:1–4). Do not eternally compound any mistake(s) that you have made here in this life by also rejecting the Gospel and Jesus as your Savior (Luk 12:10)! Turn to Him today, “stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1Co 16:13) as a “new creature [person]” in Christ (2Co 5:17), and then go forward as an “ambassador for Christ” (see 2Co 5:20; cf. Php 1:27; Eph 6:20), helping others see that same hope that you now have (1Pe 3:15; Mar 16:15).[42]