Church: A Place for Everyone

The Heart of the Church

Church. It's not about the building. It's about the people. Saved and unsaved alike. The church is called to be a place where both saint and sinner can seek forgiveness and the face of God. God promises us that He is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). This means God judges each person without favoritism based on their background, such as ethnicity, gender, or social status.

This verse emphasizes that God's judgment is fair and that everyone is held accountable for their own actions. Salvation is a free gift to the entire world that cost Jesus Christ every drop of blood in His body. He was tortured, mutilated, rejected, and despised by the very ones He would give up His life for—you and me. He hung, bled, and died with the sins of the world on His shoulders—every single sin committed from creation to every sin that has yet to be committed until the end of the age. He took sin and death to hell with Him for three days and rose again as a victorious Savior! He conquered death, hell, and the grave, meaning death has no sting for the believer!

The Pain of Separation

But there was deep loss on the cross for Him before His triumphant resurrection. He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" For the first time in creation, the eyes of God turned away from His Son. The Word of God says that God cannot look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13). "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrongdoing."

The cross is where our sins were covered under the blood of the Lamb. However, in taking on all our sins, Jesus paid the price of separation from His Father—something that had never happened in all of eternity. Think of your closest friend, your Momma, your Daddy, or your spouse. Now, imagine they have completely turned their back on you, behaving as though you never existed. The devastation of that betrayal is unimaginable.

Imagine the overwhelming stench of fear of not being connected to that person again. The hopelessness is as empty as the void in your life that only that person could fill. To never feel their smile upon your face, to never hold their hand or receive that hug that feels like a welcome home hug—it's a heart-wrenching thought.

The Innocent Lamb

Now, imagine God turning His back on Jesus. Jesus was like an innocent lamb led to slaughter, who did not lift up His voice to call down angels to help Him. In fact, the Word of God says in Revelation 13:8 that Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. His sacrifice to redeem humanity was determined by God in eternity, before time and creation began!

Think of the enormity of that statement—God knew man would fall from grace and need redemption by His only Son before He ever created the first human. Still, He created us. His love and grace called out for mercy and salvation in the portals of heaven before we were formed! Jesus only cried out in torment because His Father had suddenly been ripped from His very being, and that separation was a huge, self-inflicted wound.

The Great White Throne Judgment

Imagine standing at the Great White Throne Judgment, where the voice of the Lord says, "Depart from me, you worker of iniquity, for I never knew you." The shock of that statement will reverberate in your hearing forever. Imagine yearning so longingly for the grace, mercy, love, salvation, and faithfulness of Christ that you dismissed every time the Holy Spirit visited you with conviction from heaven.

You will relive, with vivid detail, each time the Holy Spirit warned you, tried to woo you, or made you uneasy. Sometimes He even terrified you, doing all He could to get through to you before you made choices that led you down a dark path. The emptiness of hearing "Depart from Me. I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23) is a haunting thought.

Make no mistake, He knew you while you were here on this earth. He loved you desperately. He longed to have fellowship with you and an intimate relationship with you. He wanted to draw you into His family, to crown you as a royal priesthood, and to afford you the protection of heaven.

The Call to Salvation

He desired above all to hear you say, whisper, or scream, "Jesus, save me!" He doesn't know you at the Great White Throne Judgment because the sins He atoned for by the blood of His body were not received by you. You kept putting it off, believing the devil's lies that you had plenty of time. You thought you could make things right on your deathbed or when you got older.

Who wouldn't want to lay on a nasty toilet, putting their face on the unclean porcelain for the coolness you are searching for when it feels like hell's flames are reaching for you? Guess what, my friend? They are. Isaiah 5:14 says, "Hell has enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure to receive them." That means you and me if we haven't given our hearts and lives over to Jesus.

The Bible says that "Today is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that "You are the temple of the Holy Spirit." God dwells within believers, making their bodies sacred spaces where God's Spirit resides. That is why we are to treat our bodies with reverence and honor God with them, as they are considered a sanctuary.

Embracing His Love

Beloved, imagine being wrapped in the strong arms of the Father. Jesus said in John 10:28, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand." Verse 29 goes on to say, "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of the Father's hand." What a blessed promise!

We have a definite plan of salvation given out of the unconditional love of our Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, the Lover of your soul! Man has no business or place in a devil's hell except that which he dug out for himself by denying the call of Christ. You must determine to push past the outstretched arms of Christ to enter into hell's gates.

You have to stumble over His sacrifice time and time again, crucifying Him anew and afresh (Hebrews 6:6) as you deny His existence, sovereignty, and authority, falling into eternal darkness "where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

The Hope of Redemption

But wait! There is incredible hope because of His steadfast love. There is a way of escape for you and for me! Once you feel the calling and conviction of the Holy Spirit leading you to Jesus, respond with your heart wide open to receive Jesus and all of God's righteousness. Become a born-again believer in the family of God!

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved YOU that He freely gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!" We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

You only need to confess your sins to God, believe that Jesus, the Son of God, was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25), that He hung on a beautiful, terrible cross and died for your sins, that He rose to life again on the third day as a triumphant and victorious King, and is now seated at the right hand of God forever making intercession for you, and YOU WILL BE SAVED!

Rejoice in Your Salvation

Rejoice! Your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life! You will not see the Great White Throne Judgment or hell, but you will receive a crown of righteousness laid up for you in heaven. You will be seated in heavenly places on the throne of Jesus at the right hand of God! Your eternity is now a hope that will come to pass.

Peace is now yours. The grace, mercy, and unconditional love of Jesus are waiting to envelop you within His arms. Read His Word. Talk to Him in prayer as you would with your best friend. Sing and give Him worship and praise for He is worthy!

Find a Bible-believing church where you can meet the family of God and become a part of them. Always put Him first above all others, and He will always be with you. Hebrews 13:5-6 tells of His constant presence and unfailing support for Christians.

Now you are one! Welcome to the Family of God!!!

All My Love,

Donna

October 19, 22025025