2 Corinthians 5:13-15 (NKJV) For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
The Apostle Paul was one of the most passionate preachers of the gospel recorded in the Bible. He would rather be accursed in exchange for the salvation of his people. One possible reason that drove him so passionately is the revelation given to him by God. After reading what he has written in this passage, we also possess the same knowledge.
According to statistics, four people enter a Christless eternity every few seconds. God is compelling us to reach out to the lost with the gospel, and we need to heed His urging in our hearts and the work entrusted to the church.
There are two kinds of death: physical and spiritual. Unless we are born again, we will confront these two deaths. While we have no control regarding when we die physically, we can choose to continue living spiritually despite our physical death. That choice lies in accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Those without Christ in their lives will face spiritual death, which means being eternally separated from God. However, if we are born again, our names will be recorded in the Book of Life, we will be sealed with the Holy Spirit, and will spend eternity with God, though we will die physically.
James 2:26a (NKJV) For as the body without the spirit is dead,
We are three-part beings, comprising spirit, soul, and body. When God breathed into created beings from the earth, the first Adam came alive. Similarly, a person is dead when the spirit being departs from the body, yet the spirit being will live for eternity. Therefore, one can either spend eternity in God’s presence or be separated from Him forever. We must tell our loved ones the good news so that they make the right decision.
The decision to be part of God’s family can only be made when we are on earth after hearing the gospel. Anyone who rejects God after hearing the gospel or has not heard the gospel awaits the final judgement at the Great White Throne, when those whose names are not in the Book of Life will be thrown into eternal fire. Everyone gets to die once and face judgement thereafter.
Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement.
How does this truth increase your sense of urgency? Let’s heed the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share God’s compelling love with our friends, colleagues and neighbours for you are the Christian witness that God has placed among them.
Sermon: Sharing God’s compelling love with the I Found Him booklet
分享上帝那令人信服的爱
哥林多后书5:13-15 我们若果癫狂,是为神;若果谨守,是为你们。原来基督的爱激励我们:因我们想,一人既替众人死,众人就都死了;並且他替众人死,是叫那些活着的人不再为自己活,乃为替他们死而复活的主活。
使徒保罗是《圣经》中记载的最火热的福音传道者之一。为了换取他的人民的救赎,他宁愿受咒诅。驱使他如此热忱的一个可能的原因是上帝所赐给他的启示。读了这段经文后,我们也拥有了同样的认知。
据统计,每隔几秒钟就有四个人进入无基督的永恒。上帝在敦促我们向失丧的人传福 音,我们需要听从神在我们心中的催促,以及所托付给教会的工作。
死亡有两种:肉体的和灵性的。除非我们重生,否则都会面对这两种死亡。虽然我们无法控制肉体的死亡,但我们可以选择在肉体死亡后继续属灵的生命。这个选择在于接受耶稣基督作为我们的主和救主。那些生命中没有基督的人将面对灵性的死亡,这意味着永远与神隔绝。然而,如果我们重生了,我们的名字将被记录在生命册上,我们将被圣灵封印,并将与神共度永恒,尽管我们会肉体死亡。
雅各书2:26a 因为身体没有灵魂是死的,
我们是由三个部分组成的,即灵、魂和体。当上帝将气息吹入地上的受造物时,第一个人亚当便活了。同样地,当人的灵离开身体时,人就死了;而灵将永远活着。因此,人们要么于神的同在中度过永恒,要么永远与祂隔绝。我们必须告诉所爱之人这个好消息,好教他们作出正确的决定。
加入上帝家庭的决定只能在我们听闻福音之后尚在世时作出。无论是谁,凡是听闻福音之后拒绝上帝,或者未曾听闻福音的人,都会在白色大宝座前等待最终的审判,到时候那些名字不在生命册上的人将被投入永恒的火中。每个人都会死一次,然后面对审判。
希伯来书9:27 按着定命,人人都有一死,死后且有审判。
这一真理如何加剧你的紧迫感?让我们遵从圣灵的引导,与我们的朋友、同事和邻居分享上帝那强烈的爱,因为你是上帝在他们中间设立的基督徒见证人。
讲道系列:通过《我找到了祂》小册子分享上帝那令人信服的爱
Image Source:pixabay.com