Terrifying

 Terrified of something means to be extremely afraid. Like of snakes, spiders, heights, noises in the night, confinement in tight spaces, or death. Some people choose to live on the edge doing extremely dangerous things to get their adrenaline up. It makes them feel alive. People choose to terrify themselves by watching horror movies, riding roller coasters, bungee jumping, and sky diving. 

There is a terrifying experience that really defies the human language to fully describe. No words can do it justice. It is scary, petrifying, and fearful all on steroids in intensity. What is so terrifying. Read it for yourself. 

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Heb 10:31] The context for this verse is for people who reject, insult, deny, and trample on the grace of God. What makes this so terrifying is that it will happen after a person's last breath when there will be no second chances and do overs. The fate of that soul will be executed swiftly, without remorse and for all of eternity. Trust me. No lost person wants to fall into the hands of the living God. 

For starters, nobody can fully comprehend the consequences of God's anger and vengeance being poured out on people who did not heed His warnings about hell. Hell is a place of eternal agony and everlasting torment. Wrap your mind around that. The suffering never ends. After a thousand years, one hundred thousand years, even a million years the suffering is never alleviated. Not one bit. The intensity of the suffering never lessens. People will never get use to it. It will not relent or get easier. 

In that terrifying moment, people will discover that God is a just, holy, righteous and active Judge. Notice the phrase, "living God." He is still alive and still doing His job daily. Month after month, Year after year. Decade after decade. Century after Century. Millennial after millennial. 

Now is the age of grace, redemption, and salvation. Once a person dies, then comes the judgement of God. It will be executed swiftly. It will be equally poured our for the atheist as well as the agnostic. The educated as well as the uneducated. The famous as well as the obscure. The wealthy as well as the poor. The religious as well as the scoffer. None will be spared. All stand before a terrifying God. 

Some will not be terrified. They will stand clothed in righteousness not of their own doing. They will stand faultless before the throne because of the sacrifice and blood of Jesus. There will be no need to fear that day. A day longed for by many saints. Promotion day, emancipation day, freedom day, glorification day. 

I challenge us all to contemplate where we stand with Jesus long before that day arrives. We face eternal judgment with faith or fear. Triumph or terror. Belief or unbelief. Reward or retribution. Jesus paid it all. All to Him we owe. Sin left a crimson stain that Jesus washed whiter than snow.