A lot of college and NFL football teams use the spread offense (like the Missouri Tigers…who are playing in the SEC Championship Game!). With the spread offense, the quarterback basically has three options: 1. He can throw the ball (sometimes he does this after faking a hand off). 2. He can keep the ball and run with it himself. 3. He can hand or pitch the ball to the running back. The Missouri Tigers are now 11-1 and they have executed the spread offense very effectively this year.
But when it comes to eternity, there is no third option. There is only Heaven and Hell. You are either saved or unsaved. You are a follower of Jesus or you are not His follower. There is no third option. Jesus said that you are either for Him or you are against Him (Luke 11:23). Since He is the Son of God, He knows what He’s talking about. There is no other way of salvation (Acts 4:12). There is no plan B (1 Timothy 2:5).
I have witnessed to an old friend (I’ll call him Bill) from my hometown several times over the past five years. I stopped by his house recently and enjoyed catching up with him. After we talked for a while, I asked him how he was doing spiritually. He said that he was doing fine. He said that he talks to God every now and then and that he thought everything was alright. It wasn’t easy, but I had to tell my friend that God doesn’t hear his prayers.
I explained to Bill that his prayers are not getting past the ceiling. Proverbs 15:29 says The Lord is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayers of the righteous. Proverbs 28:9 states he that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. And John 9:31 tells us Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. I further explained to my friend that none of us are righteous (Romans 3:10-12).
So I asked Bill what he thought about these verses – that none are righteous. He told me that he had really cleaned up his life. That he wasn’t the same man he used to be. Sure he still likes to drink and he loves to look at and flirt with women at the bar, but he isn’t the womanizer that he used to be. I explained to Bill that we can’t wipe out any of our past sins. You can say you are sorry for them, you can really feel bad about former actions, but you can never take them back. You can never undo them on your own.
Since my friend thought that he had become such a better person, I walked him through some of the 10 Commandments. He had already admitted to lusting after women, so I relayed to him that Jesus said lusting after someone is the same thing as committing adultery with that person in your heart (Matthew 5:27-28). I also explained to him that anything in life that we love more than God, is an idol. Unfortunately, my friend really loves alcohol. I pointed out that we spend our time, energy and money on what we really love. He recognized that he has not put God first in his life.
I pointed out that we are all going to die some day and that we will stand before Jesus on Judgment Day (Revelation 20:11-15). I asked him if God judged him for lusting, getting drunk, blaspheming God’s name, coveting, etc. would he be innocent or guilty? He didn’t want to answer me. He said that he hoped that God would be understanding. I explained to Bill how God is a good Judge. How God is righteous and Holy and how He must punish sin. Then my friend finally admitted that he would be found guilty.
So then I asked him if God would send him to Heaven or Hell? Bill said that he hoped that he would go to Heaven. We reviewed the fact that none of us are righteous and that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Bill then told me that he wished that there was a third option. My friend realized that he didn’t deserve to go to Heaven, but he still thought that he wasn’t bad enough to go to Hell. So he was hoping that there would be a third option.
I had to inform Bill that there is no third option. There is no purgatory. It’s either Heaven or Hell. You are either saved or unsaved. You are either born again or your still only born once. You have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, or you still reject Him. There is no other way. There is no middle ground. You are either a repentant believer who has put his trust in Jesus or you are still an unrepentant sinner who is still trusting in your own good works (which can never measure up to God’s perfect standard).
Again, I reminded Bill that there is no third option. Only Jesus saves. Jesus is the only One who ever walked this earth and never sinned in His thoughts, words or actions. He died a cruel death on the cross; was buried and rose from the grave on the third day. Jesus defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. God offers eternal life to each and every person who repents and believes the Gospel. To everyone who turns away from their sins and puts their faith in Jesus.
Then Bill told me that he wasn’t ready to commit his life to Christ. He said that he didn’t want to be like so many professing Christians who are hypocrites. They go to church on Sunday, but then Bill sees them at the bars and catting around the rest of the week. I agreed that being a hypocrite would be a bad thing and that I respected his position on that. But I pointed out to Bill that when he stands before Jesus on Judgment Day and complains about all the hypocrites, I believe Jesus will tell him that he shouldn’t worry about them. Jesus will deal with them later. I believe Jesus will look at my friend and say “I’m talking to you. Don’t worry about anyone else.”
We ended the conversation with my friend agreeing that he wasn’t willing to give up the sins that he loves in order to surrender his life to Jesus. He didn’t like hearing this, but it is the truth and Bill needed to hear it. It breaks my heart because if Bill continues down this broad road that leads to destruction, one day it will be too late. I pointed out to him that I had actually driven by his road and had decided not to stop because I was tired and just wanted to get home. (I had been driving for two hours and still had an hour left before I’d be home).
But my wife called me when I was in Lebanon and asked me if was going to witness to my friend. I told her no, that I had already passed the road he lives on. She pressed the issue and reminded me that I had mentioned that I was going to stop and talk to him. So I told her that I would and I turned around and did visit with him. I wondered if her call was God’s way of getting my attention to go back and share the Gospel with my friend? So I went.
I relayed this to Bill and pointed out that we just about didn’t have a conversation because I was tired and wanted to go home. My friend has a serious illness and was told that he would die five years ago. He realizes that he is living on borrowed time. I reminded him of this fact and said, “How do you know that this won’t be the last time that you ever hear the Gospel?”
I ask you the same thing: How do you know this won’t be the last time that you ever hear the Gospel? Life is short, it is but a vapor (James 4:14). Any one of us could die at any moment. Are you right with God? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Have you repented by turning away from your sins and put your trust in Him? Are you saved? Have you been born again? If not, how do you know your life won’t be taken from you tonight, tomorrow or next week?
This is not a game. Today is the day of salvation. Receive the free gift of salvation found in Jesus alone. Don’t continue with your current choice if you are lost and on the broad road to Hell. Stop spiritually sleep walking through life. Let go of the sins you love and love the One you once hated. Be born again – born of the Spirit by turning away from your sins and putting your faith in Jesus. Wishing and hoping for a third option will do you no good. Only Jesus saves.