By Terry Clark
I imagine everyone has made choices in life they regret. Many acknowledge “If I only knew then what I know now, I would have chosen differently.”
Our choices can have eternal consequences. Jesus states in Mathew 7:13-14 that narrow and difficult is the way which leads to life, and wide is the gate that leads to destruction. Making choices that lead to destruction may not be fully realized until it’s too late. Jesus presents a vivid picture of this in Luke 16:19-31 when he tells of the rich man who is in the place of torment and separated from those in Abraham’s care. The rich man pleads to Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers so that they may repent and not be destined to the same place. Abraham responds that his brothers have Moses and the prophets and if they refuse to listen to them, neither will they be persuaded by one coming to them from the dead.
Today, we have the Word of God that calls everyone to repent and obey the Gospel. Sadly, many reject the call and continue to choose the wide path to destruction.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” ( I Corinthians 6:9-11).
We “know now” only the righteous will inherit the kingdom of God. Choose wisely how you will live!