In John 12:48-50, Jesus drew attention to His word and every person’s reaction to it.

48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (Jno. 12:48-50)

Jesus said His word contains both judgment (condemnation) as well as everlasting life. How can this be? The answer is found in how one chooses to react to His word. The exercise of your freewill determines whether the word of Christ will bring you damnation or everlasting life in the last day.

To reject the teachings of Jesus in unbelief is to reject God the Father, who sent Jesus to this world to speak His word to mankind. The authority of heaven is contained  in the teachings of Christ Jesus.

To reject Jesus and His words brings one into direct conflict with God (Deut. 18:18-19; Acts 3:22-23). The word “judge” in John 12:48 means to “distinguish, i.e. decide,” and “by impl. to try, condemn, punish” (Strong’s Dictionary). It is a terrifying thing to fall under God’s wrath, which brings be eternal anguish in outer darkness (Heb. 10:31; Rom. 2:8-9; Matt. 25:30, 46; Mk. 9:44-48). Eternal death.

On the other hand, to believe and obey the word of Christ is to reap the blessing of everlasting life, commanded and granted by God to all who love Him and keep His commandments (1 Jno. 5:3). Thus, Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:16). The word of Christ gives eternal salvation to all who believe it and obey it (Heb. 5:8-9).

You are making your choice of eternal death or eternal life right now. The effects of your choice will reach into eternity. Grasp the serious finality and enormity of the judgment that surely comes from rejecting Christ and not receiving His words. Unquenchable fire. Agony without relief. Without God forever.  Now, consider life without end. Blessed rest, peaceful bless and joyful praise in God’s presence forevermore. The choice is yours. Choose wisely. 

Amazing Grace
Tanner Bass

How sweet the sound? How truly amazing is the grace of God, that sets us free from sin? Grace is often defined as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense, and think how appropriate and true this statement is. God’s grace removing our own sin is nothing we deserve or provide for ourselves (2 Cor. 12:8-9; Eph. 2:8-9). Rather, it is given totally by God’s mercy at the expense of Christ on the cross (Rom. 3:20-24). God’s grace is a great gift, given to His undeserving creation. There is nothing we can do to earn the grace of God, nor will we ever deserve it.

If you stop and truly think about how blessed we are as Christians to receive forgiveness from our Lord by His own mercy, you will be much more grateful for His everlasting grace (Eph. 2:7). We should be striving to better appreciate God’s grace each day of our lives. With a humble heart and mind, coming to God with a repentant attitude and an obedient life, we have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace,” (Eph. 1:7).

Without the grace of God, we truly have nothing. Life would not have any value, and the everlasting hope we have in Heaven would not exist. In the precious grace given by God, we have hope, salvation, and life that exceeds this world. Should we not be thankful each day for the gift of God that saves us?

Each day, we ought to thank God for His sufficient grace, and we must also thank the Son of God, for leaving the realm of Heaven to be the sacrificial lamb, by which grace is made possible. It is my hope that we never lose sight of the grace of God, but rather, that we thank Him and Jesus more and more each day for it. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound of it, that saved wretches like us. We once were lost, but now we are found. We were blind spiritually, but now we see. Let us not be ungrateful for grace, rather, let us learn to thank both God and Jesus more each day.

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