If You So Choose

   There wasn’t a vacant seat to be had at a recent meeting of our school board. Fireworks were clearly expected and fireworks duly exploded, sparked off by the objection I raised from the body of the hall.

   he chairman of the board of governors had called the meeting in response to parents’ concerns at what they saw as an increasingly liberal interpretation of the curriculum by the head of the department of religious studies. At the conclusion of the meeting I had the very real but wholly unexpected privilege of being offered that self-same position.

   I could tell from the growing display of restlessness from other parents around me that the speaker was straying too far from the fundamentals of Christianity. How much worse would it get? Enough was enough: someone had to act and that someone was me.

   “I object, Mr. Chairman”, I said audaciously, rising to my feet.

   Immediately, albeit slowly at first but quickly gathering momentum, applause broke out from all sides, easily drowning the response of the liberal minority.

   On being acknowledged by the chairman, I strode to the podium, waited for the by now prolonged applause to die down, and began to speak.

   “I would rather live my life believing there was a god, and when I died find out there wasn’t, than live my life believing there wasn’t a god, and when I died find out there was.

   “This is so important; I’m going to repeat it.

   “I would rather live my life believing there was a god, and when I died find out there wasn’t, than live my life believing there wasn’t a god, and when I died find out there was.

   “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to take issue with the speaker.

   “I do not share your view, Alan, that miracles can happen but forgiveness of sins cannot. I understand you base your view on the fact that miraculous events can be witnessed whereas forgiveness of sins cannot.

   “There is a wonderful story about this in the Bible. Some people brought a sick man to Jesus to be healed, but because of the throng, they could not get into the house where Jesus was teaching. So they lowered the sick man, still on his bed, through the roof. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the sick man, “Your sins are forgiven you.” But some religious leaders reasoned among themselves saying, “How can anyone but God forgive sins?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts He asked them whether it was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you, or rise up and walk?” Jesus said this so that people would know He had power to forgive sins. Jesus then said to the sick man, “Arise, pick up your bed and go home”, which he did.

   “Alan, reverting to my opening statement, I wonder if you are familiar with the tale of the teacher who answered her young pupil’s inquiry as to the existence of God by asking if he could see the tree outside the classroom window. The boy said he could. The teacher then asked if the boy could see the bright blue sky. Again the boy said he could. The teacher next asked if the boy could see God. The boy said he couldn’t. The teacher responded by saying that therefore God did not exist.

   “The little girl sitting next to the boy put her hand up and asked if she could pose some similar questions to her classmate. With a smirk on her face the teacher said she could. 

   “The girl asked the boy if he could see the tree outside the classroom window. The boy said he could. The girl then asked if the boy could see the bright blue sky. Again the boy said he could. The girl next asked if the boy could see the teacher’s brain. The boy said he couldn’t. Quickly the girl responded by saying that therefore she did not have one.

   “It is not recounted what happened to the little girl but it is just possible the teacher - and you, Alan – are on your way to committing the unpardonable sin.

   “Let me make myself absolutely clear. In case you are not aware, there is one sin, and one sin only, which God does not forgive. In His infinite mercy and loving kindness towards us, God has made it possible for even the worst of sinners to find redemption through the atoning blood of His only begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ – with one exception. That exception is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.

   “Put simply, blaspheming against the Holy Spirit refers to knowing of the existence of Jesus Christ and then rejecting Him. Obviously if someone had never heard of Jesus, an ever loving God would not hold that against them. An example would be a member of a primitive tribe whom missionaries had not reached. But if we, knowing full well who Jesus is, choose to reject Him, we have committed the unpardonable sin. 

   “Committing the unpardonable sin means we will be eternally – note that word, eternally - separated from God, situated forever beyond His ability to forgive us our sins.

   “The Bible tells the story of an unnamed rich man and a beggar called Lazarus who was laid at the rich man’s gate, hoping to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. In the fullness of time both men died. The angels carried Lazarus to Abraham’s side in heaven, while the rich man went to hell. In his torment, the rich man asked Abraham if Lazarus could come and dip the tip of his finger in water and cool the rich man’s tongue, “for I am tormented in this flame”. The answer was no. The rich man then asked if someone could be sent to warn his five brothers lest they too “come into this place of torment.” Again, the answer was no: they have Moses and the prophets to listen to for advice and teaching.

   “The story has some very telling – and chilling - points about it. In both heaven and hell we are fully conscious of our surroundings. In heaven we get to be with the Lord and to be seen and recognized by those in hell. In hell we can call out for help but to no avail. We had our chance, an abundance of chances in fact, to accept the Lord Jesus Christ while on earth but chose not to and now we must pay for it.

   “I can hear you say, Alan, that these are events that cannot be witnessed and hence are of no significance to you. Perhaps you have heard of Voltaire, the great French writer who was also, tragically, an outspoken atheist. It has been said of him that, on his deathbed, he realized he was going to hell, even saying, “I wish I had never been born.”  Such was the extent of his suffering; the nurse who was assigned to look after him in his last days vowed she would never again undertake the duty of ministering to an ‘infidel’. She was true to her word. These circumstances are well documented. I commend them to your reading, Alan, should you still find it necessary.

   “The Bible tells us that, in heaven, God will wipe away all tears; there will be no more death, no sorrow, no crying, and no pain, because the former things will have passed away. When that time comes, Alan, would you not wish to echo the thoughts of Sydney Carton and say, “It is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known?” 

   “If it is not too late for you, Alan, because, by the grace of God you may not yet have committed the unpardonable sin, you can know for sure you are on your way to heaven by taking just five simple steps. These can be taken right here, right now, if you so choose. 

   “First, you must understand that God loves you. The Bible tells us that God loved the world so much – that means you, me, everyone – that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that all who believe in Him should not perish but instead have everlasting life.

   “Second, you must understand that every one of us – there are absolutely no exceptions - is a sinner. The Bible records that all of us have sinned and so fallen short of the glory of God.

   “Third, you must understand that sin has a price that has to be paid. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

   “Fourth, you must understand that Jesus Christ died to pay the price of your sin. The Bible records that God commended His love toward us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

   “Fifth and last, you must ask in prayer for Jesus Christ to be your Savior and then claim His promise of eternal life. According to the Bible, whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

   “The choice is yours, Alan. If you have not made it already, I urge you to do so and to do so quickly, for none of us knows the day or the hour of our demise.

   “To conclude, there is an interesting tale in the Bible of a man who had so much grain he vowed he would pull down his barns and build larger ones. Then he would say to his soul, “You have much laid up for many years; take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.” What he didn’t know was that the Lord would require his soul that very night.

   “Alan, if God required your soul this very night, to where would it fly – to heaven or to hell, to everlasting life with God or eternal damnation without Him? If you cannot even now make up your mind, will you be saying to yourself as you leave this place tonight, I would rather live my life believing there was a god, and when I died find out there wasn’t, or, I would rather live my life believing there wasn’t a god, and when I died find out there was?”

For further reading: Mark 3:28-30; Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 5:18-25, 16:19-31; Revelation 21:4; John 3:16; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13; Luke 12:16-20