Everyone and some point has heard of virtual reality. Computer generated effects that seem incredibly real. Maybe you put a mask on that covers your eyes from any outside vision, possibly you even stand on a special platform that moves when you move. Everything is so intense and detailed that you feel like it is genuine. But it isn't. In the end you take off the mask and leave the fantasy world. What makes it so convincing is that it takes images of what you do know and what is real and copies them. They are merely reflections of what is true.
Our lives here in the physical, material world are they very same thing. They are reflections of what is true. The bible says that those things that are visible are not eternal because we can see them fade away. But those things that are invisible are the things that are eternal. What we actually have here is a reflection of the eternal. Could this afford some explanation to why there is so much good and still so much evil in the world? If hell is eternal then there will be reflections of it here and now. And for heaven, the same.
This can lead some to say, "I don't believe in hell. I think that when you die if there is a heaven, you go there." Or, "I've suffered enough in this life. If there is a heaven I deserved to go."
These thoughts are doubled minded. How can you not believe in eternal life away from God but you are willing to accept, and even believe that you deserve, eternal life with Him? If there were no place of eternal separation from God then there would be no reflection of that manifested here. People choose life eternal with out Him just as they choose life eternal with Him.
But fair is fair. We should be able to choose based on experience and knowledge rather than by word of mouth. Why should we have to believe what someone else says (I'm playing the Devil's advocate here.) about eternal life? He should let us have a test drive, you know, let us slap on the virtual eternity mask and get a preview.
And so He does. This life here allows for that. Look around you. Do you see anyone suffering? Going hungry? Do you see people doing terrible things and causing others pain? Do you feel love for or from someone? Have you ever felt rejection? Felt alone? Have you ever noticed the beauty of the untouched mountain, the peace of the ocean tide? Heard the laugh of an infant? These are a few of my favorite things. When the dog bites, when the... Oooops, I lost it there for a minute. Excuse my drifting. The point is...
... if you follow God's plan for salvation it leaves you to conclude this: for those who accept Jesus, this life and the reflection of Hell that it offers is all the Hell that the redeemed will ever see; for those, however, that do not accept Jesus, this life and its reflection of Heaven is all the Heaven they will ever see. Eventually our time in this world will pass, we will move on. Where we will move on to is the question. Rather it is the choice.
SDG
No comments:
Post a Comment