If We Never Meet Again (25 Pack) (ESV) (Ats)

Publisher Description

:It's likely our paths may never cross again.

So what if they don't? Just this...in a world of cheap promises of wealth, health, and happiness, I've discovered something that has made a lasting difference in my life. And what you have here in your hand sums it up.

You don't need to be somebody special to make this discovery yourself. I'm just an ordinary person. But one day I found that there was something more to life than just living for weekends, working a lifetime to stay ahead of bills, growing old, and finally...death.

Please let me explain. Then you'll know why I'm eager to share my discovery with you.

Our purpose for being here...

From the beginning of time, according to a special book called the Bible, life was meant to be a richly satisfying experience. The purpose of life even included friendship with God Himself! In fact, God created man and woman to enjoy His friendship in a perfect world of love and trust.

I learned from the Bible that "God created [mankind] in His own image."1 He shared with them qualities similar to His own-intelligence, conscience, personality, speech, the ability to choose. The things that still give our lives meaning today.

Despite a great start, there came a time when the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, chose to go against one of God's instructions to them. The consequences were immediate. Their sin-the choice to disobey God-broke their once-close friendship with Him.2 Even worse, sin's eventual result was physical death. And death opened the door into sin's final outcome, eternal death, separation forever from God.

And from their day to ours human history can be summed up this way: "Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death."3

We have all followed in the footsteps of our forefathers. Disobedience. Deceit. Lies. Using others. Loving money. No time for God in our lives. No wonder our lives offend God...we offend our friends, even though they're sinners like us!

As hopeless as it sounds, when mankind ruined things God had a solution. His plan: Have someone who had never done wrong take the place of everyone who had ever done wrong. An innocent substitute for guilty wrongdoers.

The original plan restored...

Two thousand years ago the plan went into action. Jesus Christ, God's Son, became one of us. In His 33-year lifetime as the God-Man, He fulfilled every requirement and expectation God ever hoped for us. He never once sinned against His Father or those around Him. In other words, Jesus qualified as the perfect substitute for all the rest of us!

So His death on a cross was not the tragic end of the world's greatest teacher. It only appeared to be "just" another cruel Roman execution. Actually, in dying Jesus carried through with His desire to take the eternal death penalty for us all. One sinless Man for all sinful mankind!4

Because He is the one and only God-Man, Jesus' suffering equaled the eternal judgment in hell that we all would otherwise experience. That's how much He wanted to restore God's original purpose for us.

The Bible puts it this way: "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."5

Jesus' resurrection from the dead three days after His burial6 proved that, in paying the death penalty for us, He had also conquered death, not only for Himself, but for all those who believe in Him. That means those who trust God to forgive their sins will also share in Jesus' resurrection life forever in Heaven.7

There's more. Those who admit their sins caused Jesus' death and trust God to save them from the eternal judgment their sins deserve receive that eternal, spiritual life the moment they believe. Jesus put it this way. "I have come that they [who trust in Me] may have life, and have it to the full."8

The choice is yours!

Those are the basic facts of my most important discovery. Will it make any difference whether or not you agree with me?

Look at it this way: If there is no existence after this life on earth, what will you lose by ignoring what I say? Nothing. But if what the Bible says about eternal life and eternal death is true, and you ignore it, you have everything to lose.

Even though we may never meet again, I don't have to know you personally to want God's best for you. Forgiveness and eternal life are still offered to you.

But...it's your decision.

What will you choose?

If you want God's offer of eternal life, you may want to put your choice into words something like these:

Dear God, I admit I have sinned against you many times in my life. I'm convinced that Jesus died in my place and took the judgment for sin that I deserved.

I accept your offer of forgiveness. I want the new life Jesus promises to those who believe in Him. Thank you for letting me find out how to know You.

Doug Salser