There are only two kinds of people in the world – those who acknowledge and love God and those who refuse to do so. The essence of sin is trying to live without reference to or in outright rebellion against God. We try to create for ourselves a world without God. This is what the media does continually in its many movies and TV shows. The actors generally portray life without any reference to God at all. This is a fantasy with enormous consequences.

In spite of there being abundant evidence of the Creator all around us, many of us refuse to recognize or honor him. Instead we live with an inborn hostility toward God.

King David wrote the following verses in one of his many psalms or songs of praise to God.

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2 God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! Psalm 53:1–3 (NLT)

Sadly, we come into this world alienated from our Maker because of the sin that has been handed down from previous generations going all the way back to Adam. Unless God comes to our aid, all of us are born into and remain in the group who refuse to acknowledge, love, and serve God. Hearing, understanding, believing, and receiving the gospel message that Jesus died for our sins and rose again as the Lord of lords is the turning point for those whose hearts are open.

John Chapter One makes an insightful comment about this condition of mankind in general that wants nothing to do with God, which in his day included most of his own Jewish people.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:10–13 (NASB95)

Why would God care about the rebellious inhabitants of the world who turned their backs on him? It is quite impossible for us to fathom the depths of love that motivated our Creator to send his only Son to come into this world as a human and give away his life to provide forgiveness for our sins and reconciliation to God.

When the Creator in human form arrived on the earth, only a very few recognized and honored him. The same is true today.

Those who through revelation from God see him for who he is and surrender their hearts and lives to him will receive eternal life.

Those who refuse to acknowledge and serve him remain in a perilous condition of spiritual blindness and are hurtling toward an eternity without God. There will be no one in the lake of fire who ultimately did not choose to go there.

Those who opt to live without reference to God here on earth will have their wish fulfilled for all eternity.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9 (NLT)

The big difference will be that, before going to eternal destruction, they will finally understand the truth. There is a God who made it possible for us to know and love him and to live forever in the joy of his presence. This understanding will no doubt make existence apart from God unbearable, a continual gnawing at the soul. Would anyone in their right mind choose that?

Nevertheless, the choice is ours – an eternity of joy or one of painful regret.

Perhaps you are as I was. I did not know God, but I wanted to know him, if he were real. I asked this God I did not yet know, if he could hear me, to come into my life and reveal himself to me. Amazingly, he overlooked my hubris of questioning his existence. He did not upbraid me for my unbelief and many sins. He simply came into my life and began to remove the scales from my spiritual eyes and soften my hardened heart. Within a very short time, he completely opened my eyes so that I knew (and know still) that he is indeed the risen Lord! I cannot express properly the joy that I experienced on finding out that the God of the Bible loves me and revealed himself to me! I wanted everyone to know him.

That happened over fifty-four years ago, and I have never regretted becoming a follower of Christ.

There is nothing more important than knowing, loving, and serving God.

If you have never put your faith and allegiance in the risen Lord Jesus, you are most likely among that group of people who are trying to live independently from the Creator. Isn’t it time to put up the white flag of surrender? Here is a sample prayer you can use right now, if my words have impacted you.

Prayer

God, I have tried to live without you long enough. Forgive me for being a rebellious creature. I acknowledge that Jesus died for my sins and rose again as the Lord of lords. I come to you now, Jesus, and ask you to come into my life and reveal yourself to me more fully. I want to know you and serve you the rest of my life. I want to be forgiven. I want to be in right relationship with Father God. I want the Holy Spirit to live inside me. I want to know what it is like to experience the joy of your presence and the peace that passes understanding. I give you my life and receive yours. Amen.

Here is a verse from the Bible with which you are no doubt familiar. Think about its significance for you now that you have asked Jesus into your life.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)