Is it common sense?
...To say that you are doing your best and hope to get to Heaven because you are good; when God said that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and there is only one way to God, that is, through Christ (Isaiah 64:6; John 14:6)?
...To believe that it makes no difference what you believe, so long as you are sincere; when God's Son said, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." John 3:3?
...To spend all your time and effort acquiring wealth and earthly security; when God's Word says, "The world passeth away, and the lust thereof," 1 John 2:17 and "The Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." 2 Peter 3:12?
...To live for sin, self, pleasure and money; when the Bible asks, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." Matthew 16:26?
...To willfully reject the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour when He is the only One who can save your soul from eternal judgment (Acts 4:12)?
Will it pay?
...If you have worked hard throughout your life and have finally attained a measure of security and comfort and then suddenly you die and pass into eternity without having prepared for those unending ages (Amos 4:12; Jeremiah 8:20)?
...If your life is replete with thrills, and hilarious with fun and pleasure, and for fifty or more years you really enjoy living; and then find yourself banished forever from God's presence in eternal darkness and unending torture (Revelation 20:11-15)?
...If you reject the Lord Jesus Christ now and succeed in having your own way and then some day find yourself standing in awful terror before the same Christ and He as your Judge shall pronounce your sentence of doom, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41?
It is common sense to prepare now to meet your God. The most intelligent thing you could do is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and through Him accept God's free gift of eternal life.
It will pay to read the Bible and follow its instructions and through repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ receive forgiveness of sins now. It will pay throughout all eternity to know now that you have passed from death unto life and that your heart is right with God.
It is common sense to realize the reality of eternity and prepare for it. It is sensible to believe that death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of an unending existence in another conscious destiny. The most foolish and insane thing I could do would be to walk through the portal of death into eternity without preparation, without God, and therefore, without hope.
It will pay to be sure I am safe, and ready to meet God. If I now believe God's Word and avail myself of Christ's gift of salvation, it will pay me joy and peace now, and happiness and glory in the ages to come.
Pastor C. Leslie Miller
* text taken from gospel tract entitled "Is it Common Sense?" printed by EVANGELICAL TRACT DISTRIBUTORS (Edmonton, Canada)
P.S. If you are an unbeliever who is reading this, I pray God reaches your heart through this. If you are a brother/sister in Christ, please forward this as God leads.
