How Will You Keep Your Final Appointment?

Jackie Chan in one place refers to death as, “…the one appointment we all must keep, and for which no time is set.” According to the Bible, Mr. Chan is both right and wrong. He is right that there is an appointment with death that we all must keep. But he is wrong when he says that no time is set for this final appointment. The Bible teaches: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27 What does this mean? It means that in the eternal appointment book of God all of us have a set appointment with physical death and after that a second appointment where we must give to God an account of how we lived our life. We will face the one true God in judgment some day. These two appointments are scheduled for us by God. He guarantees that we will keep them.

The Bible tells us that all of life is ultimately about God, the One True God.

This One True God created all things, including you and me, for His pleasure and purpose. “You created all things, and for your pleasure they are, and were created.” Revelation 4:11 Because God created you, you belong to him. He has the right to command and direct your life. Your created purpose is to know and to please God. What pleases God is for you to live your life for His honor through trusting Him, being thankful to Him for all things and obeying His will, His commands. “Whether…you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” 1Corinthians 10:31 Is that how you have lived your life? The Bible calls not living for God’s pleasure and honor sin. Sin is missing the mark of what you were created for and instead living for yourself. Sin is not obeying God’s will and commands. This includes commands like:

• “You shall have no other gods before me…” Exodus 20:3
• “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain…” Exodus 20:7
• “Honor your father and your mother…” Exodus 20:12
• Do not look on a woman to lust for her…Matthew 5:28
• Do not let any unhelpful words come out of your mouth…Ephesians 4:29

This sinful life that “misses the mark” includes things like:

• Taking credit for what comes from God, like our talents and abilities and health.
• Using others to get what we want, like sex or financial advantage or “atta-boys.”
• Being the master of my life and fitting God in when I deem it convenient.
• Believing truth is what I determine it is instead of what God says it is.

The Bible teaches that this is the kind of life we all live in our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Everyone “falls short” when measured against God’s commands. But this falling short is not only sinning against God’s commands; it is sinning against God Himself! It is one thing to sin against people and another thing entirely to sin against God. An offense is as serious as the person it is against; the greater the person the greater the offense. Because God is the greatest person in the universe, infinite and perfect, sin against Him has the most serious consequences. “The wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23 In this life “death” means to be spiritually separated from a relationship with God as well as headed towards physical death. Ultimately, death means to be removed from God’s presence forever. Sin, therefore, will have an enormous impact when the time comes for you to keep your appointment with death.

There will be eternal consequences for sin against the infinite, eternal God.

Not only is God the One against whom we sin, but because He is also infinitely just, He is the Judge of our sin.

No sin will escape this Judges’ judgment. “…The LORD judges the peoples…God is a righteous judge.” Psalm 7:8, 11 If you keep your appointment with physical death and have sin that must still be judged by God, the verdict He will pronounce is “Guilty!” The sentence He will hand down will be eternal death. The Bible describes the place of eternal death, Hell, in many ways. It is called:

• A place where God’s wrath and fury are forever against the sinner - Romans 2:8
• A place of personal, conscious tribulation and distress - Romans 2:9
• A place of unquenchable fire and torment - Mark 9:43
• A place “of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord” - 2 Thessalonians 1:9

It is a horrid, intolerable thought that you could be sentenced to such a place forever.

But if you keep your appointment with death with no sin to be judged it will be because God has already pronounced for you a verdict of: “Not guilty!” The reward that goes with this not guilty verdict is to be with God, enjoying and serving Him forever in Heaven. The Bible also gives many descriptions of Heaven:

• A place where God Himself rewards His children with glory and honor and immortality - Romans 2:7
• A place of eternal peace with God - Romans 2:10
• A place where you are forever in God’s joyful presence - Revelation 21:3
• A place without tears or death or pain or evil - Revelation 21:4,8

It is an amazing and wonderful thought that you could be rewarded with life in Heaven forever.

But how can you keep your appointment with death without sin?

Will “doing the best I can” or “doing right by others” earn enough credit to have your sin taken away? Will being as religious as possible, attending church and reading the Bible and giving money convince God to forgive your sin? How can you face death and not also face God’s judgment for your sin? The Bible gives you the answer. It tells how you can die with no sin to be judged by God. God is infinite and perfect and must judge sin because He is just, but He is also LOVING and MERCIFUL. He desires a loving family relationship with you. “…The Lord, (is) a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands…” Exodus 34:6, 7 God has made a way, one way, for your sin to be judged before you keep your appointment with death. He has done this because He has a heart of great, sacrificial love. The Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ tells about this one way. The Bible gives detailed, historically verifiable records of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the central character of the Bible and the key to God’s plan for taking away the judgment your sins deserve.

Following are the main points of the Good News of Jesus Christ:

• The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son, the eternal God and Lord of the Universe. John 1:1-3, 14, 17
• God the eternal Son, at an appointed time in history (about 3 BC) became also a man. This took place when Jesus Christ was born. This is the Christmas story in Matthew 1 and Luke 2
• The Lord Jesus Christ lived a documented and unassailably PERFECT LIFE, always and at all times pleasing God His Father. 1Peter 2:22
• At the set time (when HIS appointment with death came) Jesus Christ was nailed to a Roman cross as a criminal, condemned by Jewish religious leaders, but ultimately nailed there in the plan of God His Father. Acts 4:27-28
• The suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross was for the purpose of taking the judgment that was due to sinners. Jesus Christ was punished for the sin of sinners like you so that your sin could be forever removed and so that you could be made right with God the Father and have the perfect life of Jesus Christ counted as yours. 2 Corinthians 5:21. This forgiveness also allows us to start a new life with Jesus Christ as our loving Master. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
• This death for sinners is God’s ONE and ONLY provision to take away the sin of sinners. Acts 4:12
• After He was crucified, Jesus Christ was buried in a tomb carved out of rock but on the 3rd day was resurrected by God from the dead. This resurrection was God’s statement that Jesus Christ’s death was indeed a full and final payment for sinner’s sin. Matthew 28:1-10; Romans 4:25
• Jesus Christ was seen and interacted with after His resurrection by over 500 credible witnesses of the highest moral integrity, many of whom later died for their united testimony of His resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:3-7

Whose sin is actually paid for and whose judgment is taken by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

• It is those who know and admit they are sinners against God and who know they face an appointment with death and judgment. Romans 3:9-20
• And it is those who believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone is sufficient to take away their sin and God’s judgment. John 3:16
• And it is those who TURN from any and all attempts to earn God’s favor and forgiveness (practicing religion, doing good, giving money to charity or church, being morally upright, making up their own “good news”, trusting in the goodness of parents or other family members, thinking that God will let them get by with sin anyway, etc.) and who TURN from living their own way so that they can TRUST and FOLLOW Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Acts 17:30; 16:31

There is an appointment with death and you will keep it. As you think about what you have just read, which are you?

• A sinner who faces God’s judgment and the sentence of Hell? Or…
• A person who is ready to turn from your sin and trust and follow Jesus Christ so that your sin can be forgiven and you can hear God’s “Not guilty!”?

If you honestly see yourself as a sinner facing God’s judgment, let me urge you before your appointment with death comes – because you do not know when it will come –

• Consider this good news of how God has judged the sin of sinners in the death of Jesus Christ. Read again the good news we’ve detailed above.
• Consider the infinite love and mercy of God, who has given His Son to suffer and die as the way for your sin to be judged before your appointment with death.
• TURN from everything you’ve trusted in to make you pleasing to God or to gain His favor and TRUST Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection as a payment for your sin.

THEN, you can face your appointment with death having your sin already judged and forgiven before God. THEN you can begin a new life following Jesus as you head toward the reward of Heaven ahead. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Realizing your sin and the eternal judgment you face and realizing what Jesus Christ has done in taking your judgment…are you ready to turn and trust Christ?

If so, I encourage you to SEEK after God. Ask God to show you your need of Him. Ask Him to open your heart and mind to the truths of His Word in this booklet. Ask Him to help you turn from your sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your only way to God’s forgiveness. Do not stop asking until you know that you have truly turned from your sin to trust in Christ. If and when you sincerely cry out to God in this way – He will hear. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

AS A NEXT STEP

Tell the person who gave you this booklet what you have done and what God has done in you. If you have further questions, do not be afraid to ask them for help. If you have turned to Christ, you need to do several things:

• Get a Bible and begin to read it. The Gospel of John in the New Testament is a great place to start to see Jesus.
• Begin to pray. Talk to God about everything. Thank Him for what He is doing in you. Continue to ask for His help.
• Find a church that teaches the Bible and focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ and begin to attend.

If you do not know who to ask for help, contact the writer of this booklet at: appointmentwithoutsin@gmail.com We can offer you some studies that will help as you keep seeking. If you have trusted Christ, we can help you know more about God and His truth and what it means to be His forgiven child.