Browsing the books in a charity shop recently I came across, 'How to stay alive', written by the supreme survivalist of our day, Bear Grylls. Now this grabbed my attention as I began to think to myself... I'm actually a bit of of survivalist myself. After all, I've weathered school dinners, season tickets for Raith Rovers FC and even 3 different forms of cancer!
But then the sub-heading of this book also caught my eye, 'The ultimate survival guide for any situation'. Well, I said to myself, this could prove very handy. After all, you never know when you might have to build a raft, escape from a sewer or even wrestle a crocodile! (Yes, this book tells us how to do all 3). So, with this in mind, I splashed out my £2 and bought the book. And believe you me it contains a veritable treasure trove of guidance, hints, tips and advice on how to survive just about every conceivable emergency known to mankind... sorry, personkind, to be entirely pc... that is, all but one.
PERILOUS PREDICAMENT
Yes, would you believe it, that one omission is the most widespread and serious of them all... widespread because it's relevant to us all, and serious because of its horrific, everlasting consequences. Yes, you've probably guessed it. The one great crisis scenario that isn't addressed in this book is... How to survive the judgement of God. Oh yes, it is going to happen. After all the Lord Jesus Christ Himself warns us in the following way...
'Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.'
Matthew 10:28
Of course the most recent national census tells us that most UK adults don't believe in the existence of God at all. In other words, they find it easier to believe that absolutely nothing made absolutely everything. But this is another issue, and no doubt another blog!
DEADLY DECEIT
Anyway, turning to those who do believe in some form of Higher Authority well, so many hope that the 'good' in their life will outweigh the 'bad', and if so they'll earn divine approval and acceptance for a place in heaven. And of course this sounds so sensible, so logical, so acceptable... the only problem is that it's simply NOT TRUE. In fact, it's one of the most dangerous, deceptive, seductive lies that is put about by the powers of darkness. Whilst millions like to believe this... the problem is they don't realise that the one true Holy God isn't impressed in the slightest when we try to justify ourselves in this way. Far from it. His verdict on even the best of us is that in His sight...
'...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags...'
Isaiah 64:6 .
...and that includes all of us...
'...no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law...'
Romans 3:20
SUPREME SURVIVAL
So is there an answer? Well of course there is, and it's there for all to see, set out for us in black and white in another book, God's book, the Bible. Yes, everlasting security can be ours by heeding His clear survival message summarised in the words of the hymn...
'Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free.
For God, the just, is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.'
No, you may never need to know how to build a raft, escape from a sewer or wrestle a crocodile, but when it comes to everlasting survival, let God have the final word...
'...how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?'
Hebrews 2:3
