Fire

The church service was barely half over and Chris was already squirming. His second cup of coffee at breakfast was the reason. Trying not to distract the service, Chris slipped past his wife and two daughters to head to the men’s room downstairs. As he passed the furnace room on the lower level he noticed a sinister orange glow under the door. Opening the metal door, he was confronted with a raging fire?

His first reaction was to run, but his family was upstairs. Taking a deep breath, Chis rushed back to the church auditorium. Reluctantly (his own comment) he interrupted the service. He knew some would be angered by his actions, but a life and death danger existed. It was real!

FIRE!

Mustering his courage, Chris yelled “FIRE” He could not leave his family and friends to die. He yelled, but things did not go well. A few listened and ran out of the church building. The pastor, sadly, assured everyone that there was no fire. He even admonished the “trouble maker” and then just went back to preaching.

Once outside Chris called 9-1-1. Due to being scolded by the pastor, he really felt just like leaving. Yet, those still in that building were his friends. Firemen and emergency workers arrived quickly. By now smoke was seen trickling out some doors and windows. As others began exiting the church, Chris helped wrap blankets around them and escort them to the paramedics.

By his own admission Chris wanted to just leave, but he could not. Yes, he had yelled “fire”, but that was not enough. Simply leaving those who would not listen was not the loving thing to do. It was within his ability to do more, so he did more.

DEATH IN CHURCH!

The church Chris was attending when this happened taught a moral code but gave no salvation call. That church taught that being good and practicing the golden rule would be enough to get a person into Heaven.

In the months following the fire one of Chris’ friends shared with him that “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:12). “For all have sinned and come short of the glory (the perfection) of God.” No matter how good anyone lives outwardly they cannot remove the sin-guiltiness off their soul. But God can!

“In (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

After realizing that moral goodness and being a church member cannot make him fit for Heaven, Chris did what the Bible says. He asked Jesus to forgive his sins and to give him the gift of eternal life.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)

By faith Chris trusted in Jesus to be his Savior. Jesus offered His own life and blood as the sin payment for the whole world. That payment only becomes practical when a sinner willfully receives Jesus as their own personal Savior.

Being a moral and religious person cannot provide you entrance into Heaven. Chris and his friends were in church but would die unless they left. You must leave your thinking about morality being enough. Only Jesus can save your soul.

(Friend, if you are resting on your moral goodness to get you into Heaven then someone needs to interrupt your life and yell “Fire!” Please, do what Chris did. Abandon your morality and run to Jesus.

This article came from the Bible Tracts Bulletin February 2017 Volume 61 Issue 6