NI5Q: Eternal Retirement Page

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How much thought have you given to retirement?
Have you made plans? Have you set back something for that day?
Are you ignoring it, or say "I'll take care of it later."
Maybe you say, "I'm too busy to deal with that right now."
Like it or not, one day it will come...you WILL retire...permanently.
If you haven't done so, maybe it is time to seriously consider your retirement plans.

The human soul is eternal. And when our body permanently retires in death the soul does not cease to exist, but rather spends eternity in one of two destinations. Which one of those destinations is determined by a choice we make BEFORE retirement.

Now, whatever your views, whatever your thoughts, whatever your beliefs (even the belief of unbelief) concerning permanent retirement locations, they actually all come down to a decision you make concerning one person. The person of Jesus Christ.

Whether you agree with this or not, whether or not I agree with it, doesn't matter...only what Jesus Christ says is what matters. His word is an absolute truth in a world of relativism.
Why does everything come down to Jesus Christ? In a simple explanation, picture yourself standing at the end of a long hallway. Down each side are doors with "God" written on each door. Behind each door represents someone or something individuals think of as "God" or a "God". Behind only one of those doors is the one and true God. There is only one way (one door) to Him. How do you know which door is that door?
God sent His son, Jesus Christ to be the "doorman". Jesus Christ at the door is what sets the one true God apart from all the others.

John 14:6 - "Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

So how do you get through the door where Jesus Christ is standing? What do you bring for entrance? Who can gain entrance? What if you you have done something horrible, are you even worthy to enter?

Romans 10:9 - "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

There are no other requirements than what Romans 10:9 says. No bribes are accepted. Getting through the door is NOT based on church attendance, how much money you give, how many animals or trees you save, being a good person, or ANYTHING else other than what you read in Romans 10:9. Also, there is absolutely no requirement based on what you have or haven't done to get through the door. Even if Adolf Hilter had followed Romans 10:9 in his final moments, his eternal retirement destination would have changed. By our standard that seems wrong, however, it demonstrates that God placed a requirement on getting through the door, and that requirement, once met, allows you entrance regardless. It doesn't matter what you or anyone has ever done.

So what is going on? What is the backstory?

If you have ever read the Old Testament Jewish Law, including the Ten Commandments, then you might say that there is no way you could ever follow all those rules. No one can. You see, the Law given to Moses in the Torah isn't just a list of rules. It is the VERY character of God: perfectionism. Someone would have to be perfect to be able to follow each and every law and commandment all the time.

Adam and Eve's character matched the Law until the fall. They made a choice to go against the character of God. That shift away from God's character is what we call "sin". God's requirement for being in His presence is perfection. When a soul enters eternal retirement there are only two places they can go. One place is into God's immediate presence, the other is not in God's immediate presence, separated from Him. The place of separation from God is quite hot.

Once Adam and Eve fell, they and everyone born since have fallen short of God's character.
Romans 3:23 - " For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard."

And the penalty for this shift away from the character of God...or "sin"...was death.

Romans 5:12 - "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned."

To remedy the separation issue for those who trusted in God but would never be able to follow the Law, God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Jesus Christ lived a perfect "sin" free life. He remained completely conformed to the character of God. The only human ever to do so.
Since Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, He did not have to die (there was no penalty to be paid). However, He willingly shed his blood and died to be our sacrifice. His perfect blood therefore, covers those who believe in Him and make Him Lord. (Making Him Lord means trying with all their heart to conform to His character).

Romans 3:24-26 - "Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus."

Simply Put:
When God looks at us, He sees the darkness of sin in our heart. And God, being perfect, can't have a relationship with us or let us into Heaven because of that darkness of sin. So God sent Jesus to earth to live a perfect life, die for us, and to shed His perfect red blood. When we accept Jesus into our heart (believe He is who He says He is and did what He said He did), Jesus' perfect red blood covers over the darkness of sin in our heart.
Then, when God looks at us, He can't see the darkness of sin, because it is covered over by Jesus' perfect red blood.
Then God says, "Thats my Son's perfect red blood. That is welcome in my presence".
And we are allowed into His immediate presence. (We enter His presence through prayer while still in this life.)

This is your eternal retirement choice. What will you decide. No decision IS a decision.

It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or where you are in life. Jesus died for you, and wants a relationship with you. Will you accept?

If you would like to accept, then pray the following prayer:

Father God, Please make me your child. I realize I have sinned against you and I accept your forgiveness made possible by Jesus dying for me on the cross, and raising from the dead. I place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and receive Him as Savior and Lord. I want to follow and serve you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you have just accepted Jesus, then welcome to the family.

The next thing you need to do is to ask God to help you find a church home. Ask Him to lead you to where He wants you to be.

You will need to be baptised in your new church home.

Read the Gospel of John (4th Book of the New Testament in the Bible) to learn more about Jesus and who He is.