Author Archives: Dale Babinsky

Show Me the Evidence!

Posted on by under Christian Evidences

Show-me-the-evidence     When it comes to matters of faith these days, it seems that many have determined that they are just going to believe in something whether there is any evidence for it or not.  For instance, I could state that I believe that the world was created by the one eyed spaghetti monster, and that is who I am going to worship.  When pressed for evidence of said creature, I could state that we just need to have faith and evidence is not necessary.  It may be pointed out that belief without proof/evidence is irrational.  It does not make logical sense to believe in a spaghetti monster without evidence.

     Our faith and belief in God, who is not visible, must then be based upon the evidence that is visible.  This is biblical faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV emphasis added).  There is evidence of God in the creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).  The fact that there is a cosmos proves that there has to be a God.  Because there is something now, there must have been something before.  We cannot get something from nothing.  Something must then be eternal, but we know that matter is not eternal.  Thus it had to come from somewhere.  The design we see in the universe also shows us that there has to be a designer.  Systems as complex as the human body could not have come about by chance.  Those who place their faith in random chance and evolution have the same problem as those who believe in the spaghetti monster.  The evidence does not support their claim.

     Imagine that you are on trial for your life.  Now imagine that I am on the jury that will decide your fate.  How would you want for me to proceed?  Should I say that I think you are guilty because that is how I feel?  Should I say that you are innocent because you have an innocent looking face?  How about if I base my judgment in your case on the evidence?  Looking at the evidence takes all of the emotion out of the issue.  Looking at the evidence will help us to achieve a logical, rational, and correct viewpoint.  This is how God wants us to proceed!  That is why He invites us to come and reason together (Isaiah 1:18).  Faith and reason are not enemies; they are joined hand in hand.  Our faith must be based upon reason!

     The evidence of God is all around us.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:18-21).

The power and wrath of God has been revealed.  Those who are unrighteous wish to suppress the truth.  They do not want for there to be a God, so they ignore the evidence.  The evidence is manifested within their own bodies.  God has shown us the evidence, and true science indicates how complex the human body is (skeletal system, digestive system, nervous system, cardiovascular system).  Each part of our body receives just what it needs when it needs it.  If we were to look upon a manufacturing system with such complexity, we would certainly conclude that it did not happen by chance.  Since the creation of the world, the workings and power of God have been clearly seen.  So then, if we choose to ignore the evidence, God says we are without excuse.  We cannot claim that we did not know.  Ignorance is not an excuse.

     Let us not run from evidence, reason, and science.  All of these prove to us that there is a God.  All of these indicate to us that there has to be a God.  Since there is a God, how should we react?  (Deuteronomy 6:5; Joshua 22:5; Mark 12:30; John 14:15).  Because there is a Creator, we should seek Him out and find out what it is that He wants for us to do (Matthew 7:21ff).  The answers are in His word.  Let us continue to dig for the evidence, which will show us that our faith is true and not based on irrationality.  Let us then show that evidence to those who are around us!

The Truth is Black and White

Posted on by under Culture, Doctrine

Picture1     Rachel Dolezal is not black.  She was born to two white parents, but later bronzed her skin and changed her hairstyle.  After claiming to be black, she was made a local leader in the NAACP.  Recently, her parents have spoken out to say that Rachel is not black.  Rachel responded by saying, “Nothing about being white describes who I am. So, you know, what’s the word for it? The closest thing that I can come to is if you’re black or white, I’m black. . . I’m more black than white. On a level of values, lived experience currently. In this moment, that’s the answer. That’s the accurate answer from my truth” (http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/rachel-dolezal-says-theres-no-biological-proof-of-who-her-parents-are/ar-AAbI12V?ocid=ansnewsap11).

     Notice that she says “in this moment” she is black, as if we are able to change our heritage over the course of time.  I can get a suntan, grow dreadlocks, and start to speak with an accent (Hey, mon, don’t ya know it), but that will not make me Jamaican.  The truth is not something that is subject to change over time.  Jesus prayed that God would sanctify or set His people apart by the truth, which is God’s word (John 17:17).  The Bible tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV).  We are not to add to or take from God’s word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32).  Jesus said His words would endure forever (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31).

     Rachel believes that her answers are according to “her truth,” but truth is not relative.  I cannot have one truth that is different from your truth.  I can have an opinion that is different than yours, but there is only one truth.  If I were to say that the lights are on and you were to say that the lights are off, both of those statements cannot be true at the same time.  The truth does not depend on our environment or our situation in life.  Water is wet.  Jesus is Lord.  There is just one God.  These things are true whether we believe and accept them or not.  The truth is not gray.  The truth is black and white.

     “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth” (Psalm 119:142). “You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth” (Psalm 119:151). “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:160).  God’s word could not be clearer on this subject.  Yet, there are those who will still ask the question that was on Pilate’s lips as Jesus stood before him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38).  If you want to know more about the truth, read God’s word.  If you want to find eternal life, you must believe it to be true (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6).  If we can help you on your journey, come and see what the Lord has done for us!

The Downward Spiral

Posted on by under Culture

Trump Clinton Lies     The cycle is beginning again.  As we prepare to be barraged by political ads and debate after debate, political candidates are preparing for their run for the White House in 2016.  What we will likely hear the most is how all of the other candidates are not qualified to be that right person to lead the nation.  Unfortunately, the negative ads are what seem to give candidates the most bang for their advertising buck.

     In tearing one another down, many will take the opportunity to distort or misrepresent the record of their opponents.  Is this the way it should be?  Should we be okay with this turn of events?  Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12 NKJV).  When politicians lie, distort, or misrepresent the deeds of their political opponents, are they treating them in the same way that they in turn wish to be treated?  Hardly!

     We should not try to lift ourselves up by tearing others down.  Why not instead stand upon our own work and our own actions?  Someday, we will be judged by the things that we have done while in our bodies, whether good or bad (Ecclesiastes 12:14).  Yet, voters tend to reward those who tell the grandest stories when it comes to making their opponents disreputable, and thus the cycle continues.

     In addition to tearing each other down, many politicians will promise anything they think will help them to get elected.  However, this is mostly just a game.  Those politicians have no intention of fulfilling their promises.  We voters have no expectation that they will keep their promises either.  Why not just do what the Bible says and allow our yes to be yes and our no to be no (James 5:12)?  Would that not be a better way?

     Just think of how it would be if each candidate was honest; if each candidate stood upon the merits of their own work rather than tearing others down; if each candidate only promised those things that they actually intended to do once they get into office.  Just think if we did things God’s way instead of our way.  Solomon wrote, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).  By comparison, God’s way leads to eternal life (Proverbs 19:23).  Let us choose that way instead!

Failure To Warn

Posted on by under Current Events

Sound the Alarm   Recently a story was in the news that the German government may have had a warning about commercial airlines flying over Ukraine and Russia, prior to an airliner being shot down in that region. If proved to be true, it would mean that the Germans did not sound the alarm and warn others of impending doom. Many become upset when they hear news such as this, and rightfully so. We do not tend to think much of others when they know of potential disaster, but refuse to warn others.

   God’s word has something to say about this principle as well. God instructed His prophet Ezekiel,

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul (Ezekiel 3:17-19 NKJV).

Ezekiel was God’s watchman. He was to point out wickedness when he saw it. He was to warn others of their impending doom. If he did not give the warning, then he would be held responsible by God.

   Today, we no longer have prophets, but we do have the completed word of God that we can read and study and use as our standard. When we see things that are morally wrong according to that standard, we have an obligation and a duty to point those things out to others in order to give them fair warning. If we do not give the warning, God will hold us responsible. It is not an easy thing to tell others that they are wrong. For most it is a no win situation.

    However, it is not by our own rules or desires that we are to call someone’s actions wicked. We are to make the comparison and issue the warning in accordance with God’s holy standard, the Bible. Therefore, let us be good students of His word and continue to sound the alarm and show others the way God would have them go.

Marriage Matters

Posted on by under Culture

Panorama_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_Building_at_Dusk     Over the course of the past two weeks there has been much discussion to be found regarding the issue of marriage and the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage in all fifty states. Additionally, there has been a wide range of responses offered by the Christian community. There have been some who have embraced the high court’s mandate, others have railed hard against it, and a third group has declined to address the issue. It leads us to wonder just what should the Christian’s reaction be to what is going on?

     If we are to be Christians, then we need to speak where the Bible speaks. If we only looked at Romans 1 we would be able to get a picture of what God says about homosexuality. Paul writes, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due” (Romans 1:26-7 NKJV).  He starts off by saying for this reason.  It is because mankind has ignored God, even though they once knew Him, and even though there is evidence in the creation to point to Him.  Because they have rejected God, He has allowed them to walk away.  They have instead been given over to vile passions.

     In looking at this passage we should notice four things about God’s opinion of homosexuality. First, He calls it a vile, or degrading passion.  This word can also mean dishonorable, disgraceful, or shameful.  This is not something that God sees as desirable. Second, He calls it unnatural.  This is simple science and biology.  Nature itself declares that the union of woman with woman or man with man is unnatural.  Their bodies are not designed to fit together as God intended.  Thus, nature even shows us the compatibility of man’s body with that of woman, and that is the only way to procreate and bring forth a child. Third, God calls homosexuality shameful.  That which is shameful is an indecent act; it is unseemly.  This particular word is never used for anything that is acceptable to God, but instead refers to that which is rejected by God.  Man has acceptable passions, but lust for another man is not one of those. Fourth, He calls homosexuality an error.  The Greek word here also indicates that it is a perversion, a delusion or deceit.  It shows a deviation or leaving of God’s Divine pattern.  It says that they receive “in themselves the penalty of their error.” Could this be a reference to STD’s and particularly the AIDS virus?

     If we are to go by God’s word, then we cannot rejoice or embrace the decision. There are many on Facebook and other social media outlets who are expressing joy over the decision, because now their gay friends can get married. They change their profile pictures to show a rainbow to illustrate their support. This is not Christian behavior. The Christian cannot rejoice or embrace what God has condemned and described as degrading, unnatural, indecent, and error. The Bible is clear that God will punish those who practice such activities, but will also hold those who approve of them just as guilty as those engaged in the act (Romans 1:32).

     While we are called to preach the truth, we are to do it in love. This does not mean that we are to soft peddle the truth. This does not mean that we are to shy away from what we have to say. God said that we are to love one another (see the whole letter of 1 John). But there is a vast difference in that Agape, all encompassing, self-sacrificing, love that God wants us to have, and the erotic love that is only meant to be shared between a husband (male) and his wife (female). Imagine that you saw someone in a burning house. How would you react? Would you call out, “Hey, friend. Maybe sometime we should talk about the danger of fire.” Are we to think that we cannot call out in haste that they need to flee the burning building now? Do we think that we are being hateful by telling them to get out now? Then why would it be hateful to point out to them their lost condition and their need to escape from the eternal flames of hell? If we truly love people the way the God described, then we need to tell them what is best for them to know. If those who claim to love their “partner” really loved them, then they should be willing to change their relationship in order for that person to make it to heaven. God makes it clear that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). But then He says, “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” (1 Corinthians 6:11). They were able to change their lifestyle and be sanctified and made holy. If they could do it then, people can do it now.

     We cannot just ignore the issue and hope it will go away. Some do not want to address the issue for fear of appearing as if this is all that Christians talk about. We don’t want to single out one sin and ignore all the others. However, no one is trying to force us to accept the lifestyle of murderers as normal. No one is telling our first graders that lying is just an alternate method of communication. No one is mandating that we never speak out against those living in adultery, or else be accused of hate speech. While I would agree that this is not the only sin, and that it is not any more important than any other sin, it is one that the world wants us to accept and embrace as normal, and that does make it different. We have an obligation to speak the truth in love, but sometimes we swing the pendulum too far in one direction or the other. We do need to speak out on this issue. If we do not, then who will warn the world? See Ezekiel 3:17 and Matthew 5:13-16.

     Why does it matter? Many will ask the question of the Christian, “Why do you care if two people get married?” “How does that affect you?” Here is the thing. To be a Christian means that you belong to Christ. He is your Lord and Master. How can we then divorce ourselves from God and act as if something that He has called an abomination has no affect on us? Can we really ignore or rejoice over something that grieves God’s Holy Spirit, and still call ourselves one of His? (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30). It matters because of our struggle against the darkness of this world. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Our struggle is for the souls of mankind, and in that struggle we must be on God’s side if we are to be one of His children.

     Additionally, it matters because as a nation we will all be subject to the consequences of God’s wrath. When the Israelites conquered Jericho they were told not to take of the accursed things that were in Jericho. However, Achan took of the spoils and the whole camp was affected by the punishment for that sin (Joshua 7). When God’s patience ran out on the nation of Israel and all of their idolatry, they were taken away into the Babylonian captivity. Not all of the Israelites were guilty of idolatry, but they still suffered the consequences of the sins of that nation. Today, we say, “Well, what affect does it have on me if two men want to get married?” Make no mistake about it, God will punish sin. “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). God’s patience eventually ran out with Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Israel. You can read about that in the pages of the Old Testament. When God decides that His patience with America has run out, it will affect us all. It is up to us to try to return our nation to the principles of God before it is too late. It would do us well to heed the words of God, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Marriage matters to us, because marriage matters to God.

Independence

Posted on by under Christian Living

Washington-DC     Independence is something that most Americans desire.  We want to be our own boss.  We do not like being told what to do.  We want to be the ones in charge of our life and our decisions.  When we go to 7-11, we want the 44 ounce Mountain Dew, and we do not want someone telling us we cannot have it.

     In the time of Jesus there were a good many Jews who also longed for their independence.  They did not like it that Rome was in charge and they had no say over their political affairs.  A faction of the Jews known as the Zealots tried to make things difficult on the Romans.  They assassinated leaders and revolted against Rome, which led to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the Zealot’s last stand at Masada (Josephus, Wars of the Jews).

   While political independence is something to be desired, we need to realize that we will never be totally independent.  We cannot create our own food out of nothing.  We cannot create the air we breathe in by speaking it into existence.  We cannot make our hearts stop and start beating.  We need to recognize our dependence upon God.

     God, through the pen of Paul, lets us know that we are all slaves to someone.  We are either slaves/servants of God, or we are slaves of the evil one. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16 NKJV).  We may think that we are being independent when we choose to walk away from God, but we are only making ourselves slaves to someone/something else.

     If we want true freedom from sin, if we want a reward in heaven when this life is over, then we need to realize our total dependence upon God.  We need to learn of His will, and we need to obey Him (Matthew 7:21ff; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).  Jesus said that we could know the truth, and that the truth would make us free from sin (John 8:32).  Thus, we can have independence from the evil one, but only by being dependent upon God!  God will not force us to choose Him.  That is our independent choice.  Who will you choose to depend upon?

The Impossible Dream?

Posted on by under Doctrine

Fergusonhug-v2     Unity.  Too often today we look for unity, only to find division and strife.  Whether in regards to race relations, politics, sports, or our outlook on life, we as a people seem to have gravitated towards focusing on what divides us rather than what unites us.  But how do we achieve unity?  Is it achievable?  How do we begin?

     First we need to realize that unity is only achievable if we are all using the same standard to measure our beliefs and behaviors.  That standard is the Word of God.  If we would all go to the Bible for the foundation of our beliefs, our behavior, our religious practices, and what we say and do, then we would have unity.  Not possible, you say?  Well, just look at Jesus’ own Apostles.  One of them was Simon, a zealot (Luke 6:15).  The zealots were known for political assassinations of Romans and for stirring the people up in revolt.  Another of the Apostles was Matthew, who was a tax collector for the Romans (Matthew 10:3).  Yet, the two of them worked together in unity as Apostles, because they were united in Christ, the Word of God (John 1:1-2, 14).

     If we were to use the Bible as our guide, not our own understanding or our own thoughts and ideas, then we could fulfill Jesus’ prayer in the garden.  Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20-21 NKJV).  Jesus wanted His followers to be one, to all be on the same page, to be united, so that the world would believe.  Many point to divisions between religious groups as proof that there is no God.  They are right about the divisions, but not about atheism.

     The Scriptures often speak of unity.  We are to be of the same mind (Rom. 12:16; 1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 2:2; 3:16; 4:2; 1 Peter 4:1).  We are to speak the same things (1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 4:13).  We are to have the same foundation (1 Cor. 3:10-11; Eph. 2:19-20).  Paul wrote, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3 emphasis added).

     We are to have unity, but not a unity where we water down God’s word to the point that it is no longer recognizable.  We can preach tolerance for others and diversity to the point where we accept two mutually opposite points as both being true.  How can that be?  No, if we are to have unity, then that unity must be based upon the same standard.  It must be based upon the truth of God’s Word.  We do not achieve unity by capitulating on the truth or by trying to make truth relative.

     You may not believe that we can have unity.  However, in looking at how much the Bible speaks of unity ask yourself one question.  Would God ask us to do something that is not possible?  God as told us to be unified.  He has given us His standard to guide us in that unity.  His Son prayed for that unity.  Why do that if it is not achievable?  If we would just go to His Word, study what it really says, and then do that, we could have unity.  We could be one in Christ like as the Apostles.  That would be a better way!

How Did They Know That?

Posted on by under Christian Evidences

The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17      Have you ever been amazed by a child, perhaps your own, who shows that they have been paying attention to something that was said? Maybe they show a grasp of a new idea, and you can see that light bulb going off in their head for the first time. Sometimes we may wonder, “How did they know that,” or “how did they pick up on that idea.”

    In the Bible there are many examples that can be studied where the writers of the Holy Scriptures had a knowledge of scientific facts that would not be discovered by man for many, many years. This should lead us to the same question that we have with the child. Just how did they know that? For instance, consider what we read in the book of Isaiah. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:21-22 NKJV).

      Notice that as Isaiah is speaking about our God, the Creator of the universe, he mentions that God sits above the circle of the earth. Isaiah is writing this sometime around 750 B.C., and he knows that the earth is round – it is a circle. Today we take this knowledge for granted, but it took a long time for man to come to the realization that the earth is round. We no longer worry about sailing over the edge of the earth. But how did Isaiah know this? He had never circumvented the globe or traveled into space to see this for himself.

       Furthermore, Job states “He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7). Job had never traveled into outer space either, so how does he know that the earth hangs on nothing? The ancients had all sorts of theories about what the earth was like and how it was held up. One theory was that Atlas held the world on his shoulders. Another was that the earth was on the back of some great tortoise. Now that we have traveled beyond our atmosphere, man can see that the earth indeed hangs on nothing.

       Did these men just get lucky with their knowledge of scientific facts that would not be discovered for a long, long time? That is unlikely. The only way these men could have known this information to be true is that God revealed this to them. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). This is just one small proof that the Bible is not from man, but indeed has been penned by God through His Holy Spirit!

Why Can’t I Use Any Wood?

Posted on by under Article

Gopherwood     In today’s modern culture there is an emphasis on self sufficiency. That is, man believes that he is to be the ultimate judge and determiner of his own destiny. He does not need to rely on any one else. In such a spirit, we can imagine a modern day Noah asking the title question when God instructed him to make an ark.

     In the story of Noah, we see that God specified that Noah was to use a particular type of wood for the ark. God said, “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch” (Genesis 6:14 NKJV). While we do not know today just exactly what gopherwood was, it is clear that this is the wood that God specified that Noah was to use. It would not do for Noah to use any type of wood. When God specifically told him to use one kind of wood, He expressly eliminated all other types of wood. We see Noah’s righteousness in that he did just what God had commanded him to do (Genesis 6:22). Noah would not have been blessed had he not obeyed what God told him to do and used another type of wood.

     God did not need to provide Noah with a list of all the types of wood that were forbidden. He only needed to specify which wood was acceptable for the task. Today, many want to take the pages of Scripture and say that they are allowed to do whatever God has not specifically condemned. However, this is a misapplication of God’s Holy Word. For instance, God did not command us to make music, but instead told us to sing (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19). Had He told us to simply make music, we could do whatever we wished. Instead, He commands us to sing. That command to sing eliminates all other forms of music. He does not need to list all that is forbidden, since He has specified what is acceptable. It is the same as a sign on the restroom that specifies “Men.” That sign does not need to list who is not allowed, since it only authorizes men to enter.

     There are many other examples that can be used to show the same line of reasoning.  The fire that Nadab and Abihu used would be another indication that God specified what He wanted, and it eliminated all other types of fire (Lev. 10:1-3).  Just as Noah could not use any wood that he saw fit to use, we cannot be of the opinion that we can wander from what God has specified with regards to our worship to Him in our singing.  Let us not be guilty of going beyond what God has commanded!

Graduation Day

Posted on by under Current Events

10408708_292224034286727_3125514176653518821_n     Well, it’s that time of year again. Young men and women all across the country are completing one phase of their life and are preparing to move on to their next step. It is scary to leave what we know for the unknown, but it is also exciting to begin something new. Someday each of us will face a similar transition as we graduate from this life and move on into eternity. Thus we should also look to prepare ourselves for that graduation day.

     We see that Jesus spoke of this time of transition when He told His disciples that He would separate mankind as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32ff). In every graduation ceremony there are those who achieve honor by graduating with high grades or perhaps being named valedictorian. Likewise we see that Jesus will reward the faithful by bidding them to, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34b NKJV). Sadly those who fail at life’s test will meet a far different end, as they will depart into everlasting destruction, which is reserved for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

     Therefore, just as it is important for the student to prepare himself so that he may graduate with honors we also should prepare ourselves by living faithfully for that Great Day to come. Our future depends upon what we do in this life. Graduation day is approaching, are you ready?