Blacksheep Speaks

Altar Call

Not for the weak-minded....er, weak-stomached.

I noticed a comment on one of my previous articles in which the reader expressed the opinion that I had left the article incomplete, because, given the nature of the article, in his/her opinion I should have included a "salvation message"......sort of a printed altar call, I suppose. I don't generally do altar calls, chiefly because I am not a minister. I did a quick pole of those who have actually heard my version of the reason for accepting salvation; most said that I am not "diplomatic" enough. However.....just this once....here goes:

PREPARATORY EXCERCISE:

(this is a mental excercise ONLY...please don't be the only wierdo on the face of the earth who actually DOES this)

1. Picture yourself turning on an electric burner.

2. Picture yourself watching the burner until it glows red.

3. Picture yourself firmly pressing your hand against the burner for, say, 60 seconds.

4. Imagine the heat and the intense smell of burning flesh.

5. Now....picture that sensation hitting every inch of your being for eternity and, try as you might, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Have I got your attention yet? Or, perhaps, you are one of these people who doesn't believe Hell is hot? Well.....believe it or not, having pulled you kicking and screaming through that excercise....the heat of Hell is not the reason for salvation....although avoiding it IS one of the perks of being a Christian. There are actually a LOT of perks. However, that's another message entirely.

Only one thing is going to get you to God's side. Contrary to popular belief, "leading a good life" isn't it. The sweet little old lady down the street who never hurt a soul (and, incidentally, spent her life ignoring Jesus) will burn in Hell right next to the friendly neighborhood serial killer. There is no such thing as "earning" a spot in Heaven. It can't be done. If it could, then Jesus died (and was resurrected) for absolutely no reason.

Most people simply do not understand the significance of Jesus' final words. Nor do they understand the true definition of the word "grace". "Grace" simply means without cost, free. No strings. If there were strings, it wouldn't be grace. The moment you have to earn it, it is no longer free. For us, salvation IS free, because Jesus paid the price long ago....literally.

Jesus died a truly gruesome death. The spikes through his hands and feet were just the icing on a very bloody cake. He had already been betrayed by someone close to Him, beaten brutally, and had numerous indignities heaped upon His person. You know, all these icons you see of Him on the cross....they don't tell the full story, out of respect. Jesus was naked on the cross. Those soldiers were out to humiliate Him in every way they possibly could. And He took it all, just for you, you know. I mean, this is the Son of God we are talking about. At any time he coulda said, "Yo, Dad, FRY these morons and get me OUTA here!" But he didn't. You were too important to him.

I need to go a little off to the left here to explain a couple things. Ever since the Garden of Eden, human beings have been happily and rather ignorantly sinning their lives away. And as long as we are sinning, we are slaves of Satan, prisoners, as it were. And as long as we are in THAT state, we are separated from God. Now....the other thing you need to be aware of is how the prison system worked in Jesus' time. When a man committed a crime and was sentenced, he was tossed in their version of a cell and the door was shut. Nailed to the outside of the door was a piece of paper/parchment/whatever that had printed on it exactly what the dude's crime was and how long he had to sit there to pay for it. And, back then, there was no parole......in that room he would sit until the date on the paper. When that date finally came, the paper would be taken down and the words "it is finished" written across the front of it. The paper would then be given to the man to prove he had done his time, literally paid the price, for whatever crime he had committed. Now....back to the main point of the story.

Right before Jesus died, he said words that, translated, mean "it is finished". He was telling you that he had literally paid the price for every sin you would ever commit.

As far as I am concerned, that's that. Jesus loved you enough to pay for everything you will ever do wrong. So...if you wanna take Him up on his offer of salvation, all you need to do is ask Him to forgive you, come into your heart, and show you what you need to know. Now....that's about all the "altar call" I am capable of......as I said, I am not a preacher. I do know a few good ones, though, should you need one. Just contact me and I'll get you all fixed up preacher-wise.