Are You Ready for Eternity?
 

Have you ever stopped to think about just how long eternity is?  Are you ready for eternity?

Here is an illustration of just how long eternity is:

At some point in its orbit, Pluto is 2.6 billion miles away from Earth. If we were interested in transferring Earth to Pluto, we could have a bird take 1 grain of sand at a time, fly towards the Sun, make 100 orbits, fly to Pluto and deposit that grain and return to Earth and repeat this process until all of Earth has been transported. The length of time to complete this would only be a blink of the eye in eternity.

All of us need to soberly live each day in view of eternity. Eternity is only a heartbeat away. It awaits us all, for it is this "never ending ages" that we will spend either in the presence of God, or in separation from Him.

What does the Scripture teach about eternity?

1. Christ will judge all men, and each person will either enjoy everlasting life, or be subject to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46) – "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

2. Only Christ has the words of eternal life (John 6:68) – "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

3. Eternal life is a free gift and a promise from God (Romans 6:23) – "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

4. Believers who read what has been written and obey it may know they have eternal life (1 John 5:13) – "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”

When we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ on the last day, (2 Corinthians 5:10 – "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”), the Bible states that we shall be separated as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32-33 states "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”  On which side will you stand, the right or the left?  The story is told of the second coming of Christ, and thousands of people, who had not obeyed the gospel of Christ, fell on their faces and prayed Lord have mercy on me.  God placed these very ones on His left side and said unto them, "Depart from Me for I know you not.”  Jesus said, I do not find your name recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Matthew 7:21-23 – "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Revelation 20:15 – "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Again I ask you, will you be on the right or on the left?