What Happened to Bill and Marion? (a 3-part series)

What Happened to Bill and Marion?

Regardless of where you live or work, your economic or social status, your family situation or your age it’s quite likely you’ve met folks like Bill and Marion. Maybe Bill is a little like your father or your brother, or perhaps when you look into a mirror you see something of him in yourself. Marion might remind you of your sister, your mother, your best friend or dearest aunt. They are in many ways the kind of quiet and nondescript couple who might live in the upstairs apartment of your building in the big city or just up the street in your suburban community. In a rural setting they might be the man and wife who live simply and work hard together every day on the adjacent farm. Maybe you’ve checked their selections at the grocery or maybe yours have been checked by someone much like Bill or Marion. Someone like Bill may work in the office cubicle next to yours or coach your son’s Little League team; Marion might be little different from the woman who taught your children math in school. You may even know folks a lot like Bill or Marion in your church. When you meet them you’ll probably think of Bill and Marion as an all-around happy couple of good and upstanding character, great neighbors, ready friends to everyone and respectable members of the community who are leading the kind of life you’d like to emulate.

Because Bill and Marion are the kinds of people everyone loves you’ll probably be as shocked and heartbroken as anyone to learn that unexpectedly on a bright and mild Friday morning, the first day of October, Bill and Marion have been involved in a terrible traffic accident. How did the accident happen and why? Before we answer those questions let’s find out more about Bill and Marion.

A rather average guy

William – Billy to his friends as he was growing up, Bill only after he grew a little older – was born in the latter nineteen forties about a couple of years after his father returned from service in WWII. The eldest of three children, Bill was two years older than his sister and five years older than his brother, and with his siblings was reared in a middle-class family in middle-class America with all the middle-class values of the day. Our friend Bill was an attentive student, did well in school and always got along with his classmates and teachers. Bill picked up a trumpet in the school music program but demonstrated only modest talent as a member of the concert band; he was a reliable sixth man on his high school basketball team. Bill’s parents were faithful members of their local church, and along with his sister and brother Bill was always in Sunday school and worship services. At the age of ten he responded to an altar call and was subsequently baptized, after which he regularly continued church attendance with his family.

When Bill began his senior year of high school his sister Emma brought a new classmate home, a young lady named Marion who had just moved into the community with her parents. Marion was a pretty girl with wholesome appeal, and although she turned the head of many high school lads it was Bill who caught her eye so that the two became fast friends, dating occasionally. Bill shared a love of cars with Marion’s older brother Robert and the two young men became close pals but when Robert, aspiring to a military career, enlisted in the Navy after graduation Bill instead attended technical school until he was drafted into the Army. As the day of Bill’s departure approached he and Marion vowed to exchange letters as often as they could, and before she tearfully watched him board a bus to the induction center they renewed that commitment. Ultimately Robert was assigned to a patrol boat in the Mekong River delta of South Vietnam and Bill was tasked with unenviable duty in a front-line Army infantry unit.

After his basic training the promised exchange of letters between Bill and Marion that had begun in earnest continued with ever-increasing frequency and intimacy. Seven months into his year-long combat assignment Bill sent a lengthy and candid pledge of devotion and love, closing with a proposal of marriage, vows he prayed he’d survive to keep. In a missive of equal length and sincerity Marion expressed her ardent reciprocation of Bill’s feelings and joyfully accepted his proposal. A few weeks after Bill returned to civilian life in their small town he and Marion married in a happy ceremony.

Although he had seen and done things in the war that affected him for a lifetime Bill blended into society far better than some of his contemporaries and made a career as an automobile mechanic, soon opening his own successful business. Marion left her job at a retail clothing store to become a stay-at-home mother to their two daughters. Sadly Marion’s brother – Bill’s friend Robert – never made it home from his second tour of duty in Vietnam.

In keeping with their middle-class upbringings and shared values Bill and Marion forged a middle-class family despite the trying social times and raised their children conservatively, with all the middle-class values of that day as well as many carried over from times past. Bill provided well for his family, ensuring they were healthy and happy and comfortable. He and Marion raised their daughters in church, teaching them the value of good morals and hard work. The girls excelled at their studies in school and were active and successful in extra-curricular activities. All things considered, Bill enjoyed a full and happy life.

When both of their children were awarded full academic scholarships to college Bill and Marion took the chance to retire a few years earlier than planned and together delighted in the Alaskan cruise they’d always dreamed of. At the invitation of a friend they soon thereafter tried playing golf and to their mutual surprise enjoyed it. Bill achieved a sixteen handicap – not bad for a man of his age who’d only recently taken up the game; Marion’s handicap was somewhat higher. They played at least one round per week on one of several nearby public courses and Bill always let Marion drive their cart. Fun times shared with Marion and good friends, to be sure.

On the morning of the accident Bill arose a little earlier than normal, brewed his morning coffee while he showered, and then dressed for the day – a round of golf on a public course at the far edge of town where he and Marion would meet a recently retired acquaintance and his wife. Sitting on the patio with his coffee while Marion continued to sleep, Bill envisioned how he’d play the troublesome par-four fifteenth at Essex Park later in the morning where the fairway was slightly downhill and narrow with trees on the right and a sand bunker on the left before it arced to the right toward a water hazard guarding two sides of a small and somewhat elevated green. Maybe, he thought, this would be the day he’d finally stay out of that pesky bunker.

As the sun rose Bill refilled his mug and let his thoughts wander in anticipation of the two-hour drive he and Marion would make the next morning to the nearby state university, where in the afternoon they’d watch their youngest grandson start at middle linebacker against the team’s conference arch rival. Afterward he and Marion would share dinner with their younger daughter Elizabeth and her family before everyone would depart for their respective homes.

Through the years and particularly since retirement Bill had restored several old cars and his current project was a ‘66 Impala. Following Sunday services he’d return to his backyard garage to complete the task of installing newly upholstered seats while Marion relaxed with a book or maybe took in one of the old John Wayne movies she enjoyed on the all-western channel. Altogether it would make for a fun weekend capped off by a nice, relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Marion came outdoors then. Bill was appreciative of many things about his wife. Time had been kind to her in all ways and she carried her age well, appearing to be about fifteen years younger than she really was. Her golfing togs did little to hide the womanly figure she’d maintained and Bill knew that at least in some ways and for a variety of reasons he was the envy of many men. In the years they’d been together he and Marion had only grown closer, sharing the good times while weathering life’s numerous adversities side-by-side and hand-in-hand. Sometimes, just like with his buddies in the old days of the war, he and Marion had gone back-to-back against all comers and somehow prevailed. That made Bill smile to himself; he could have asked for no better wife than Marion. They lounged for a while over coffee and store-bought cinnamon buns heated in the microwave and shared happy conversation before it was time to leave for the golf course. Because Bill always put their clubs and accessories in the trunk the afternoon before any such planned outing everything was prepared for the drive across town.

Traffic was light as Bill merged onto the expressway to establish his speed at a mile or two below the limit, driving in the outside lane. In his mirrors he could see the transport truck that would soon overtake him and pass on his left. During his glance into the mirrors Bill didn’t realize he’d driven over a small piece of metal debris fallen from the tow truck a quarter-mile ahead. As he and Marion were approaching an over-pass the roadway curved slightly to the left, and that’s when the right front tire of Bill’s car blew out. As the car veered sharply in that direction and side-swiped the guard rail hard Bill fought for control. Rebounding from that collision, the car caromed even more abruptly to its left. There was no time for panic as Bill’s concentration was only upon regaining control of the car while it slowed and turned broadside toward the oncoming traffic. The driver of the transport truck had no time to react; Bill neither saw the impact coming nor did he feel the forces of the crash as, at highway speed, the truck struck his car in the driver’s door.

A friend and mentor

Much like Bill, Marion was born into an average working-class family late in the 1940’s. Her father was occupied in heavy construction and her mother brought in extra money as a seamstress so that along with her older brother Robert she enjoyed a comfortable middle-class upbringing. Had we met Marion during her early years we might never have described her as shy but she ordinarily reserved the expression of her deepest emotions for the most private of times with only the closest of friends. During the first years of her education in public schools Marion displayed talent as a singer, and although she tried a few other outlets for her various talents she most enjoyed raising her voice in song.

When Marion’s older brother Robert was twelve he accepted Christ and was baptized by the local church she and Robert attended regularly with their parents. Curious as to what had precipitated the changes she saw in her brother Marion asked and Robert used his Bible as he explained the plan of salvation in terms that Marion could understand. After a few days of painful conviction Marion too came to trust in Jesus. She used her singing talent in the church’s youth choir and soon became a valued member not only for her singing ability but as a friend and mentor to some of the other young people.

In the summer between her freshman and sophomore years Marion’s father learned that a new and very large hospital complex was to be built in a neighboring town, a job that would keep him securely employed for quite a while. Although Marion didn’t wish to leave her school, her church or her friends behind she endured the move and spent much of that summer adjusting to life in a new town and making friends in a new church. Then on the first day of the school term Marion met Emma and her life changed. When she met Marion’s older brother Billy her life changed even more. Robert had also met Billy on that first day of school and together the two boys found a lot of common interests, not the least of which were basketball and cars, so with their parent’s permission Marion and Robert began attending church with Emma and her family. Marion and Billy became dear friends and confidants, went to the movies or out for burgers and ice cream several times, laughed a lot at each others jests and consoled each other whenever some circumstance or other seemed overwhelming. Marion knew – just knew – that Billy was the only guy for her.

Soon after graduation day at the end of that term Robert left town to pursue a career in the Navy; Billy stayed in town and enrolled at a local technical school but was drafted into the Army shortly thereafter. As the day of Billy’s departure approached they promised to write as often as possible. Marion knew there might be difficulties with such a long-distance relationship and she feared it would wane; to her delight it flourished instead! When Billy was sent away to the war in Vietnam she prayed as ardently for his safety as she did for Robert’s. Billy didn’t like being in the Army or the war or what the war was forcing him to do and his letters reflected his feelings regarding those things if Marion read closely between the lines. His feelings for her, however, were always expressed openly and he never failed to tell her that he valued her love and her prayers. As their letters became exchanged more frequently and as the content became more intimate Marion was convinced that Billy’s every statement of devotion and love was true. When he asked her to marry him she was elated.

Billy – Bill by then – eventually survived the war physically unscathed and returned to their small town. The ceremony in which they pledged the remainder of their lives to one another was a simple but joyful one and the couple established themselves in a small house on the outskirts of town, a quiet home from which Bill’s career as an automobile mechanic supported them well and their first child, Charlotte, was born two years later. Charlotte was only three months old when on a Saturday afternoon their pastor knocked on the door to say that Marion’s mother had called and asked him to deliver terrible news – Robert had been killed when his patrol boat had taken heavy enemy fire. Bill was as heartbroken as Marion and took the news hard so they went to Marion’s parent’s home, finding the Navy chaplain and a bereavement officer still there. It was one of the saddest days of Marion’s life.

Through the years thereafter Marion attended seminars and audited classes at a local community college in preparation to volunteer as a counselor and mentor within one of her church’s ministry outreach programs. Her focus was primarily on helping young people through the process of grieving, always sharing her faith and always extolling the virtue of Jesus. Including her daughters Charlotte and Elizabeth, Marion led more than a few to faith in Christ.

On the morning of the accident Marion awoke easily just as the first rays of golden dawn illuminated her bedroom. She lay curled on her right side and snuggled in the warmth of the covers before reaching across to touch the now-cool emptiness on Bill’s side of the bed. She indulged herself the same satisfied smile she’d never been able to repress. Life with Bill had always been good. Oh, they’d had their moments just as all married couples do, their minor disagreements and even a couple of out-and-out arguments through the years but they’d weathered financial worries and the stresses associated with raising two daughters in turbulent social times. Their lives could have been so much more difficult. After a moment’s reflection Marion arose, showered, and dressed for the day before going to the kitchen for a mug of the coffee Bill had brewed. With mug in hand she smiled again. Bill liked his coffee strong and rich and black without sugar, and across their shared lifetime she had on occasion made jokes about it – that he should consider using it to paint cars, grease squeaky wheels, or perhaps sell it to the highway department for the patching of potholes. Dressed for their golf date with new friends Dale and Cynthia, Marion stepped out onto the patio of the home she and Bill had shared for many years. They snacked on breakfast buns. Marion enjoyed a second mug of coffee while easy conversation flowed. Then it was time to leave for the golf course.

It was a beautiful morning to be out and about, a glorious day to be with Bill as her husband confidently turned onto the expressway for the routine drive across town, and Marion allowed her thoughts to drift in anticipation of the drive they’d take tomorrow. Football was not a sport in which Marion had ever had interest until Evan, the younger of her grandsons, had begun to play. Now there was talk of him as a good prospect for the professional draft, perhaps even being taken in an early round. Like his sister, Evan was an intelligent lad who – without warning Marion heard a loud, dull ‘pop’ and felt herself tossed a little to her left. An even louder screeching sound accompanied a shower of glass from the exploding window beside her as she felt herself being tossed more violently to her right toward the guard rail she could see at eye level through the broken window. The bite of the seat belt across her shoulder and torso was uncomfortable but bearable. Then Marion felt she might become totally weightless as a hard jolt came from her left and a thunderous ‘thud’ came to her ears and she knew the car was being overturned. There was no fear, no panic, no pain as Marion realized the entire sequence of events had taken far less than a heartbeat. She saw the pavement rising on her right, then she saw the sky. Then she saw the pavement again before Marion saw the most amazing things.

What Marion saw first…

…were the angels… thousands upon countless thousands of joyous angels… each spirit touching her spirit and leading her on a journey that Marion could only have described as a very long one although she had no spatial perception whatsoever. It was a journey that might have taken a very long time but that seemed to take no time at all because space and time did not exist in this place where nothing solid was beneath her or anywhere around her, yet Marion was certain she wasn’t exactly floating, either. Still, everything around her had substance. She simply was. She would always be because she had always been… Marion. Overwhelmed by tranquility and peace, she was in total harmony with her… universe wasn’t the proper word; state of being, that was it. Marion was in perfect harmony with a state of spiritual being that was in total harmony with its immutable SELF. Although she was not actually among the stars Marion was fully aware of them; she was not a star but shone with a light that in some ways was not unlike that of the stars before noting that she shone far more brightly than any star. There was light everywhere, coming from all directions at once. Marion found herself in awe and wonder at the beauty all around her as the destination to which the angels guided her hove into view. Colors suddenly began to appear, all the colors she had ever seen or could have ever described and many more that defied description altogether, shimmering waves of visual delight emanating from no perceivable source. No two of them were precisely alike, no two of exactly the same shade or hue, and all were blended perfectly in a constantly shifting kaleidoscopic dance that seemed not to be choreographed or even symmetrical that was at the same time perfectly coordinated. Marion could readily identify each light-color individually and promptly realized that she had met some of them before. Robert was there, and her mother and father, Aunt Liz, her grandparents, many others she knew. Despite the intensity of the colors the light of each was also pure white. Darkness did not exist; the light simply came from everywhere all at once.

The colors that were the souls of saints were singing a melodious rhapsody far more intricate than any Marion had ever heard or could have imagined, a song comprised not only of words but also meanings so very deep as to defy words, each voice individually identifiable, each song unique even though blended flawlessly with all the others. There was no awareness of time although Marion was somehow vaguely aware that time must surely be passing. Even a perception of time was now impossible and time no longer held any meaning for her. She chose not to think on the matter more as she came to the conclusion that she wasn’t exactly certain what time was or ever had been anyway. She was only certain that in this timeless place she was secure.

And then Marion realized that she too possessed a color that was unique to her and that even though she made no conscious effort to do so she too sang a song that was all her own. Even though unique it blended seamlessly into the whole, a spontaneous and eternal song of praise and thanks to Jesus, whom she could plainly see now and into whose eyes she could gaze for eternity. She looked upon the LIGHT, the source of everything that had ever been, the ONE GREAT ETERNAL ENTITY, the I AM who had never been nor ever could be associated with darkness. So deeply did the Divine eyes of Jesus gaze into her spirit that Marion was only able to tell Him how unworthy she was to look upon His glory; He assured her that in His love and by His compassionate grace she was precisely where He wanted her to be. The very spirit of Christ Himself touched Marion’s spirit then, enveloped it, absorbed it and held it tenderly. Marion knew that she was safe forevermore.

She had the ability to move about in the place she now knew to be heaven but her movement required neither effort nor even conscious thought. She was simply somewhere else, wherever she wanted to be yet she, like all the others, was everywhere at once, sharing fellowship with all who like her had received the gift of eternal life.

But there’s more Bill’s story…

Bill didn’t recall the event that ended his physical life, not that the circumstances mattered to him at all. The only thing of which he became acutely aware was… everything going on around him… all at once. Bill found himself in an absolutely dark place, enveloped within a bottomless emptiness that he fully understood wasn’t empty at all. He was immersed in it both literally and unequivocally and he knew his doomed fate was irreversibly sealed. Bill’s heart sank within him, as he knew it forevermore would. There was no question in Bill’s mind as he realized he was eternally separated from God. He cast his mind’s gaze inward upon the blackness of his own condemned spirit even as he frantically searched in all directions at once for any hint of light. So deep and bereft of illumination were Bill’s eternal surroundings that not even the flames torturing him cast a ray of brightness. The Source of all Light was not present in this frightful place of torment, and tormented Bill indeed was by an all-consuming, all-searing heat that he knew would never fully destroy him in a fire that would never end. Bill’s spirit sank to a depth of despair far beyond any he could ever with human words have described. Within an immeasurable instant of what he once would have described as time he reminded himself over and over where he was. He knew he was irredeemably in hell.

Total annihilation, he thought, would be better than this. Total oblivion would be better than this. Anything would be better than this, and yet Bill knew he would never cease to exist in his current state, never cease to be fully aware of… everything… all at once. Bill had no measure by which to fathom the depth of his despair.

Coming from all around him Bill could hear screams of woe and pain – breathless, endless, wordless shrieks so numerous they blended into an impenetrable wall of sound, yet blended as they were each was trenchant and somehow louder than all the others. Bill heard each moan of agony, every cry of despair, all the pleas for mercy clearly and distinctly. He was completely alone within himself, yet in the darkness he was in the company of countless others he could not see, and from somewhere deep within his immortal consciousness Bill was fully aware that his own screams of suffering and affliction were added to blend with all the others. Like all the voices around him Bill cried out to God for the extension of mercy even as he knew God was no longer listening – Bill had had his opportunity to receive God’s offer of pardon and the extension of God’s saving grace but like all the other occupants of his eternal prison he had failed to avail himself of it.

In his current state of existence Bill had no true perception of time and he knew he never would again. He knew that as time had once been measured he might have existed in his pitiable state for only a split second or for a billion years already. Bill remembered the life he’d lived in a physical body as just a short span, a brief and passing zephyr carried away on unseen winds, now evaporated. He recalled his physical body and all the pleasures and pains he’d ever experienced in it but nothing – nothing – no thing – compared to the misery he knew he must now and forevermore endure.

A putrid odor assaulted Bill’s awareness, a stench so foul that had his consciousness inhabited a capable body he would have heaved. It was the smell of sulfur blended with many other unpleasant odors, but its true essence was of something far more intense and fundamental than anything he’d ever smelled before – the reek of eternal spiritual decay and ageless decomposition emanating from his own soul mingled with that of those around him to make hell a place of eternally nauseating self-disgust.

Something that was not a voice penetrated the screams of the eternally doomed, an awareness within Bill’s spirit even louder and more pervading than the screeching howls of the damned, and Bill knew it was the eternal WORD OF GOD coming to his consciousness not in the old English of the King James Version of the Bible, not in the Aramaic of Jesus’ recorded words or the Greek of the New Testament or even the ancient Hebrew of the Old Testament. Bill was aware of the language in which GOD ALMIGHTY, the I AM thought to HIMSELF, and it conveyed the truths of righteousness that had transcended Bill’s human capacity to fully understand until now. Now, too late, Bill recalled it all and understood everything all too well.

The full understanding broke him as even in the pit of darkness Bill had spiritual vision. He was falling, falling, forever falling further and further from the God who had created him and loved him and had always sought to extend His saving grace. Still, Bill could look across a broad chasm and there, at a great and immeasurable distance, he could see heaven, in every way as real and literal a place as the hell he now occupied. He longed for heaven, yearned for it. Populated with the spirits of all who had placed their trust in Jesus as it was, Bill knew he could never reside there. Resting eternally in God’s all-sustaining and all-encompassing love, comfort and tender embrace, the residents of heaven were as surely secure there as he was eternally bound here. Bill’s mind was flooded by a chorus of countless millions singing praises and continually offering thanks to the KING of all kings, the LORD of all lords, the LAMB OF GOD slain for the sinful world of which Bill had once been a part. And then, as though standing out from the chorus, Bill recognized one particular voice as surely as he recognized his own. Marion was singing gleefully right along with the rest! Bill tried to shut out both the baleful sounds of grief assaulting him and the eternal chorus of praise in which he could never participate. He could not.

Don’t be like Bill!

When a person’s spirit leaves the physical body at the moment of physical death that person does not cease to exist. That person has in fact always existed within the mind of God, and in His omniscience God knew before the establishment of time when he would give us the life we now have. He loves us and desires an eternal relationship with every person who has ever lived or ever will. In His omniscience God knew we would all fall short of His perfection in this life and that’s why Jesus died on the cross. That’s why Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today – because God loves us. There was a way Bill could have reconciled his spirit to God and lived a life far more full and blessed than he did but Bill failed to take advantage of the chance to simply trust Jesus. There was a way for Bill to avoid eternity separated from God. Only too late did Bill realize that he would always exist and know all too well what the state of that existence would be.

If you have never placed your trust in Jesus as your Savior, today is the day to give your heart to Him. Now is the time. Do not, my friend, believe the lie that there will always be plenty of time in the future to accept Jesus – there may be no time left at all. There is an urgency about the matter because, like Bill and Marion, none of us knows when we will draw our last breath or when our heart will cease to beat. Many years have passed since one of my sons-in-law told me, “Pops, life is a little like snow – you never know how much of it you’ll get and you never know how long it will last before it melts away.” To my deep sense of personal loss that young man was called into eternity only a few months later when he was killed in an accident. His mortal life, like Bill’s and Marion’s, had melted away. When will my life end? When will yours end, and how? We don’t know. We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

In the next article we’ll learn how Bill and Marion came to such disparate destinations. We’ll explore the reason our friend Bill found himself as he did, suffering a tangible physical pain he could not tolerate yet must forever endure, emotional despair deeper even than the gloom around him, psychological desperation so acute that could he have acted upon it he would have willingly destroyed himself and spiritual anguish beyond description even had he possessed the words to utter or had there been anyone to listen. Bill realized that in his mortal life he’d not only always failed to believe the truth about faith in Jesus but that he had willingly accepted a pack of Satan’s lies. Bill’s trust for his future had been grossly misplaced. In the meantime please, my friend, do not misplace your trust. Place your trust in Jesus today. Don’t be like Bill!

– Tom

Destinations

In the previous article we met Bill and Marion, generally all-around nice people who came to an unfortunate and unexpected end of earthly life when they were killed in a tragic accident. Just prior to the accident Bill and Marion were traveling together but they were headed in very different directions and toward very different destinations. As sad as the circumstances of their earthly deaths are we can at least take a large measure of comfort and assurance in Marion’s passage from the mortal realm because she, as you may recall, entered the comfort of heaven when she died; Bill did not, instead finding himself in hell to await final judgment for his sin. What made the difference in their eternal destinations? Let’s explore the short answer – Marion had believed the truth about Jesus and placed all her trust in Him; Bill never had. Marion entered eternity prepared to meet the God who had created her and the Son of God who had died for her sin, been buried and arisen the third day. Bill needn’t have entered eternity unprepared but he did, in part because he had always placed his trust in religion, false teaching and Satan’s lies.

What is the truth Marion believed?

When she was ten years old a single event changed her brother Robert’s life and thereby Marion’s forever when Robert accepted Jesus as his Savior. At the age of twelve Robert had always been a good lad, reasonably obedient to his parents, usually polite, seldom lying or even exaggerating the truth, prone toward generosity and kindness, never stealing. In short, Robert was a basically good kid. Then one Sunday he heard a sermon regarding the nature to sin with which all men are born and the resultant total depravity of mankind. As he considered the pastor’s points and gazed into the mirror of self-examination Robert realized that the tendencies to be rebellious and arrogant, to let his pride get out of control, to covet or lie or steal were seated deeply within his spirit. That knowledge shook Robert and he knew there was nothing he could do to save himself from himself or the penalty he deserved for having transgressed even one of God’s laws. He was heartbroken until the pastor began to make other points.

Robert realized he needn’t remain in his lost condition. God had provided everything required to pay for his sin and to reconcile his spirit to God’s forever. The solution to Robert’s problem was so simple! All he had to do – all he could ever do – was trust Jesus, because Jesus had already done what he could never accomplish on his own. All he had to do was believe, and in that moment Robert did. In that moment and thereafter he was assured of his eternal security because he knew Jesus was in his heart and always would be.

Marion was present in the service when her older brother responded to the altar call that morning, watching and listening as Robert boldly turned and told the congregation that Jesus had saved his soul. Marion was present the next Sunday when Robert was baptized, and as she watched her brother’s head rise above the water she noted that he wore not only the broadest smile she’d ever seen but a smile that was of a different quality altogether; Robert’s was the smile of a servant who had begun a life that would fully satisfy his Master.

The changes Marion saw in Robert afterward made her curious, so about a month after his conversion she found him alone in his bedroom and interrupted his homework to ask a few questions. Laying aside his American history reading assignment Robert reached for his Bible. During the previous month Marion had seen Robert reading it often enough, using a variety of little tracts from the church foyer for bookmarks and she knew he’d even passed a few tracts out at school. Robert thumbed to a specific one, handed it to Marion, and began to explain it to her. What Robert pointed out to Marion was what is popularly known as the Roman road to salvation. During his travels in ministry and evangelism the Apostle Paul wrote many Spirit-inspired letters to various churches of the first century era, and the one he wrote to Rome is the one to which Robert and his tract referred.

Let’s travel the road with Robert and Marion*

*Unless otherwise noted all Scripture citations in are in bold and taken from the 1611 King James Version of the Bible.

The first-way point along the Roman road to eternal salvation is found in Romans 3:23 which says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Paul makes a non-exclusive statement because none of us is innocent, none of us is in any way good when compared to the God who created us. Why? Because we have all, at whatever time or by whatever means, done something that displeases God and departs from His commandments. A ‘white’ lie is still a lie; placing priority upon the acquisition of material wealth or possessions above our relationship with God is covetousness and idolatry; the taking of even something so small as a paper clip or an ink pen from work is theft; driving faster than the speed limit is failure to obey the law of the land; a premarital or extra-marital affair is fornication and adultery. We have all sinned in one way or another and none of us is innocent. When Robert read Romans 3:10-18 aloud Marion could look at her own life from that perspective, young though she was, and realize that although she wasn’t guilty of all she was guilty of at least some of the things about which Paul wrote.

The next Scripture on the Roman road to salvation is Romans 6:23, which first teaches us the consequences of our sin – “For the wages of sin is death, but…” before going on to declare that such a negative consequence can be avoided because, “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Even if we have lived a ‘good’ and ‘moral’ life we can never ‘earn’ any wage other than punishment – eternal death and separation from our Creator. Paul writes here of not only physical death but eternal spiritual death! Why is that so important for us to think about? Because as we’ve already considered, everyone has missed the mark of perfection. Note the contrast between the wage (what we’ve earned) and the gift (what we don’t deserve and could never earn). We all have a choice to make – eternal death or eternal life. What must we do to receive the gift of eternal life? We must approach God through Jesus, God’s Son. It is important to note also that this verse says nothing about ‘around’ Jesus’ or ‘besides’ Jesus or ‘in spite of Jesus’ but “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” There is no other way, no other truth, no other life than “through” Jesus (John 14:6 paraphrased). Jesus is our only way to God.

The third stop along the Roman road to salvation is Romans 5:8, which unequivocally declares why this is so important for us to think about. Paul points toward the motivation for the gift and what makes the giving of it possible when he writes, “But God commendeth (demonstrated or manifested) His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners (in effect willful and rebellious enemies of God), Christ (in self-sacrifice) died for us.” Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus died for you, for me, for every man, woman and child ever conceived in all of human history, and Jesus’ death paid for the price of all our sins when He carried them on His shoulders as he bore the penalty of death on behalf of us all. Why did God provide His only Son as a sacrifice? Because of God’s unfathomable love and ardent desire to have an eternal, intimate spiritual relationship with us.

“So Jesus died for my sin,” Marion inquired of Robert as he patiently explained things to her, “but what does that do for me?” The question is a valid one but the full truth of the answer isn’t revealed until we recall that after Jesus had spent three days and nights in a tomb that is now empty God raised Him from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection proves beyond doubt that God accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death as the payment for all our sins, not just the telling of the ‘white’ lie, not just the pocketing of the ink pen, not just the lust for money or influence or fame but all of our sins. Jesus willingly accepted upon himself the penalty for our rebellious pride, our drug addictions, our immorality, our misuse of the talents He gave us, anything and everything we may ever do that is outside the perfect will of God or fail to do that is within His will. What a glorious declaration of God’s grace Jesus’ resurrection then becomes when viewed that way!

There is a fourth stop along the Roman road found in Romans 10:9-10, where Paul writes “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness (salvation); and with the mouth confession is made unto (because of) salvation.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf all we have to do is believe in Him (on Him or through Him or totally in Him), trusting God’s acceptance of Jesus’ sacrificial death as the payment for our sins. That, Dear Friends, is all it takes for our spirits to be eternally reconciled with God. Two things are of significant note in those verses. A person must “believe” – not merely that Jesus lived and walked upon the earth, not that He was a good man but that He is the living Son of God and that because God accepted the sacrifice He made Jesus lives today. Intellectual knowledge about the life, death, burial and resurrection is important but it is heart knowledge and belief that are key to salvation. Confession of sin to Jesus within one’s heart and acceptance of His salvation is followed by a public declaration of our salvation through Him.

Let’s consider it once more: {1} we are all sinners; {2} because we are sinners and because we can do nothing to save ourselves we are doomed but;{3} God loves us and offers us the gift of eternal life in Him through Jesus; {4} we must exercise faith and believe that Jesus has done everything necessary to secure us eternally. If we do those things we will be saved. Because we are saved we will have a desire to confess Him publicly as an act of obedience. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There is no ambiguity there. The invitation is open to all. Jesus died in payment of the penalty for our sins and to rescue us from eternal death. Jesus lives today and stands ready to apply payment to our debt of sin when we believe. Salvation, the forgiveness of our condition of sinful separation from God, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ and call upon Him as their personal Lord and Savior.

Romans 5:1 conveys this wonderful message to the converted believer regarding the result of salvation: “Therefore, being justified (spiritually reconciled to God) by faith, we have (eternal) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” A little further on in Romans 8:1 Paul teaches, “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus…” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf we will never be eternally condemned for our sins and through Him we can enjoy a relationship of peace with God both in this life and in the life to come. That is the result of salvation. Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39,“For I am persuaded (convinced) that neither (physical) death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” What a precious promise we find for those who accept the salvation so freely offered to us all – eternal security in the love of God through Jesus!

Robert’s responsibility

Because Marion’s brother Robert had traveled the Roman road himself and become a disciple of Jesus he had accepted an important responsibility: that of making other disciples. Marion was the first person Robert led to Christ but there were several others, all because Robert followed the command of Jesus found in Matthew 28:19-20 which says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

What Robert shared with Marion is Biblical truth. Marion resisted acceptance of it for a few days, praying and promising God she would never lie or steal or cheat on a test or ever say a bad word about anyone. She promised to always be kind and generous, helpful and obedient to her parents and to never miss a church service. Ultimately Marion, like all who make such vows, became frustrated with her own efforts and found those promises empty and impossible to keep. It was at that point that Marion, at the age of ten, prayed again. “God,” she acknowledged, “I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against You and I deserve punishment. I know and I believe that Jesus took the punishment I deserve so that through faith in Him I, even I, can be forgiven. Because You make it possible I trust in the salvation only You can offer.” Tears came to Marion’s eyes then, tears of joy as she was indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God forever thereafter. “Thank You!” Marion’s heart sang. “Thank You for Your wonderful grace and unending forgiveness – the gift of eternal life!”

Marion joyfully believed the truth that day but as pointed out previously Bill never had, so…

… what were the lies Bill believed?

Before we examine the specific lies Bill believed we might do well to consider their origin. Jesus, in John 8:44-45, identifies Satan as “…the devil…” and “…a murderer from the beginning…” abiding “…not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I (Jesus) tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” It was the devil (Satan, the former archangel Lucifer) who lied to deceive Eve in the garden of Eden as he deliberately misquoted God’s commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and partaking of its fruit (Genesis 3:1-13). It was Satan who appeared in the wilderness to unsuccessfully tempt Jesus by trying the same ploy – that of deliberately misquoting Scripture – after our Lord had fasted and prayed forty days  (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13). However, there are other lies Satan tells in order to deceive people, all with the ultimate goal of seeing them eternally separated from God just as Bill now is. “So if Bill didn’t trust in Jesus,” one may ask, “in what or whom did he trust?” Regrettably Bill trusted in others, in himself and in what he thought he could do for himself.

At first Bill trusted in others because he was raised by Christian parents in a Christian home, so that was good enough, right? Wrong. A person’s parentage, heritage, complexion, gender, social standing, where they were born or when are of no consideration in the matter. God knows all of those things already; He knows everything about us. Still, the choice is an individual one.

Bill always went to church as a boy and was attentive in Sunday school. He even once read the Bible cover-to-cover on a one-year schedule, and although he never bothered committing much of it to memory that effort alone would surely keep him out of hell wouldn’t it? No. While religion and its practice may lead a person to Jesus and Biblical practice of our faith is an act of obedience, it is “grace… through faith” (the offered gift accepted in unreserved belief) that saves a person (Ephesians 2:8).

When Bill was ten he went forward during an altar call and under the minister’s instruction he spoke the ‘right’ words. Surely saying the ‘right’ thing at the right time would get Bill into heaven wouldn’t it? It didn’t. Things were out of order in Bill’s life because he trusted in the words instead of in Jesus. Bill had enough intellectual knowledge to know he had to do something to be saved but he had never accepted into his heart the One who could save him.

Then Bill submitted to the ordinance of baptism. That is surely a requirement, isn’t it? No, baptism is an act of obedience and a public declaration of one’s new life after salvation – otherwise a person only gets wet to no purpose. While the observance of certain rites are in order within the Biblical practice and demonstration of one’s faith and witness for Christ, of themselves they play no part in the spiritual transaction that takes place when a person gives his or her heart and life to Christ. As He hung on the cross Jesus was flanked by two criminals, one who mocked and scoffed Jesus while the other repented his prior rejection and declared his faith. The man was within hours or even minutes of his death and had no opportunity to be baptized yet Jesus assured him, “Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).” The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin of denial and unbelief (Matthew 12:31, Mark 3:29, Luke 12:10 and 1 John 5:16), and belief is all that is required.

Eventually Bill married Marion, a church-going Christian and servant of God. Wouldn’t that relationship have bearing on Bill’s outcome? No, because trusting in Marion’s relationship with Jesus is no different from trusting in his relationship to his parents. If anything the lie to his beloved and concerned wife made Bill’s outcome all the more tormenting for him because during their marriage he’d had many opportunities to hear the truth yet he’d rejected them all for fear of embarrassing himself.

Deep within his spirit Bill knew he hadn’t really trusted Jesus in the way described by others but Bill believed another of Satan’s ready deceptions – that he had plenty of time. Every day people fall prey to this lie and, like Bill, realize only too late that they have no time left at all. That is why there is such urgency about the matter of one’s eternal salvation.

As the years passed Bill had always lived a reasonably moral life and seen to it that his children were raised in church. He’d served a few terms on the church mission committee’s fund-raising team, he and Marion had always tithed, they had never shirked a responsibility. Together he and Marion had even gone door-to-door in their neighborhood a number of times to invite people to church. Weren’t those ‘good works’ good enough to get Bill to heaven? Sadly, they were not. “But Bill did all the ‘right’ things,” one may point out, “and if those things weren’t good enough to keep him out of hell what else could he have done?” Truthfully Bill could have done nothing for himself because as the Spirit-inspired prophet Isaiah wrote in 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses (good works) are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Anything we as mortal humans may regard as ‘righteous works’ fail the test of comparison to the righteousness of our Creator God.

At this juncture one may say, “Whoa! Hold the horses,” and inquire, “what is this iniquity Isaiah mentions?” It is crookedness, immorality, deceitfulness, in short anything that God doesn’t want us to do, including rejection of His plan for our salvation. “What,” one may then pose the question, “could Bill have done differently?” The answer is simple: Bill could have believed the same truth Marion had believed and shared with others although he didn’t. Even nice people, good people who do good things, moral people, people who tell others they’re ‘okay’ in their salvation, sometimes even people who are working in our churches die and go to hell. Jesus put all those things into perspective when He said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will (accept Jesus) of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day (of final judgment), 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 (Matthew 7:21).”

What can keep a person from hearing those dreaded words of condemnation on the day of judgment? The truth, which likely leads one to ask, “What is the truth about my good works and deeds?” In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter two verses 8 through 10 the Apostle Paul put the matter into focus this way when he wrote: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The passage just cited is constructed of three elements, each unique and to be considered in the order Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, presents them in his letter to the church at Ephesus.

The first element for us to think about is grace. Within this context grace is God’s extension of a gift, something we do not deserve. In other words grace is His unmerited favor toward us. Why did Bill, if he’d done everything ‘correctly,’ need God’s grace in the first place? Because like all of us Bill was a sinner by nature, one who transgressed the law of God. In his letter to the church at Rome the Apostle Paul stated the matter straightforwardly: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” To sin is to miss the mark or target of righteousness in much the same way an archer might miss the bulls’ eye with an arrow – anything outside the red doesn’t count for score. At one time or another in one way or another we have all sinned. We have all transgressed God’s righteousness and done things that are displeasing to Him even though at the time we may have thought they would please us. A very focused picture of what transgression (sin) looks like in our lives can be viewed in Romans 3:10-18. No man or woman is innocent and it is because of our guilt that we stand in need of God’s grace – His unmerited favor toward us. What He offers that we don’t deserve is salvation from the kind of eternal doom Bill now and forevermore experiences. What God offers is redemption from our condition of sin, forgiveness of the individual sins we commit and eternal life in His glorious presence in eternity. He offers us an eternal home in heaven with Him rather than eternal separation from Him and torment in hell.

How then does one obtain the grace of salvation? Through faith. “But faith in what,” one may ask, “or if not in oneself then in whom?” In John’s account of the Gospel, chapter 14 verse 6, “Jesus saith unto him (Thomas), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In this simple statement Jesus holds forth an all-important point – that if a person wishes to know God they must first know Jesus, for it is only through Jesus the Son of God that one can approach the throne of God the Father. It is only through faith in the miraculous conception and perfect life of Jesus, through faith in His death as He bore my sin and yours upon His shoulders, through faith in His resurrection and ascension and imminent return for all who believe in Him that we can know God. Shed as it was on the cross in full atonement for every transgression, it is only the blood of Jesus our Christ that covers every sin.

What, then, is faith? “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (according to Hebrews 11:1).” True faith in Jesus and Him alone is our only hope for an eternal future in the presence of God rather than the all-to-real torments of hell, and once exercised it is true faith that is the indwelling evidence of things we see not with the physical eye but with spiritual vision. According to Ephesians 2:8 (cited above) even faith is “…not of yourselves: it (our ability to have faith at all) is (also) the gift of God…” It is God Himself who affords us the freedom and moral agency to either accept his gift by faith in Christ or reject it. Bill, sadly, had placed his faith in Satan’s lie that faith in someone or something other than Jesus would somehow get him into heaven.

The second element of Ephesians 2:8-10 states: “…Not of works, lest any man should boast…” Bill had done a great many ‘good works’ in his life, none of which got him to heaven. Recall that Bill had been a church-goer from his youth and throughout the majority of his adult life. Note that Bill’s religion did not redeem him. Bill had never lived a particularly immoral life, always been honest, and had never cheated on Marion. Together they had always raised their children to be moral. He had even served on church committees and always given money to the church and its efforts. These are, to be sure, all good works but they are in no way works good enough to merit salvation. For any work a person might do to be good enough to merit heaven’s eternal glory would mean that a person had in some way worked hard enough to earn the right to reside in God’s presence, thus contradicting Paul’s statement in Romans 6:23 concerning the consequences of sin. Were we by any means able to earn our salvation we would have a thing or two to brag about, but Paul pointedly says, “For the wages of sin (what we earn) is death; but the gift of God (salvation by grace) is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The eternal condemnation and punishment we have earned for our condition as sinners is death. God lovingly holds forth a gift – the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus; we need only reach out and accept what is freely offered. Jesus paid the price for my sin and yours. In living a perfect life Jesus demonstrated his worthiness as a satisfactory sacrifice. In dying Jesus demonstrates His love, as declared in Romans 5:8 which states, “But God commendeth (demonstrated or manifested) His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners (in effect willful and rebellious enemies of God), Christ died for us.” Jesus’ resurrection is evidence of God’s acceptance of the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf and yours.

At this point one should ponder not only physical mortality, “…as it is appointed unto men once to (physically) die, but after this the judgment (the determination that one has either accepted the sacrifice of Jesus or not): So Christ was once offered (died) to bear the sins of many (all of mankind); and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time (in His full glory) without sin (because He has already paid that penalty on our behalf) unto (our) salvation (because we have placed our trust in Him alone; Hebrews 9:27-28)…” We are considering eternal spiritual death! The pay-out for all our good works, our reward for the best that we can do here on planet Earth, is the kind of on-going eternal spiritual death Bill and so many others like him experience – damnation from which there is no escape. It is only because Jesus bore my sin and yours, shed His blood in payment for my debt and yours and was raised by God as evidence of acceptance of Jesus’ blood that we can know any end other than eternal, unending death separated from the Creator of life.

Given that, one may pose another question: “If good works won’t get me to heaven then what are they good for?” Let’s look to the third element of Ephesians 2:8-10 for the perspective into which Paul put good works by recalling that it is “by grace through faith” that we are saved. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his (God’s) workmanship, created (born again) in Christ Jesus unto (to do) good works, which God hath before ordained (commanded) that we should walk in them.” The order of things becomes clear when we consider that in his second letter to the church at Corinth Paul in chapter 5 verse 17 wrote, “…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” At the moment a person accepts Jesus as Savior a spiritual transaction is made between that person and Jesus, and God the Father adopts that person into His family forever. When we trust in Christ we are ‘re-created’ as our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. We become new, His spiritual workmanship. The steps then are: {1} acceptance of grace, {2} trusting Christ in faith, followed by {3} good works as evidence of our discipleship and as a witness to others.

Jesus was in conversation with a man named Nicodemus when he described it this way: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).” Salvation is the beginning of a new life, a fresh start. Apart from any good works we may do prior to salvation we must first be born again to inhabit heaven. It is only after that all-important spiritual transaction has taken place that our good works become not only the right things to do but in fact become important in our lives because they are the commandment of God. Once saved, God’s Holy Spirit leads us to perform the good works He calls us to do and provides all that is necessary for the performance of them.

What’s YOUR destination?

The question is a pertinent one and can only be answered by each of us individually. Heritage can not save us. Religion does not save us. Saying the ‘right’ words in response to an altar call without first believing in the heart will not save us and ‘baptism’ never saves us. Good works and moral living mean nothing without “grace… through faith.” If you have not accepted the “gift of God” the opportunity to accept Christ is now, today – there may be no time left, so if you have never placed your faith in Jesus there is no better time than in this moment. Travel the Roman road with Robert and Marion. Contact this writer via the email link on this website. Counsel with your pastor or call a Christian friend. If you have questions, by any or all means get the answers you seek. Your eternal future is that important!

For all the peace and comfort Marion now knows in heaven, her eternal experience will become even more joyous, as we will see; as sad as Bill’s outcome has been to this point, we will learn that his anguish will only intensify. Eternal events are yet to unfold, and in the next article we’ll explore them. In the meantime be blessed and trust Jesus –

– Tom

At the conclusion of the previous article we left Bill and his wife Marion, after having traveled the road of earthly life together, coming to very different destinations. Marion, as you may recall, entered eternity to dwell in heaven with Jesus and those who had accepted Him while Bill entered hell, holding pen of the eternally doomed.

A wonderful wedding*

*Unless otherwise noted all Scripture citations are in bold and taken from the 1611 King James Version of the Bible.

Songs of worship rang through heaven as each soul there, the angels and all in attendance around God’s throne sang in full voice to extol Jesus’ righteousness, proclaim His faithfulness, praise His virtue and exalt His name. In song and expressions of supplication Jesus was called by many names that described His various divine attributes, each more precious than the previous. New ‘arrivals’ in heaven were greeted by those already there and Marion’s rejoicing increased along with all the others as each redeemed spirit entered the comfort of Jesus’ arms.

In timeless eternity hundreds, thousands, millions more joined the throng before it suddenly seemed heaven itself would burst with a flood of arriving souls. Each possessed a body that was perfect in every way! Each shone with the glory of the Creator! They were in all ways perfect and beautiful! As Marion watched she felt herself changed as well and realized that she then had a body like the rest, everlasting and shining. In many ways it resembled one with which she’d once been familiar but the new body Marion occupied was fundamentally different. It was unblemished in any way and like the others she too shone with the glory of her Creator! Marion was thrilled at the knowledge that Jesus had called all His people to be with Him forever. Marion knew that the bodies of all the saved who had physically died were resurrected while those who had been living when Jesus called had been wonderfully transformed.

Then Jesus separated Himself somewhat from the numberless throng and Marion saw Him sitting upon a throne, the seat of His judgment. “…all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body (2 Corinthians 5:10), according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Along with all the others present Jesus judged Marion, first finding her to be worthy to stand in His presence because she had trusted Him above all others and the blood He had shed covered all her former depravity. In physical life she had served Him in various ways and was rewarded with spiritual jewels and crowns. Esteeming these precious honors to be nothing when compared to her cherished redemption, Marion gratefully returned them all by placing them at the feet of her Savior. It was a solemn occasion, but with its passing Marion’s joy increased all the more as the songs of praise and worship were resumed.

In the midst of the jubilation “a voice came out of the throne,” louder than the celebration, “saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great (Revelation 19:5).” Then, louder than the peal of many thunders, the voices of the exuberant worshipers – Marion’s among them – cried, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth (Revelation 19:6-7). Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” Suddenly Marion and everyone around her was clothed in finest linen, pure and white. While the linen did nothing to diminish the unique light emanating from the saints Marion knew it was representative of the righteousness of the LORD she loved, imputed to her not because she was worthy of it but because she had accepted His free gift of the life she now and forevermore would enjoy. As a member of the bride Marion was fully fitted out and ready for the ceremony that would consummate her eternal relationship with Jesus.

One by one Jesus called each soul forward and spoke to them privately. When her turn came Marion stood in the presence of her Lord, her heart filled with love for Him. Jesus’ heart expressed His love for her and they exchanged an eternal spiritual vow before communing more deeply than ever. The name of Jesus was written on Marion’s forehead as surely as it was written on her heart so that Marion would be forever identified with her REDEEMER, who then presented her with a white stone as a token of His love for and acceptance of her. She held the precious symbol and offered her unending thanks for it. Engraved within the stone’s surface was a name known only to her and to her Lord, a name He had ascribed to no one else as yet another expression of their eternal intimacy. Marion knew nothing of the names engraved in the stones of the others, only that hers was so personal and unique that the others would never know the name only she and Jesus shared. After the ceremony the voice issuing from the throne then boldly declared, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Insertion of a parenthetical note inserted is in order. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:2 spoke of godly jealousy and the betrothal of one wife (the church) to one husband (Christ); the wife is worthy of the husband’s eternal love. She (the bride) is chaste and therefore eternally clothed in white; those who have defiled themselves with the sin of spiritual harlotry (by rejecting Christ) will never wear such a garment. They are instead loathed by the groom and, as we shall soon see, to be forever shamed. There is universal correctness in praising God both in heaven and in earth for the joyous marriage of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7 states that the bride “…hath made herself ready,” a work of preparation that she has performed unto herself. Since salvation is a free gift without works, the action of making herself ready cannot represent salvation but instead depicts the works that follow salvation, as can clearly be seen in Romans 4:6 – “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputheth righteousness without works…” and Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The Biblical text therefore implies that the bride makes herself ready through her service to Christ. While various opinions exist regarding the Bride of Christ, associating the Bride with New Testament churches is a position widely held by many of the more conservative denominations. It has been argued that the institution of the church is the Bride and that only within a church belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ is there a bridal relationship. Thus we see three qualifications for involvement in this relationship: first, one must be born again to be in the Bride; second, one must have lived during the church age, for only during this period of time is the bride chosen and prepared; third, a person must adhere to the fundamental doctrines (teachings) of the New Testament in service to the risen Lord. This position that links New Testament churches with the Bride of Christ seems to best harmonize with the wife as accomplishing the work of preparing herself for presentation to the bridegroom. Christ will judge all the saved at the Judgment Seat of Christ and it is He who will reward them according to their works or deeds done in the body. Again consider 2 Corinthians 2:10 as well as Revelation 22:12.

Warfare

In finding that she had a new, incorruptible, immortal and glorified body not unlike that of Jesus, Marion stood among all the saved of all ages and realized that in addition to her marriage to Christ she was suddenly also part of a great army, still dressed in purest linen. She was sitting on a white horse and Jesus, Marion knew, was returning to the earth to establish His kingdom for a thousand years. Then, as though from a great height, Jesus led His army to a vast plain against which stood the imposing mountain of Megiddo and its associated valley. All the armies of the earth were already gathered there, millions upon millions of soldiers preparing to fight among themselves for domination of the earth. Some were equipped to wield weapons of dreadfully mass destruction while others had armed themselves with no more than the stones they could gather from the ground. All were intent upon fighting the battle known as Armageddon. None of that concerned Marion for Jesus, her Jesus, was in perfect control of the situation.

Upon catching sight of the returning Savior and all who followed Him the armies of the nations raged not against each other any longer but against Jesus and His returning Bride. The supreme leader of earthly armies, Antichrist, raged. The man who had tried to unite all the world’s religions in support of Antichrist raged. Their evil sponsor, Satan himself, raged. Then with a single word Jesus rained the wrath of GOD upon them all so that the earth’s human armies were utterly destroyed, generals and common soldiers alike. Every implement of warfare was annihilated. None were left standing except Satan, his chief servant the world leader Antichrist, and the false religious prophet who had supported him. Still this evil trio raged against Christ all the more before Jesus dispatched his agents, strong and mighty angels, to take Antichrist and his prophet into custody. By Jesus’ power and upon His authority the angels cast them alive into the eternal lake of fire.

An even mightier angel bearing the authority of ALMIGHTY and carrying a strong chain then descended from above in that instant. The former archangel Lucifer, Satan himself who had rebelled against God and thereafter sought to destroy His reign trembled with unrestrained fury. God’s mighty angel then laid hold upon Satan. Although he struggled violently and railed endlessly against Jesus and all righteousness, Satan was shackled by the angel and cast into a great abyss, sentenced to incarceration for the duration of Jesus’ righteous thousand-year rule. Marion and the saints accompanying her had only to observe the events as they unfolded; Jesus was in complete control.

Time once more existed in Marion’s reckoning, and for one thousand years she lived upon the earth with King Jesus, who established His government in Jerusalem. Under His rule everyone was peaceful and prosperous. Mortals – men and women who had survived a seven-year time of trouble unlike any the world had ever suffered – lived in harmony. There was no sin under the reign of Jesus. Crops flourished, drought and famine were unknown. Marion was appointed governess over a small precinct in Bolivia.

Earth’s population multiplied beyond calculation during the one thousand years of peace and prosperity under Christ’s rule. So numerous was Earth’s population that Marion did not try to estimate its number. She only knew that when precisely one thousand years had passed Satan was released from his abysmal pit to once more deceive the people of the earth, and deceive them he did as they followed him in his rebellion against righteousness. Marion and all of Jesus’ saints were returned to Jerusalem to dwell there in safety while Satan’s newly-amassed army encircled the Holy City and sought to lay siege to it. The saints knew no fear as Jesus allowed the evil army to assemble – Jesus, their Jesus – was in complete command of the situation. Fire of unimaginable intensity descended from heaven then, fire that consumed Satan’s entire army instantly. Satan stood alone outside the city gates, cursing God and vowing to rebel forever. Then once more the devil was descended upon by mighty angels and under the authority of I AM cast into the eternal lake of fire, there to suffer forever alongside Antichrist and the prophet of false religion. Satan was defeated and the saints of Jesus were jubilant. Still, they all knew that even greater things were yet to come.

A second death

Like the uncountable millions in hell with him Bill had no reckoning of how long he was there before without warning he found himself standing at the foot of the throne of judgment. Oh, he lamented, he’d heard of this coming day many times during his life on earth and always chosen to disregard the words of wise counsel and warning regarding it. Though his many torments were temporarily somewhat suspended for this moment his despair increased because in the depth of his soul Bill knew what was to come. He now occupied his old body, corrupted by all the sin he’d committed while in it the first time, this time to eternally decay although never completely decomposing at all. Bill knew that his flesh would now be only one more way in which he would suffer.

Another parenthetical note: Two judgments of men are revealed in the Bible. The first is the judgment of the saved of which Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:10, when those who have accepted Jesus as Savior will be judged according to the deeds done in this life; it is the judgment for the determination of their reward. The second is the judgment of the lost, those souls who are unsaved because, like Bill, they rejected Christ. This condemning judgment will occur when they stand before the “great white throne” described in Revelation 20:7-15.

Bill saw “a great white throne, and him that sat on it” before he noticed anything else, a scene that captivated his attention despite his heartbreak. The throne before which he stood was so white that Bill could have described it with only one word: “PURITY.” The Righteous One sitting on the throne was so glorious that try though he might Bill could not look away from the all-seeing gaze of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Bill knew that all judgments pronounced by Jesus would only be true and righteous, yet he was frightened most by the sure understanding that the judgment upon him would be so dreadful. Recalling every word he’d read from the Bible, every word he’d ever heard preached about this moment and all that GOD had impressed upon his consciousness as he’d been suffering in hell, Bill knew THE HEAVENLY FATHER had given all judgment into the hand of the SON, Jesus, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22)”, the virgin-born only begotten SON of the FATHER. Bill remembered Colossians 2:9 and knew that as he now gazed in terrified awe upon the glory of Christ he looked also upon the fullness of the GODHEAD, the self-existent ONE, the divine TRINITY which included the Father and the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father.” Bill had previously failed to acknowledge Jesus and confess Him to be King of all kings, Lord of all lords, the LAMB OF GOD, Righteous and True; now that his time of judgment had come there was no denying that Jesus was all those things and many more. Bill was weak, and even as he was falling to his knees he was also humbly bowing, praying for mercy.

Seemingly without regard to Bill’s prayer Jesus opened a series of books then – the books of the Bible – and sternly judged Bill’s life and actions in comparison to the holy standards revealed within them just as the Apostle John had written, “according to their works (Revelation 20:12).” Bill was reminded of Matthew 10:15, where Jesus said that even the most reprehensible cities of their day – Sodom and Gomorrah, having been wiped from the face of the earth for their deeds – will have been judged less severely than he and the others now standing before Christ in this moment of final judicial decision. Then Jesus opened another book – Bill knew it to be the “book of life” which affirmed his prior opportunities to accept Jesus. Bill knew there had always been a plan established in eternity by the counsel of God to sacrifice Jesus for the sin of the world and knew the opportunity for salvation to have been universal. The book of life had been written with every person’s name in it as affirmation that all people of all times had been afforded the opportunity to avail themselves of God’s saving grace. By rejection of what the books declared and correspondent to his rejection of the salvation offered by Christ, Bill’s name had not only been removed from the book of life but was now conspicuous by it absence. Bill was devastated. In Revelation 3:5 Jesus spoke regarding the faithful in Sardis: “…and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Bill knew that only those who had responded to the invitation of “whosoever” in John 3:16 were listed in the book and he knew he was not numbered among them. He understood that in its final form the list of names in this book is referred to as the “Lamb’s book of life” from which no name shall ever be removed (Revelation 13:8). Jesus revealed the book to Bill to affirm the reason for his condemnation. It openly declared that Jesus died for all yet affirmed that many, like Bill, had knowingly and willfully rejected Him.

“Jesus,” Bill cried, “Creator! Please do not remand me to damnation, I beg you! You are the Lamb of God! You alone are holy and righteous! You alone are LORD! There is no other like You!” Bill knew that his profession would not save him and that there was no second chance for redemption; still, he was desperate and had to make the attempt. “Jesus, I gave of my money, gave of my time, I lived a moral life. Can’t that count for anything?” Bill knew that Jesus would determine his degree of suffering in eternity so he continued, “I have never murdered, never – ”

+“Enough!” Jesus interrupted. “You returned to Me only a pittance of what was entrusted to your care and misused the rest through failure to accept and serve Me. Those things were blessings for you to use and enjoy. They were always Mine,” Jesus told Bill then, “yet you never offered to return to Me the most valuable possession any person could have been given – your eternal soul. You never knew Me although you seek to do so now. I sought you yet you refused me, denied me and rebelled against My Spirit. I now refuse your plea for mercy and deny your request for clemency. I do not acknowledge your humility, sincere though it now is. You have left for yourself no end but eternal separation from ME and you are now condemned to it.”+

+The words ascribed to Jesus here are NOT a direct quote; they are offered speculatively by this writer and are found nowhere in Scripture.+

In that saddest of all timeless moments Bill knew that not only had his physical life passed but that he was about to experience “the second death” of Revelation 20:14. Death itself and the hell that had imprisoned Bill while as he awaited judgment had passed away and Bill understood that his pitiable state of eternal existence would now be even more tormenting than before. He was about to be cast into the lake of fire. Then with a single word Jesus relegated death and hell to the lake of fire forever, and Bill right along with them. Instantly the darkness was even deeper than ever and there was no longer any sight of the heaven Bill had seen at a distance while suffering in hell. The well-remembered choruses of praise and offerings of thanks were no longer heard and the shrieks of anguish were louder than ever before. Even the ongoing thoughts of GOD could no longer be perceived by Bill’s spiritual mind although every word still haunted his memory. In the lake of fire Bill’s excruciating torments far exceeded even those of hell and his eternal separation from God was even further than before. In the lake of fire Bill was fully subjected to the eternal rage of Satan’s evil demons and the wrath of the defeated devil.

Marion then saw…

…the new heaven and new earth. The old heaven, the sky with which Marion had once been familiar and the ground beneath her feet had been purged with fire so that they had become once more pure. Neither evil nor anything that resulted from it any longer existed. Everything around Marion was refreshed and recreated. All things were made new.

As if the recreated world all around her were not wonderful enough, Marion then saw an enormous city, the golden city new Jerusalem, descending to rest upon the earth. Built equal on all sides in the shape of a cube, the new city stretched twelve thousand furlongs in all directions and its splendor was unsurpassed. As clear as the finest crystal, the city itself emanated light. Twelve gates, four to each side and each one a pearl of enormous size inscribed with the name of one of Israel’s tribes, were attended by twelve angels. The city’s great wall was of jasper so pure as to be transparent, allowing the city’s light to shine in all directions. Twelve foundations, each engraved with the name of one of the apostles and adorned with precious jewels, supported the wall and the city within was of gold so purely refined that it, too, was completely transparent. Marion, in joyous awe, gazed upon the dwelling place of God on earth and among His saints.

Jesus HIMSELF, the glory of GOD, was the source of all light within the city, and through the city’s walls His light shone ‘round the entire world. There was no place on the new earth that was not a heavenly dwelling. The people of the earth were organized into nations and Christ ordained kings over those nations. People then entered the city at will through the gates of pearl that would never close, all to worship their God and Savior. The kings of the nations brought their glory and honor into the city to glorify the King of kings.

Marion entered the city to step onto a broad street paved with gold, and looked upon the throne of GOD surrounded by a happy throng. Still, there was room for all to come and worship, each to be near the I AM. From the throne itself issued a river of purest water, the single source of water upon the face of the earth – the River of the Water of Life. Flowing between the roots of the Tree of Life, the river perpetually refreshed everyone present. The leaves and fruit of the tree nourished the nations. Marion, redeemed believer on earth, bride of Christ in heaven, would serve the beloved MOST HIGH with joy and thankfulness for her priceless inheritance forever and ever.

The ultimate suffering

The ultimate suffering associated with the “second death” of Revelation 20:14 is called such in order to draw a contrast with the first death. God warned Adam in the Garden of Eden that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would surely die (Genesis 2:17). An analysis of the Hebrew text suggest the translation of that word as dying, thou shalt die from him and implies two deaths; one being the process of physical death as a result of sin’s corruption of the body and the other eternal separation from the life of God, or in other words a spiritual death. Our friend Bill experienced the first death when he physically died; the second death was pronounced upon him because of his rejection of Jesus as Christ, Savior and Lord. The second death will work its everlasting torment upon those who experience it when it is assigned eternally to the lake of fire. Bound there, death in any form will burden God’s creation no more. No sin will exist anywhere so that death will have no more domain. Hell, the abode of the unsaved, will no longer exist in its current form as all that might be associated with it are cast into the far more terrible “lake of fire.”

Revelation 19:20 is the first mention of the lake of fire in the Bible but it is mentioned three times in chapter 20 (verses 10, 14, and 15). Seven notable facts about this place are: {1} it is likened unto a lake so as to say those within it are below the surface and completely surrounded by it. Just as a fish is surrounded by water in a lake so are the inhabitants of the lake of fire completely engulfed by flaming torment; {2} the lake burns with fire and brimstone. The Bible should at this point be taken literally, as there is no hint of symbolism here; {3} the inhabitants are tormented day and night forever without relief or any end of their suffering; {4} this place is utterly separated from God, Heaven, Christians, angels, anything good or godly or even comforting; {5} it is a place of eternal conditions – conditions that once established according to Jesus’s judgment shall never change (Revelation 22:11); {6} the lake will be inhabited by Satan, his Antichrist, the prophet of all false religions, all lost humans as well as the fallen angels and demons who cast their lot with Satan in rebellion against God. Occupants who have been in hell since their physical deaths, such as Bill (or the rich man in Luke 16) with all his suffering and memories, will exist in the lake forever, fully aware of their plight; {7} the occupants are in the lake for one reason only – they rejected Jesus, the Christ.

The lake of fire will be an unspeakably dreadful place to experience for even the span of a heartbeat. It will be an eternally dark place so bereft of light that even the flames of torment will cast no glimmer upon its occupants. It will be totally lacking of any physical comfort, even so much as a drop of water to quench one’s eternal thirst. One will forever be aware of not only the conditions being endured but the reason why those conditions exist and why they are being suffered. The person doomed to the lake of fire will be ever-afflicted physically in his or her corrupt flesh and psychologically by memories of each rejected opportunity to receive the Savior. Each occupant of the lake of fire will be in emotional anguish, alone and without encouragement, spiritually empty without any manifestation of the Godhead in any of its three forms. Every soul in the lake of fire will have the sure knowledge that the conditions they are experiencing in that moment of timeless existence will continue forever while they are fully aware (as was the “rich” man of Luke chapter 16) that those who embraced the salvation offered by Jesus are in a place of eternal comfort and intimate nurturing. Take a few moments to carefully read Luke chapter 16 verses 19-31 – they are the words of Jesus spoken not as a parable but as His account of a factual event. This writer is left to conclude that even though the eternal occupants of heaven won’t be able to look ‘down’ upon those in hell or the lake of fire because to do so would cause us eternal distress on their behalf, those who dwell in hell and later the lake of fire might indeed able to look ‘up’ at least in memory to see and eternally lament ‘what might have been.’

Every person makes his or her own decision whether or not to accept Christ as Savior. There is no other way to be saved except by God’s “grace… through faith” in Christ. The book of life begins in eternity past with every person’s name written in it so as to establish every person’s opportunity to be saved by “grace… through faith.” Therefore, if anyone neglects to place his or her faith in Christ that person’s name is blotted out, completely erased from the book of life when they physically die. At the Great White Throne Judgment the Lamb’s book of life – the finished product, if you will – is opened to reveal the names of all those who accepted Christ. The names of the unsaved will not be found written in the book of life and those people will be cast into the lake of fire which burns eternally with fire and brimstone.

Are you a believer in Jesus and Him alone? Will your name be found written in the Lamb’s book of life when you stand in judgment or, like Bill’s, will your name be conspicuous by its absence? My friend, there is urgency to your decision regarding Jesus. It is my sincere prayer that this brief glimpse into eternity helps you to make the right one.

– Tom