The Gospel in One Word - Part 6

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As we continue to look deep into the gospel and specifically the truth of propitiation, we have seen the beautiful truth that our Creator has become our Redeemer. The truth that God has made the satisfactory offering through the death of Jesus that was necessary and required to appease His wrath due sinners. We didn't appease God's wrath through our efforts. God did this Himself through Christ.

But the truth that we can now be rightly reconciled to God through faith in the satisfactory offering of Jesus has a flip side that must be shared in the gospel. And it is this: what is the eternal outcome for those who reject the gospel and God's offer of Jesus as our propitiation?

Listen to Gal. 6:7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."

Those who reject God in this life will be rejected by God eternally. The flip side of the gospel and eternal life is eternal rejection. See Matthew 25:46 for this, where eternal punishment and eternal life are contrasted and compared in same verse. Both are eternal. No annihilation. No enjoyment of sin and fellows sinners for eternity. Eternal condemnation and separation.

Those who reject God in this life will be rejected by God eternally. The flip side of the gospel and eternal life is eternal rejection.

Separation from God. Withdrawal of all good and mercy and grace from God. Withdrawal of all love from God. Withdrawal of all enjoyment of that which has been created. And in their place loneliness, pain, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Frustration that they have been eternally rejected for rejecting Jesus. The truth was there and was rejected.

It is probably not possible for us to realize just how terrible this separation will be, as we tend to on this side of eternity never truly notice how much good we enjoy solely due to God's common grace. But in Hell we will know this fully. Wrath of God due our sin. Fully felt and experienced for all eternity.

Mark 14:21 summarizes in a sense with this description of the one who rejects or betrays the Savior: "It would be better for him if he had not been born."

May we be found in Christ. May we prayerfully and sincerely pursue those around us with the gospel and the wonderful truth of propitiation and substitution, that our sin can be forgiven completely through the satisfactory work of Christ. And may we share an accurate gospel, including that eternal destiny of those who reject Christ. Eternal separation from all that is good. We cannot leave this out no matter how painful nor uncomfortable it is to share.

God's wrath due our sin must be poured. Either on Christ, the truth of propitiation, or on yourself, the reality of eternal condemnation. The righteousness of God demands both be true.

Both are equally and eternally true.