When the Trumpet Sounds!

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NLT)

Just so there’s no confusion, in the verses above Paul is writing to believers in Christ Jesus. When he refers to “we” in the verses above he’s speaking to those who by grace have been forgiven and their sins blotted out by the blood of Jesus, not to every human being. All human beings will one day stand before the judgment seat of God, but those who know Christ will not be judged for sin; thus, will stand with no fear of hell.

Here’s the tragedy: EVERY knee will bow, and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. The scales will be removed from the mind and heart of every person, but those who have already believed will go to heaven to rejoice with and worship the King of kings. But those who have rejected Him on earth and failed to recognize the Truth that was right before them, will play over and over in their mind throughout all eternity: “Why did I wait? How could I have been so blind? How did I miss Jesus?”

Imagine the agony of heart and the torment of mind and soul when you finally understand that what your believing friends have been trying to help you understand is true! Finally, but too late, you’ll discover that the sin that you loved so much, has cost you your soul. Can we even begin to reckon with the pain of now knowing what we could and should have done, but now it’s eternally too late?

Unbelievers are critical of a God who would sentence the very human beings He created to an eternity of torment and anguish, but when they do that, they reveal their ignorance of the measures God has taken so that doesn’t have to be their end. God’s love is why He allowed His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come to earth in the first place.

Jesus came on a mission to earth that He knew would end in His death, but He was willing to pay that extravagant price so that no one would miss heaven. But because He gave us free will He doesn’t force anyone to receive the gift of eternal life that He purchased with His shed blood on the Cross. It’s a gift offered to every person who has or ever will live. If you don’t think that’s a big deal, how quickly would you be willing to lay down your life for someone else’s sin?

What about the people who lived before He came? Why do you think He wanted three days in the tomb? The second He died He could have immediately come back to life, but that was never the plan. During those hours His tortured body lay in the tomb, He was off visiting those who had died before, who had had no option to receive the gift He purchased on the Cross on their behalf, so they could be forgiven and saved. His blood was enough to purchase the forgiveness of every person who ever has or ever will live, but it’s their choice.

To blame God for someone going to hell is like someone stealing a person’s car, crashing it, and killing themselves, then their family blaming the owner of the car for their death. If someone goes to hell, they have no one to blame but themselves. The gift is offered to “whosoever will” (Matthew 16:25).

Please, I’m begging you, please accept the free gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right now! Please don’t wait another second, because the next second isn’t promised. You have THIS second; take advantage of the precious gift you’re being offered. You will literally NEVER regret it.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed