Adore Him or ignore Him, Jesus Christ is one fascinating character.  His story doesn’t start with His incarnation and virgin birth, as momentous as they are.  In the scriptures we meet Him as the unique and eternal Son of God when there was as yet, no human race for Him to join.  We discover that He existed long before the cosmos came into being.  We find that He was not some interested spectator but was thoroughly involved and fully engaged in every way.

As soon as we begin to ask questions about Him that go beyond mangers and Magi, the things we learn about Jesus are just jaw-dropping.  Take this short passage, for example:

“For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”  (Colossians 1:16-17)

By Him all things exist.  By Him all things consist [hold together].  All things were created by Him.  All things were created for Him.  He is the maker of both the visible natural world, and the invisible, supernatural realm. Chronologically, yes, He is “before all things” but He is also first in importance.  Jesus is preeminent.

Here’s another punchy passage, chock full of fun facts about Jesus.  Note that these facts are stated in the same direct, matter-of-fact manner as in the short summary just read:

“[God] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:2-3).

Let’s review the main points made about Jesus this time:

• Since the time of Christ, we have been living in earth’s “last days.”  Good to know.  
• God no longer speaks new messages through yet more prophets but has spoken through Jesus the remainder of all He intends to reveal.  Also good to know.
• Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father (who as a spirit, has no physical body).  Jesus is God in accessible and relatable form—fully God, yet fully human.  As one of us, He “gets” us.
• Jesus not only created but sustains all things by His powerful word.  
• Jesus Himself dealt with our sins.  [He suffered, died on the cross and was buried, but rose again on the third day according to the scriptures, ascended into heaven, then “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High” and He will return one day soon to rule and reign]. 

In the face of this news, the world yawns, ‘Ho hum.  Nothing to see here, folks.’  Based on what we have read, would you agree?  If not, have you the courage to dig a little deeper?  Let’s stop and think a minute.

When did God the Father create everything through Jesus, the Son?  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1).  How did God do it?  By speaking.  His word has the power to make His thoughts reality, to make all things from nothing.  For example, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3).  There was no light.  God commanded that there be light.  Suddenly and instantaneously, there was light.

In a similar way, Jesus is still, at this very moment, “upholding all things by the word of his power.”  This quite obviously and unmistakably means that the Son speaks with the same divine authority as the Father.  The Son has power to sustain the entire universe by His command and has in fact, been doing so since the universe was created through Him.

This might be a good time to ask what would happen if He stopped?  One day, He will, according to the scriptures (II Peter 3:3-4):

^“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”  Are YOU a scoffer?

“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (II Peter 3:5-7 emphasis added)

The One who made the earth, in time past judged the world by means of a great flood.  God has intervened in history to punish wickedness on a global scale.  He has warned that He will do so again (this time, by fire).  Are YOU “willingly ignorant” of these facts?

You may be wondering, if God has brought catastrophe on unrepentant sinners in the past, where is He now?  Hasn’t He noticed that the world is once again knee-deep in godlessness, corruption, perversion and violence?  The Apostle Peter answers these questions, explaining:

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:8-9)

God, says the Apostle and close friend of Jesus, is not blind or indifferent to sin.  He is purposefully patient, waiting as long as possible for as many as possible to believe, repent of their sins and call upon the Lord Jesus to save them.  So great is His unwillingness that any should perish, that despite being sick at heart over what we have made of the world, He still patiently holds the door open to the very last moment.  Have YOU misunderstood and misjudged God?

Yet that moment will come when Christ’s powerful command which has been holding all things together will be cancelled.  Here is what that event will look and sound like:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”  (II Peter 3:10 emphasis added)

It’s an unimaginable cataclysm—or it would be, if mankind had not split the atom, breaking the bonds that hold the “elements” together, releasing in the process fantastic amounts of energy, an insane roar, gargantuan explosive force, and vaporizing heat, all from a mere handful of fuel.  How much more stupendous will the unrestrained discharge of power be, that has as its source, all the matter in the universe?!

One day soon the open door of God’s grace will close.  Jesus Christ will exercise His divine authority to judge the inhabitants of a sinful and rebellious earth.  His word of merciful restraint will change to one of righteous indignation and fiery wrath.  In view of these clearly expressed and plainly described truths, Peter asks a great question: ‘what kind of people ought we to be, and how should we be living today?’

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation [behavior or conduct] and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”  (II Peter 3:11-12 emphasis added)

Peter reminds us of the hope that Christians have of a sin-free universe, guaranteed to them by God: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account that the longsuffering [patience] of our Lord is salvation…”  (II Peter 3:13-15a)

There is no reason for believers to fear, says Peter.  On the contrary, believers should be looking forward to that future day and living in the light of Christ’s coming.  They should even be hurrying it along through sharing the gospel and prayer.

Unbelievers, by contrast, have every reason to be concerned.  When Jesus Christ returns, they will not “be found [by] Him in peace,” but hostile to God, defiant and unrepentant.  They have no chance of being found “without spot and blameless” because that is only possible by faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness, given to them as God’s gift, purchased for them with the precious blood of Jesus.  But they have refused the pardon and have not made use of God’s forbearance.

But there is good news.  Wonderful news.  Jesus Christ is mighty to save.  Those who don’t belong to Him can change their destiny, escape the fiery judgment now on its unstoppable way and instead be a part of that new and perfect world to come.  To find out how, 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 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)