January 2000 Issue

The Year 2000

by Mark J. Ward

The New Year is here! Christ did not return the second time to judge everyone for eternity in either heaven or hell (yet), so there is still time for everyone living to make appropriate changes in order to receive the benefits of Christ's death wherein He shed His blood for the sins of the world! Yes, you too can be saved from your past sins and prepare to meet God in judgment. Note what the following passages teach about this.

Matthew 25:31-46

"31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep
from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the
left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and
clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and
ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed
me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in
prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to
me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal."

Matthew 26:28

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for
many for the remission of sins."

John 3:16

"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."

Romans 6:17,18

"17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered
you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness."

2 Peter 3:9-14

"9 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.
10 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.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 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?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be
diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

There are several lessons from the above passages, but please note the following truths taught therein.

1. Christ will come to judge everyone.

2. There are only two places of eternal abode: heaven and hell.

3. Christ died and shed His blood for the remission of our sins.

4. Those who obey the form (pattern) of doctrine (teaching) that is in the New Testament are cleansed from past sins and are servants of righteousness.

5. God is not willing that any should perish, even though many will go to hell.

6. Repentance is essential in our salvation from sin...and so is everything else that God asks of us in His Word.

7. Realizing the facts stated above, we should all become Christians who love God, who do our best to obey Him and who pray for His mercy and grace to be upon us.

Yes, the year 2000 is here! It will be what we make of it, Lord willing. What will I do in 2000 that is spiritually beneficial, showing my love toward God? What will you do? It is my prayer to wish each and everyone a Happy New Year and encourage us all to serve God with all our heart, soul and mind. We can never express enough love toward God for what He has done for us, but we should live our lives in total gratitude and service unto Him, according to His Divine Word. God bless us all in what is right and may we be defeated in whatever is wrong.

Thanks for reading. - Mark J. Ward

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com