Since their initial discovery, few astral phenomena have captured the attention of astrophysicists like the residue of giant stars that have burned out and imploded (collapsed in upon themselves).  The tremendous force of the collapse compresses, concentrates and crushes matter, packing it into an extremely dense core, whose gravitational pull intensifies to the point that nothing escapes it, not even light.

Anything and everything in proximity is captured and consumed, creating huge voids and leaving nothing but total darkness behind.  This darkness is so opaque that within these interstellar voids, the normal stuff of space (comets, nebulae, and so on), is no longer visible.  It’s as if it has simply gone missing—vanished—through openings that “suddenly” appear in the fabric of the cosmos.  Hence, the ominous but descriptive term, “black holes.”

Black holes are elements of the physical universe, having distinct characteristics and “behaviors.”  They are part of the natural realm.  And just as there is a natural order, there is a supernatural order.  Just as there is a physical, material realm, so there is an intangible, spiritual realm.  This realm too, has its black holes, with characteristics and processes strikingly similar to those of the deep space variety.

According to the Bible, there are dark forces operating in this supernatural sphere, whose malign influence tempts and deceives us from outside ourselves.  Though invisible, these unwholesome forces are immensely powerful and inconceivably destructive.  They are also bent on our damnation.  [Whether you believe that or not at this stage (and for your sake I hope that you do), is almost immaterial.]

Yet, we have no need of the Devil and his demons to coax us onto the precipice that juts out over the edge of the abyss.  God’s word reveals that our own selfishness, greed, narcissism, and willingness to use, abuse and manipulate others to get what we want—by any means necessary—work just as well.

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not…”  (James 4:1-2).

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  (James 1:14-15)

Our susceptibility and vulnerability to spiritual black holes is innate, which is to say that we were born with them.  They form part of the sinful, prideful, rebellious, God-rejecting human nature inherited from our earthly human parents, and their parents, all the way back to the first parents (Adam and Eve).  This is why the prophetic scriptures are so emphatic about the supernatural conception and virgin birth of the Messiah.

Jesus of Nazareth could not take our place in suffering the wrath of God against sin, if He too, were a sinner.  To be the Lamb of God, sacrificed in our place, for our transgressions, He had to be the quintessence of innocence, purity, and obedience.  The slightest taint of sin would have disqualified Christ as our substitute.  A hand-me-down sinful human nature could not be passed on to Jesus, if He were to be able to save.  So, God provided another way for His sinless Son to join and ransom humanity.  God’s grace (undeserved  goodness) and compassion are critical.

Spiritual black holes inexorably draw the unwary toward the frictionless edge of destruction.

Into the black hole of sexual immorality and impurity, slip marriages, families, reputations and relationships.

Youth, beauty, energy and health are sucked into the black holes of substance abuse and addiction.  Inside these dead zones, status, position and potential are snatched violently away.  Careers are peeled off and pulverized at fantastic speed.

The black holes of envy and jealously in every human heart (except Christ’s) entrap and drag in the unsuspecting.  Worldly possessions are easily torn from the tightest grip.  Hopes, dreams, aspirations and plans are stripped and shredded.  Triumphs, accomplishments, meaning, and purpose zip by on their way to annihilation.

Nothing, from a sob to a scream, can break free of these spiritual black holes.  Self-esteem and self-respect are plucked from them and carried off as though weightless.  Love, peace, contentment and joy are relentlessly, remorselessly smashed and passed back, toward the ravenous, empty center.

What’s true of individuals is true of whole societies.  Humanity itself cannot slow its progress toward the vortex one iota, much less free itself.  In our own puny strength, there is no defense against the irresistible pull of chaos and disintegration.  Think you’re able to resist?  Think again.  No one is immune to their ‘G’ forces.

Look in the mirror.  Do you see the world’s first special case?  Or are you starting to feel trapped?  Walls closing in?  Do you sense that you’re losing control?  Are the things you care about most sliding slowly, inevitably away from you?  Keep watching.  Has the seductive power of evil begun to squeeze you a bit too close for comfort?  Is it your imagination or is everything beginning to flatten?

By the time you can actually start to feel the explosive acceleration toward oblivion, you will already be firmly in the grasp of the Prince of Darkness.  Mark how quickly the strength of his demonic grip is increasing.  [Its progression is geometric, not linear.]

You will soon discover that no matter how fast you are going, you are still picking up speed.  Every fresh sin, every wrong choice is a force multiplier now.  You are free-falling as you finally become aware of the overwhelming power and incredible swiftness of your own ruin.

You may already have tried to break free, only to find that you cannot do so.  You are no match for the predicament you have created.  Terror clutches at your mind, your chest, your throat, as this realization sinks in.  And you have no excuse to offer to God when He demands to know the reason for your rebellion against Him and your rejection of the free gift of pardon Jesus died to give you.  You cannot escape what you have thought, what you have said, and what you have done.  There is no way out and no hope.

Or is there?  These metaphysical black holes have little to do with philosophy or religion.  They transcend both and point to a higher, ultimate reality—the Being behind the universe. Jesus Christ is its Designer and Creator.  He reigns outside and above His creation.  He is quite literally from another dimension.  He not only has the power to intercede, but to intervene, and has already done so, invading human history over 2,000 years ago.

God’s audacious plan was to send Jesus among us, as One of us, to live a life without sin and then, to face God’s judgment and righteous wrath in our place, offering up His life as our sin-bearer and sacrifice.  Christ suffered and died on the cross to satisfy God’s justice and anger against our sin.  He Himself was innocent. “[Jesus]…was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Christ was buried and raised from the dead, just as the Scriptures foretold.  The black hole of the empty tomb with its stone rolled away followed the greatest, most brilliant and most blinding flash of light this world or any world has ever seen.

That light still shines.  Are you ready to let go of whatever it is you’re clinging to right now or whatever is clinging to you, and grab His outstretched hand?  Will you repent of your sins, acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, and cry out to Him today, to save you?  Will you let Him yank you out of darkness, pull you to safety, and into His brilliant, glorious radiance for all eternity?

If you haven’t already done so, I urge you, plead with you, beg you—come to Christ now, while you still can.  Any delay may be catastrophic.   Jesus loves you and longs to fill you with life and light.  But don’t take my word for it.  Read on!

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 transform 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)
• “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”  (Isaiah 59:2)
• “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)