EXPIRATION DATE

We are all familiar with seeing this common instruction on a milk container, or a can of something or other that has a limited shelf life. The manufacturer recommends their product be used before a certain expiration date. But have you ever given much thought to the fact that we humans also have an "expiration date" that was apparently decided for us by our Creator? In (Heb 9:27) we read "And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment", and in (Psa 139:16) it is recorded "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed"! These verses, as well as many others, tell us that we too have a "limited shelf life", so to speak. Our shelf life is the amount of time that we are appointed to live in these temporary "earth suits" here on planet earth. The length of time varies for each individual, depending a lot of various factors, but we should not lose sight of the fact that we all have an expiration date!

The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can receive a life that is "eternal" and will last for ever and ever! Here is a great truth, "And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life: whoever does not have the Son does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12). This is referring to the spiritual life we receive when we are "born again" (John 3:16), as opposed to the natural (shelf life) we receive in our mother's womb. We are unique creatures, because we are created in the "image of God" (Gen 1:27) having a spirit that will exist forever, either in heaven with Jesus, or in hell with the devil. According to God's Word there is only these two possible destinations. Jesus made a very clear statement recorded in (John 14:6) " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me"! Some people are depending on various types of religious traditions to get them to heaven, but they will be sadly mistaken when they wake up some day in hell when their expiration date arrives!

Have you confirmed your reservation to spend eternity with Jesus? If not you still have time to do so if you are reading this article. Find a Bible and read (Eph 2:1-10), admit to God that you are a sinner, then repent of your past sinful life, and ask Jesus to receive you into the family of God. If you are sincere God will adopt you into His family, and you will be "born gain"! Then we can welcome you into the family of God, the "True Church" that Jesus is in the process of building!

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer