CRITERIA TO HEAVEN

CRITERIA TO HEAVEN

The U.S. Census Bureau pegs the global population insignificantly at 5 million people in 8,000 BC. The world’s billionth baby likely came into the world around 1805. It is said that the 3 billionth baby was a Cold War baby, born approximately 1959. Today, there are about 7 billion people in the world. The world delivered her 7 billionth baby on 31st October, 2011. This unprecedented milestone brings to mind an issue I used to unnecessarily bother myself about. I used to worry about how Jesus on the Judgment Day is going to judge all human beings. My worry appeared logical because our world is estimated to have existed for over 6,011 years since the creation of Adam, and still counting. Therefore, there are countless people (comprising the dead, the living, and the unborn) to face the glorious Judgment Seat of Jesus. Contentedly, I was joyous upon discovering the truth that Jesus will use less time to judge all human beings than we may be imagining. His entire verdicts will, perhaps, be at most two paragraphs!

Jesus on the Judgment Day will dispense justice effectively, completely, and speedily. It would doubtlessly be the speediest justice ever administered on earth, nonetheless without blemish or wrinkle. Jesus will not wade into the tedious exercise of ascertaining facts of each individual’s case. He will simply use the truth. He knows the deepest thoughts and intents of mankind, and all of our deeds. Therefore, calling witnesses or allowing people to adduce evidence in support of their claims, as practiced in our traditional courts, will be dispensed with. Falsehood has no place before the Judgment Seat. When all human beings appear before him, Jesus (like a shepherd dividing his sheep from the goats) shall first separate and group us into two. The sheep (righteous) shall be set at his right hand, but the goat on the left. Then Jesus shall say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was (hungry), and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me” – Matthew 25:34-37(KJV). He shall also say unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” for not feeding the hungry; not visiting the prisoner; and so forth. Thus those at the left hand shall suffer everlasting punishment but the righteous shall enjoy eternal life.

Therefore, feeding the hungry; giving drink to the thirsty; acts of hospitality; clothing the naked; and visiting the sick and the imprisoned are the criteria to Heaven, after receiving Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. These acts and attitudes sum up the totality of true Christian living - the Great Commandment (love) and the Great Commission (evangelism and discipleship). They must both be done spiritually (like praying for people (intercession)) and physically (in cash or kind). We are to do these things mostly to the least people (the captive, the destitute, strangers, the oppressed, the unlovable and people who have spiritual needs (Matthew 5:3-10)) among or around us. Simply put, we must do good to all men especially to disciples of Jesus Christ. Loving all people and disciples of Jesus is a good demonstration of loving Jesus himself. Thus going to Heaven and enjoying eternal life is more than being a selfish or a comfortable disciple of Jesus. You must pay the price to enjoy the prize. Heaven is for the sheep. Are you a goat or a sheep?

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

WHY SHOULD GOD CAST PEOPLE INTO THE HELL FIRE

WHY SHOULD GOD CAST PEOPLE INTO THE HELL FIRE?

God is still fair in His purported unfairness.

Real human rights advocates primarily seek to secure human life and human dignity. No wonder most of these admirable advocates are today seeking for the abolition of death sentence. Some have argued, pompously though, that death sentence is a cruel lobotomy and supreme human indignity. Likewise decriminalization of homosexuality, I do not support the abolition of death sentence although most of the reasons advanced for it make sense. In my candid view, the justice system must rather always endeavour to achieve complete and effective justice, if not perfect justice. It is worth noting that abolition of death sentence in itself perpetuates injustice, at least, to some members of the public. Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion because spiritual justice demanded it. God did not rescue Jesus from the cross despite his pains and the cries of His sympathizers. I do not think people like Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi and so forth needed to have been immune to death sentence. They rather needed complete and effective justice, not necessarily butchering or sentencing them for life. 

God continues to warn hardhearted and unrepentant people that He will cast them on the Judgment Day into the Hell Fire perpetually, a punishment originally prepared for Satan and his cohorts. Unfortunately, human rights advocates neither have the capacity nor the right to challenge or change this kind of punishment. In fact, they themselves shall suffer the same punishment if they have not repented.  Death sentence interestingly does not in any way come near this kind of divine judgment. We cannot effectively and reasonably question God because He will before imposing this kind of apparent heinous sentence achieve complete and effective justice. He, as usual, will in fact demonstrate perfect justice on the Judgment Day. But why should God choose this option? Why the Hell Fire but not temporary banishment; 40-day and 40-night flood; temporary rains of fire; or outright forgiveness if He truly loves us as He claims to?

God is not only loving but also He is the Lord of justice. He did not spare the angels who sinned but cast them into Hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for Judgment Day. He drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden because of disobedience. God also did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah and his family, bringing in the flood on the world of ungodly. He also turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly. 

Therefore the first reason is that we have many examples to learn from. Secondly, God’s Word is as common as water in our modern and knowledge-based world. Thirdly, God has given His only begotten Son not only to warn us, but also to die for our sins so that anyone who believes in Him shall be saved. Lastly, God is still long-suffering towards us, not willing that anyone should perish but that all should come to repentance. How shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation?  Unfortunately, many people in the world today have wrongly construed God’s long-suffering to mean that He is slack concerning the Judgment Day. Nevertheless, God will doubtlessly judge our world. The choice is yours but there is only one option-either Heaven or Hell!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Wisdom Thoughts.
 richardobengmensah@gmail.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

WISDOM QUOTES OF RICHARD OBENG MENSAH

WISDOM QUOTES OF RICHARD OBENG MENSAH

THIRD SERIES

  Law is neither for the rich nor the poor. It is for the called. Law is a calling from God.

Opposition makes me better, stronger, and wiser. It also strengthens my position.

The greatest mistake in life is to miss a person’s stake in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

When your real enemies lovingly tell you to laugh, cry instead. In fact, weep deeply.

Life is a race but actualizing your God-given purpose is what makes you a real winner.

You are a useless person if God is using you less than He wishes.

You are a fool if you are full of yourself instead of God.