When I was a young man I liked to drive fast. I raced everywhere. I had one major problem. Highway patrolmen don't encourage people to drive over the speed limit. In fact, they frown upon people driving over the speed limit. I was issued warnings the first several times I was stopped. The patrolmen were nice but very firm in their insistence that I quit speeding.

The fourth time I was stopped I was issued a speeding ticket. The ticket cost me $90 which was fairly expensive in the 1960s. The ticket did not deter me. I continued to speed. Over the next sixty days I received seven tickets, all for speeding.

I received a letter from the State of Kansas that said I was required to appear in court. It seems the State of Kansas does not allow law breaking speeders to continue their illegal driving activities indefinitely. I had already paid over $700 in speeding tickets, but they figured further action was warranted. I appeared before a judge and he asked me if I thought I was above the law.

"No," I said. "Yes, you do," he replied, "or you wouldn't break the law with such impunity." The judge fined me a hefty $500 and revoked my drivers license for six months. He told me if I appeared before him again for speeding I would lose my license for three years and may spend up to a year in jail. The judge was not smiling or kind. I believed him. I repented of my sin and quit speeding. I have not had another speeding ticket to this day.

Most of us treat God's laws the way I treated Kansas's speeding laws. God sends people to warn us of impending danger caused by our sin. Many of us ignore the consequences of our actions until something forces us to take a hard look at them.

The Bible is very clear that the only way to eternal life is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No man can gain eternal life without repenting of their sin and accepting Jesus Christ as their savior. It doesn't make any difference what others claim, only Jesus can give eternal life.

The Bible also is very clear that everyone that does not repent of their sin and accept Jesus as savior will spend eternity in the lake of fire. There will be no comfort, there will be no good. There will only be anguish and eternal damnation.

Every person is going to be judged according to his actions and inactions in this life. There is no one exempt. The Bible is very clear in stating that those who reject Christ will not be written in the book of life. They will be forever cast into a lake of fire with the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. (See Revelations 20:10-15).

Why is everyone going to be judged?

All men have sinned against Holy God. God who is holy must punish sin. None of us can claim that we are holy enough to please God by our own righteousness. We are not even worthy to open the book of life. (See Revelation 5:4) It is evident from the scriptures that all people are under the condemnation of God, and rightfully so, because we have sinned against Holy God.

If the condition of man stopped here there would be no hope, but praise God there is who is Jesus Christ ! God has provided a way for mankind to avoid his wrath and gain eternal life! Jesus Christ has secured eternal life for all that come to him. Millions of believers that accept Christ's great deliverance through the gospel will live to praise him in heaven. (See Revelation 5:5-14)

Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to reconcile us to God by offering his body as a sacrifice for all men's sin. John 3:16-21, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I am heartbroken to say that many people will reject the grace of God, and choose the wrath of God, because of their love for sin. They shall be forever tormented in the lake of fire with no hope. For those of us who accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from death will be forever blessed by God. Romans 4:6-8, "...Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

One last word.

Let us that have accepted Christ as our Lord redouble our efforts to spread the saving message of Jesus Christ. Let us not sit and watch others perish without sharing the love of God. II Corinthians 5:10-11, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men..."

There are no other choices. There is either eternal salvation through Christ or eternal damnation for rejecting his great salvation. Those who reject God's goodness through Christ will have called God a liar and refused Christ's sacrifice for them. It is my prayer that Christians who read these words will share the love of Christ with a lost world. It is also my prayer that those who don't know Christ will repent of their sin and accept Christ's sacrifice for their sin so that they don't have to pay the consequences of their sins before the judge of all the earth.