Our choice whether we will be rescued or not

"The reality of our eternal future should never be far from our thinking, so that our values and priorities reflect God’s values and priorities. "

The world around us is changing rapidly. As we look to the future, nothing seems certain except uncertainty. This fact confronts our values and our priorities in life.

The Christian sees beyond this present world in two ways. Firstly, we understand that there is an unseen spiritual ingredient to our existence that is all around us all of the time. This is usually referred to as the “spiritual realm”. Reality is not just what we see and there is a huge slice of it that we don’t see. But just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean that it is not profoundly influential in the world that we do see.

Secondly, we believe that everyone lives on after death, and those who put their trust in Jesus will have everlasting bliss. This life is temporary, but our existence after death is eternal.

These two factors mean that the Christian is, in a very real sense, a person of two worlds: the seen and the unseen. Therefore, the believer is described in the Bible as a “pilgrim” passing through this life, journeying towards his or her eternal reward in the life to come.

In the meantime, the reality of our eternal future should never be far from our thinking, so that our values and priorities reflect God’s values and priorities.

The book of 1 John 2:17 says it like this: “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Let’s think about what this verse is saying, with the following story: Imagine that you are a passenger on the Titanic. During the night, the ship hits an iceberg and you are hurled into the cold sea. You bob about for a while, slowly losing your strength. As you continue to struggle, you begin to feel yourself starting to sink. You are doomed unless you can find a solution fast.

You desperately look around you. To your left, just within swimming distance, you see a man desperately struggling in the water. He is in a far worse state than you because he is going under. There’s no hope for him.

However, you turn to your right and, also within swimming distance, you see an empty lifeboat. You now have a choice where to swim to for a chance of saving your life. Are you going to head for the drowning man and cling to him for safety? That would be foolish. All he’ll do is grab you in a vice-like grip and drag you under. You won’t have the strength to resist.

Or will you swim to the lifeboat and find safety? You may then be able to save some other people in the water. Your failing body tells you there are only seconds to choose. What would you do?

The answer is obvious. Swim for the lifeboat.

Now, the world is like the drowning man to your left. This is sad but true. The Bible says this present age won’t last forever and society is going to get a lot worse before it is over. If we cling to the world as our place of security than we’ll sink along with it.

The lifeboat represents salvation found in Jesus. God the Father has only one lifeboat, but it’s big enough for everyone who chooses it.

“The world is passing away, but he who does the will of God abides forever.” God’s will is to rescue people, but it’s our choice whether we will be rescued or not.