Accepting Christ as Savior Is Key to Eternity

Editor’s Note: Phillip Abington, 16, was killed in a car accident on Greenwell Springs Road Friday night.  Last week, he turned in a paper for his junior English class at Bethany Christian School.  The subject was “Eternity.”

by Phillip Abington

In order for someone to be saved, he must accept Christ and be born again. Many people claim to live a “godly” lifestyle because they sit through church but have no idea what being born again means.

Those people are normal Christians who supposedly lead a good life. The problem with this is that every man or woman is a sinner; therefore, without the grace of God, they will not be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Believing in God is not enough to say that a person is born again. Even Satan believes in God, but he will never be accepted back into Heaven. Being saved means you believe that there is a God and He sent His Son to die and be the Savior of all who will accept Him. Without Him, we are dangling over the flames that thirst to engulf us.

God is gracious, but unless we choose to accept that grace, we will feel God’s wrath. His compassion only goes so far, then His anger shows through as He banishes those who denied him to Hell. They will be in the eternal torment without Him.

It is easy to accept Him, but the difficult part is to refuse to feed our flesh what it wants daily and give God what He wants. Again, though good works are enough while the world’s eyes look upon it, God’s Heavenly eyes see it differently. He sees the blackness of your heart and knows that what waits is damnation for all of eternity. God’s compassionate hand is the only separation we have from this place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Even the strong and tough will not be able to withstand the punishment that God gives.

A good physical constitution upholds the body as the temple of God; however, if one becomes too obsessed with being strong or looks, then vanity has taken God’s place. God must be first because He is the only one with the power to save each and every one of us from eternal damnation.

God is gracious, but He is also filled with wrath. His judgment is final. Escape of this eternal damnation is in your reach.

Why do so many not take it? The rewards are great for those who do.

His love never ends, but punishment will fall on all children who misuse this life.