12/30/14: The Books Were Opened

Some years back, I had a Facebook debate with an atheist about the reality of the Biblical concepts I hold dear. Of course, he would not accept any proof I used from the Bible because he began with the premise that the Bible did not contain truth. When confronted with the fact that sources outside of the Bible proved its accuracy, he either had a comeback or would divert to a different point. Finally, I rested on the what-if-you’re-right argument. It goes like this:

What if you’re right and the Bible, Jesus, and God are all one incredible hoax? What will happen to us when we die? Either we will stop existing altogether, or we get another chance at life by being able to come back in another form. I can actually live with both options. If I stop existing, I have lived a wonderfully deluded life that, for reasons beyond my comprehension, has seen relief from sorrow, healing from sickness, unexplainable joy when things go bad, and hope in seemingly hopeless situations. If I come back to live again, I will have a correct understanding next time around.
But what if I’m right? What if the Bible, Jesus, God, and all the rest of Bible are true? What will happen to us when we die? Either we will go to heaven or hell. I can live with this option too because my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and I am going to heaven. You, on the other hand, have been terribly deluded into believing the Bible is not true. Since you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior, your name is not written in the Book, and upon the moment of your death, your soul will separate from your body and begin an existence of eternal torment in hell (a place you learn all about in the book you believe is not true).
I win with both options. Do you feel lucky?

Although my atheist debater pooh-poohed this argument, I logged out of the conversation and did not enter into it any more. The Bible is true whether people believe it or not. One can argue that gravity does not exist, but if he jumps from a 20-story building without a parachute or battery pack, he will find the truth of gravity by slamming into the ground despite his disbelief. In the same way, one can argue that God and the Bible aren’t true, but if he dies without the parachute or battery pack of the saving blood of Christ applied, he will find the truth of the Bible by slamming into hell despite his disbelief.

John the Revelator told us what he plainly saw. “And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it… I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:11-15 (NLT).

I’m excited today to know that my name is written in the Book of Life. How about you? If you’re not sure, contact me at www.LifeThatMatters.net and let’s talk about how you can know for sure. Worship God today for being the author of the Bible and writer of the list of names in the Book of Life.

____________________________

©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.