The northern Ontario gold-mining town had several churches, and Joe and Linda joined one right after their marriage. It seemed the right thing to do. Soon Linda was teaching the older Sunday school children. She didn’t know much about the Bible, but she did explain that God created everything.
They didn’t realize the Bible says, “Ye must be born again.” The word “saved” meant nothing to them; they thought of themselves as “good citizens” who deserved to be in heaven. There was one fatal flaw in their thinking: They were deceived! The god of this world, that is, the devil, has “blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)).
“We’ve Missed Something”
Time passed. They were now the parents of two little girls, and they were anxious to bring them up the best way possible. When the minister of another church invited them to a “Bible study” at his house, they went eagerly but soon noticed that they were the only ones there with a Bible. The table was filled with beer and liquor, and young couples sat around drinking and laughing. That Sunday the minister preached in the pulpit against drinking as the young people smiled to themselves at his hypocrisy. Linda thought, “There’s no way we could bring up our two girls in this atmosphere!”
(You remember the Lord Jesus spoke of spiritual leaders who were “blind leaders of the blind.” Perhaps you have met such “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who preach one thing and practice another. Please don’t dismiss God and the Bible because of this. Have you stopped using money because of the counterfeits that exist?)
As they continued their search, they were often disappointed. At another “Bible study,” there was little of the Bible but much of other books. They were almost giving up their search now. “We’re not staying here,” they decided.
Then a neighbor gave them a book about the future events that are recorded in Revelation, the last book of the Bible. They were amazed as they read about coming judgments on the unprepared world. Linda began to read her Bible more and understood that she was not ready to die and that good works did not qualify her for heaven. “Joe, we’ve never thought about hell before, but I think that’s where we’re going. We’ve missed something.”
Two Roads and
Two Destinies
A few weeks later, one cold winter evening, Linda struggled to understand the truths she had learned. Something seemed to say, “Choose God and live His way.” Another voice seemed to say, “What will your friends say if they see you with a Bible? Do you really want your life to change?”
She looked up at the old Bible text on the wall. It said clearly, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:3333But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)).
In her heart she surrendered to God’s will and received the Lord Jesus as her Savior. She thanked Him for dying for her sins.
A few days later Linda and Joe went again with their neighbors to hear the gospel. There were two speakers. Both speakers read from John 3 and emphasized Jesus’ words: “Ye must be born again,” and, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
They also talked about the two roads of life and the two destinies in eternity. Joe knew he was on the wide road that leads to destruction and hell. He wanted off that road!
He simply asked the Lord to take away his sins, and immediately the weight of sin that he had carried for so long was gone. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).
New Desires
Their life began to change now as they saw life-problems-priorities from God’s point of view. They grew in love and appreciation for other believers and for God’s Word. They discovered that the Lord who saved them also had the power to sustain them as believers. No, they weren’t perfect now, but they were forgiven. In their hearts blossomed new desires to live as God intended. And when they failed, Someone was there to pick them up. Truly, they were “born again.”
Their old friends did mock: “Saved from what? And what’s this about the Lord coming again?” Sometimes it wasn’t easy to answer them, but they knew one thing for sure. They had no regrets, not even one! Salvation was the best thing they had ever experienced.
What regrets do you have?
Have you been deceived?
Can you say, I know for sure I have been forgiven?