All of us can relate to the simplicity of deciding whether we want to sit in a smoking or non-smoking section of a restaurant.  There is no work to be done to determine where we would like to sit.  There is no hoping that we get to sit in the section we want.  We simply make a conscious decision as to whether we want smoking or non. Contrary to popular belief, where you will spend eternity is no more complicated than deciding whether you would like smoking or non.

Let me explain. Throughout the Bible there is a promise that if you have absolute perfect righteousness you will earn eternal life, for example,

Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

The Word of God makes it equally clear that God is just and if you have anything less than perfect righteousness then His justice must condemn you to eternal damnation.

Romans 2:8-9 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Undoubtedly you immediately see the problem with this proposition.  The problem is you are not perfectly righteous.  In fact, whether you are willing to admit this or not, you know that it is true.  You are a sinner, and any righteousness that you might think you possess is unacceptable and offensive to the justice of God Almighty.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Isaiah 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 Because you are a sinner and lack absolute perfect righteousness, your sin has incurred a debt that God’s justice demands must be paid.  The justice of God must condemn you to the Lake of Fire for eternity.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death…

The book of The Revelation tells us specifically that the ultimate wages of sin is the second death, which is the death of your soul in the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Once you have been cast into the Lake of Fire, there will be no hope of ever getting out. You will suffer the undiluted wrath of Almighty God for your sin for all eternity.

Revelation 14:10-11 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…

I began by saying that where you will spend eternity is a matter of making a conscious decision whether you wanted smoking or non.  What we have just looked at in the Word of God describes the smoking section of eternity—the Lake of Fire, where the smoke of your torment will ascend up for ever and ever.

The testimony of God against you is that you are a hopeless sinner who is worthy of the wrath of God for all eternity.  If you foolishly reject this, know for sure that the Word of God you have just read in this gospel tract will haunt your tormented soul in the Lake of Fire throughout eternity.  If however you agree with God concerning your worthiness to receive His wrath, read on—God has some good news for you.

Having acknowledged that you rightfully deserve the wrath of God for your sins, let’s look at the good news God has for you.  The good news is that God, in His infinite love, has provided a way for you to escape His wrath and have eternal life with Him.  Listen to this good news.

The Bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died for our sins.

I Corinthians 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

A proper understanding of what the Bible means when it says that Christ died for our sins is crucial.  The Lord Jesus Christ didn’t die as a martyr, He didn’t die as an example to us, nor did He die to give us the ability to save ourselves. The Word of God clearly states that the Lord Jesus Christ was actually made sin for us on the cross and suffered the eternal wrath of God for sin there.  Death had no claim on the Lord Jesus Christ because He knew no sin. Therefore, for Him even to be able to die, He had to be made sin, which He willingly and lovingly did for us.

II Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Because the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, the Word of God says that the very righteousness of God, the perfect righteousness we need in order to have eternal life, is available to all of mankind today.  This righteousness is available not because of anything we did to merit it, but solely because of the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ to die for the sins of mankind.

Romans 3:21-23 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We could never earn or deserve this righteousness. It is available because Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, was faithful to suffer God’s wrath towards sin for us. Because the Lord Jesus Christ fully paid the debt of man’s sin, the justice of God is now free to offer His righteousness to all mankind today as an absolutely free gift, acceptable only by faith.

Notice carefully that according to Romans 3:22, God’s righteousness is available to all mankind today, but it is only put to the account of those that believe.  So the question is, “What must I believe to have the righteousness of God put to my account?”
  Read on.

The Lord Jesus Christ actually died as our substitute, fully paying the debt and penalty of our sins.  We have already seen in Romans 6:23 that sin had wages that it earns, a penalty that must be paid.  The justice of God demands that His wrath be poured out on sin.  But the good news is the Lord Jesus Christ suffered that wrath of God on the cross for us when He died as our Substitute—Redeemer. Because the Lord Jesus Christ paid the debt of our sins, God offers His perfect righteousness, and the eternal life that comes with having His righteousness as a free gift.  There is nothing in man that merits the gift of eternal life.  It is available to mankind solely because of God’s grace.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Notice carefully the word “redemption.”  Redemption is freedom from a predicament or penalty by the payment of a specified price.  This is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for you. He paid the price that God’s justice had specified for your sins when He died in your place.   Also in connection with this, when the Lord Jesus Christ died under the penalty of your sins, He did something that you could never do.  He fully satisfied the offended justice of Almighty God. The payment of His shed blood totally and completely satisfied God’s offended justice so that your sins can now be forgiven.

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Notice carefully the word “propitiation.”  Propitiation refers to a sacrifice or offering for sin that is sufficient to fully satisfy God’s offended justice, and so allow for forgiveness.  This too is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for you when He died in your place on the cross.  This means that the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, as a payment for your sins, was an acceptable payment to the justice of God. In fact it is the only payment that God’s justice can accept.

Let’s look carefully again at Romans 3:25.  It is here that we read what it is that we must believe in order to have the justice of God satisfied towards our sins, and God’s righteousness put to our account.

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

“Faith in his blood” is the issue.  We must simply believe what God says about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God says that the only thing that the justice of God is satisfied with is the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. And you must believe the same.  You must believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins.  That He suffered the eternal wrath of God on the cross that you deserve to suffer for all eternity. You must cease from your own efforts and rely totally and exclusively on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary, trusting Him as your all-sufficient Savior.

There can be no combination of faith in his blood and your own efforts to save you.  You must rely totally and exclusively on what He has accomplished for you in dying for your sins.  God’s offer of eternal life as a free gift can only be received by faith, which by its very nature is independent of any human effort.

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

When the Lord Jesus Christ hung on the cross of Calvary He declared, “It is finished.”  By raising Him from the dead both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit publicly confirmed Christ’s declaration to be true.  The resurrection of Christ demonstrates to the entire universe that the debt of your sins truly has been paid in full!. With that being the case the justice of God is free to declare you righteous.

Romans 4:24-25  …if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

What we have just looked at in the Word of God is called the gospel of Christ.  Which simply means the good news concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this simple message of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary that, when believed, is the power of God to save you from eternity in the Lake of Fire. Therefore, if you will make the conscious decision of your own free-will to believe this good news and personally trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, God will forgive all of your sins, put His righteousness to your account, and gives you eternal life, never to be taken away.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;...

The choice is now up to you.  The word of God declares that you have a serious problem that you cannot remedy yourself.  Your problem is that you are a sinner who has offended the justice of God.  There is nothing that you can do to change the fact that you are a sinner.  There is only one answer—simply believe the good news of God’s gracious offer of salvation to you, trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your all-sufficient savior.  There is no organization for you to join or prayer for you to pray.  You don’t have to go anywhere or do anything. In the privacy of your own heart simply make the conscious decision to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. There will never be a more important decision in your life for you to make than this one.  On behalf of the Lord God of the universe, I urge you to accept God’s offer of eternal life as a free gift by simply trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour before it is everlastingly too late.