Good Tidings from Heaven

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

In this materialistic age of keeping up with the Joneses, many are satisfied with the mere semblance of wealth. It matters not how deeply they may be in debt to secure a certain image, just as long as they appear to be wealthy. They may not actually ‘own’ what they proudly display, but this is offset with the sheer delight they experience when others seem to envy their lifestyle and comment on their car or house. Semblance for them is more important than substance and appearance than the actual. Such people are really living a lie and very often the cost of keeping up appearances takes its toll. The ‘tyranny of things’ can become a millstone around the neck and cause much sorrow. The clear warning of Scripture is, "They that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." 1Timothy 6.10.

We must never delude ourselves into thinking that if I look like a Christian, or dress like a Christian, or try to act like a Christian or be in the company of Christians that I will eventually become one and maybe God Himself will fail to notice the difference and allow me into Heaven. "Be not deceived" — the soul-searching, penetrating gaze of the Omniscient will find you out and nothing but reality will count. In Matthew 22 we read of a man who appeared at a wedding feast without the requisite dress. He appears to have managed to slip through without anyone detecting his falsehood but there was one he could not deceive and in verse 11 it states: "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:" Those all-seeing eyes immediately noticed the glaring lack. Hebrews 4.13 reminds us that "… all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

Why accept a replica when you can have the genuine article? Why endure the misery of pretence when you can have God’s great salvation and become one of the blessed beneficiaries of the work accomplished by Christ on the Cross? Obtain today the greatest blessing that anyone can possess and rejoice to know that you have eternal life and will forever be in Heaven. Not all the wealth of all the world could purchase this salvation but you can accept it as a free gift from a bountiful God who delights to bless and desires the salvation of all men. To this end the Lord Jesus "gave Himself a ransom for all" 1Timothy 2.6. Gratefully and gladly do we often sing, "None need perish, all may live for Christ has died."

Rid yourself of all sham and acknowledge to God what you know yourself to be, a guilty, helpless sinner in need of mercy and forgiveness. Confess your sins to Him who is willing to pardon and by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ and accepting that what He did at Calvary has met all the righteous demands of God and therefore has met all your need, enter into the blessedness of peace with God.

Then you will be a Christian, for "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:" John 3.36 You will then be assured that you have something that God Himself cannot find fault with for He it was who gave His only begotten Son and He it was who designed the great redemption plan that involved the death of His only Son that you might live eternally. Do not allow anyone to convince you that there is an alternative, but confidently trust Him who said," I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." Christ "was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." 2Corinthians 8.9.