There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Luke 23:33-34 (NKJV)
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43
Do you understand what this passage is trying to tell? It's telling you that you have a choice. You can choose to blaspheme or in the NIV hurl insults at God or you can recognize that he shouldn't be on the cross and ask him to remember to you. It's really that simple.
These two men are a picture for us. You can choose to go right or you can go left. That's how great our God is that he leaves up to to make your choice. For some the choice isn't hard. You can choose the left or the right.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Matthew 25:32-33 (NIV)
Now it doesn't say which criminal was on the right or the left but because the sheep go on the right let's just say the repenting criminal is on the right and the other one is on the left. So the choice is yours do you want the right or the left. Let's take a look at both sides.
Starting with the left. You can choice to hurl insults at God. You can live life however you want. You can choose to rebel and not follow God. Like all choices in life there consequences. This choice is a bad choice because of the consequences. Like the second criminal said "for we receive the due reward of our deeds" These verse tell of what happens when you choice to go left.
Then they will go away to eternal punishment Matthew 25:46 (NIV)
I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too. Luke 13:5 (NLT)
Did you see that key word in that last verse? Again, this means he has said it before. These aren't the only verse that say that if you choice to go to the left, if you choice to hurl insults at God you will perish. I'm not going to go into detail what hell is like. I'm not the fire and brimstone kinda person. I do think that you need understand your choice. Here are earth we are separate from God, in hell you removed from God. That's a big difference. Separate means not near but you may still access to something that is separated. Think of it like this I'm separate from my parents. There is huge distance between and I don't see them, but I can pick up the phone or send and e-mail and still have access to them. That's what earth is like. God isn't near but we can pray or read the bible and have access to Him. Remove is gone taken away from. When I was a teacher I would remove students from my classroom, I would take them out of my classroom and out them another. This student that was removed no longer had any access to me. That's what hell is, you are taken away from God and you no longer have access to Him. What I'm trying to point out is if the life is hard and rough being separate from God, I don't even what to think about life where there is no God. This what will happen if you choice to go left.
So back to Matthew 25:32-33 and going to the right. If you choice to recognize that Jesus didn't belong on that cross what happens. First you have to believe and then repent. Turn away from a life living for yourself and start living for God. What needs to be done in order to be the right, look at these verses.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29 (NLV)
but the righteous to eternal life. Matthew 25:46 (NIV)
Just do your best to be righteous and follow God and you can go to the right. All it takes to believe and repent. Follow Jesus understand that he loves and try to reflect that love. When you choice to go right you are choosing to spend the rest of you life with God. Nobody can even began to think what that would be like. God is so good us. If you think of all the blessing God has given so far to you, it's nothing compared to heaven.
Think wisely and make choice the left or the right. I'm leaving with the words from a song by Big Tent Revival about choosing life.
Choose Life :
a choice is set before you,
living or dying, blessing or cursing
and know, the time has come around
to turn form your fighting and rest in his mercy
CHORUS:
choose life that you might live
the life that He gives, He gives you forever
choose life the way that is true
from the One who chose you, your father in heaven
choose life
trust the lord with all of your heart,
with all of your soul, with all of your being
hold on, listen and obey
surrender your life into His keeping
(Chorus)
and the weight you're under will be lifted away
and world will wonder, "what happened here today?"
and you'll stand right there and say...
(Chorus)
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