All things deemed “impossible” have at least one qualifying feature in common: they haven’t happened—at least, not yet.  For if something classified as impossible were to occur, it could not, by definition, remain so classed.  It would have to come off the list.

Not only would the occurrence of an “impossible” event disprove its impossibility, it would reveal that the impossible had in fact been possible for some period of time—perhaps for only a moment, but perhaps from the very beginning.  During this interval, its potential to be possible was not absent, but latent—even if other factors caused this potential to be underrated or ignored.

History has shown that many entries initially on the “impossible” list should originally have been categorized as “improbable.”  This is especially true of events whose occurrence follows quickly and inevitably from some external catalyst, which acts as the key piece of an interlocking puzzle.  The instant it’s snapped into place, the assembler of the puzzle is suddenly able to see the big picture, easily spot the interdependencies and grasp the overall solution.  A rapid transition from impossible notion to historical fact ensues—sometimes in multiples.

It should also be noted that the word “impossible” is binary—a thing is either impossible or it is not—it’s not a matter of degree.  How strange that a word so definitive and unequivocal could be applied to eternal verities like the existence of God, life and death, the resurrection of the dead, the Second Coming of Christ, the last judgment, and heaven or hell.  Weirder still, the chief argument for putting some or all of these on the “impossible list” is, “Well, shucks…Nobody’s ever seen ‘em before.”

Really?  That’s it?  If I were to ask a skeptic, “Why don’t you believe that Jesus is coming back?” the answer for many would be “Um-m, because He hasn’t yet…?”  Well, I’m sold.  Mystery solved.  Case closed.  What a fool I’ve been to believe my Bible all these years.

• My Bible, that treats each of these subjects authoritatively and exhaustively.  
• My Bible, with its consistently contrarian worldview and an insider’s diagnosis of the human condition.  
• My Bible, with its hundreds of specific prophecies fulfilled with 100% accuracy and hundreds more aligning precisely with the foreseeable development of future events it foretells.  
• My Bible, which, though it isn’t a textbook, includes correct information about science, history, astronomy and the like.  
• My bible, which has never been proven wrong by archeological excavations by experts from many lands and is instead supported daily by new evidence and scholarship.  
• My Bible, the very word of God and the spiritual guide of untold millions around the globe. 
• My Bible, that sets forth the good news of God’s free offer of forgiveness of sin and His gift of eternal life, the gospel for which thousands of Christians die as martyrs each year.

There are many today who put God’s compassion and mercy on their “impossible” list, citing as the reason that God cannot be seen [at present, though the effects of His unmerited favor toward us are manifest].  They deride Christians, who freely admit that they have never personally seen God and mock them because they cannot summon His appearance on demand.

So, they sneer at the Christian faith in general and at the person of Christ in particular.  Based on their comments on social media, (much of which, to be charitable, may be just parrot talk), there is a marked failure to distinguish between the words “invisible” and “imaginary,” as in the terribly original phrase, “your imaginary friend.”  I ask again, is that clever, especially in light of the fact that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, King of this world, will return one day soon to rule and reign face-to-face?

“Impossible!” they scoff.  And it is—until in God’s time and on His schedule, it happens.  Against impossible odds, what God has foretold about ages past has come to pass just as He said it would—not once, but again and again.  This gives us confidence that what God has told us about that which is still future, will also be fulfilled exactly as He says it will.  None other than Jesus Christ assures us that, “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27) and, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27).

Indeed, the list of impossibles involving Jesus—though formerly a long and formidable one—is rapidly dwindling.  He has already been born in human form, lived a sinless life, suffered and died for our sins, according to the scriptures.  He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.  He has long since ascended back to heaven, where He awaits the appointed time to return as conquering Hero and Judge of all the earth.  The hour is late.

But is it TOO late?  It is not possible that a holy and just God, righteous in all His ways, should love sinners enough to send His only Son to take their place in punishment.  Not because God is unwilling or incapable, but because He has already done it: “But God commendeth [demonstrates or proves] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

This explains what God did for you (and me).  What must you do to be acceptable to God?  In answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” the Bible says, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31)  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

There’s that word again—“impossible.”  No part of your salvation can be earned or deserved.  God’s way is to come to Him by faith.  You must trust God completely to keep His promise to forgive your sins for Jesus’ sake.  God’s gift of eternal life is received by faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross on your behalf.

Don’t be like doubting Thomas, the apostle who insisted on seeing Jesus’ resurrected body bearing the marks of crucifixion before he’d believe that his Lord was truly alive again.  To Thomas’ mind that was impossible, based on the fact that he had never personally witnessed such a thing before.  ‘Dead men don’t rise,’ he must have said to himself.  Therefore, Jesus could not rise.

This drew a mild rebuke for the disciple, and praise for believers separated by time or distance, who would walk by faith and not by sight: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

The Apostle Peter wrote words of encouragement to followers of Jesus who were going through some very hard times.  Embedded in his letter is a reference to Jesus’ [re]appearing, a future event the certainty of which was not in question.  What followed was a discussion of faith that’s not determined by nor dependent upon one of the five senses.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  (I Peter 1:7-9, emphasis added)

These disciples loved Jesus, though they had never seen Him with their physical eyes.  For them, believing was seeing and not the other way ’round.  They could rejoice in Jesus’ reality with indescribable and incandescent joy, and celebrate their relationship with Jesus, though for “NOW” they could not see Him.  They believed in Him anyway, and as a result, they received the goal of their faith—“the salvation of their souls.”

What about you?  Nearly 20 centuries have elapsed since His promise.  Have you written off Jesus’ return because it hasn’t happened yet?  Have you dismissed all concern over your own accountability before God because the day of reckoning has not yet arrived?  Have you abandoned all hope of mercy for the righteous and judgment for the wicked because that’s not what you see from day to day?  Have coming to Christ and getting right with God long sat atop your “impossible” list?

There is so much more to that decision than meets the eye.  I urge you to take a fresh, hard look and reevaluate.  ‘Haven’t seen it happen’ and ‘cannot happen’ are not the same.  The King is coming.  All signs point to the nearness of His second advent.  The time to prepare is now.  Here’s how.

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “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; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)