Don’t like the ending?

Out of all the mysteries I’ve read only three had totally unacceptable endings where the perpetrator of the crime got away with it. When I closed those books, I spent some time in my mind rewriting the ending so that justice was done. However, as with any work of fiction there is one inescapably fact — the author is in total control of the story. Actually, I cannot change the ending that has been written.

The mystery of when Jesus Christ will return and how it will happen is much like that. Almighty God is in charge of the plot from beginning to end as well as what happens to all the characters. Not only that, those who do not like the ending will not be able to rewrite it either.

Two things are going to happen. The Bible describes the ending for all who put their faith in Him. I am okay with this ending:

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9–10)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12)

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13–14)

The other aspect of the last chapter fills me with grief because it involves a very opposite result. The Word of God says there will be many who will not like the outcome of this part of God’s plan . . .

 . . . when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10)

I know that every person has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I also know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners, sent by God to pay our penalty and offer us eternal life through faith in His name. No one deserves this grace. It is a gift He gives us through faith. The Old Testament prophesied this would happen and the New Testament describes this amazing good news. Yet some will not accept it. God says will experience separation from Him for eternity, the punishment all of us deserve and from which Jesus will save many.

The part of me that longs to see justice is not totally excited about this aspect of how the mystery of God ends. I don’t relish the thought of wrath or punishment yet I know that God is the author and finisher — I cannot rewrite this ending any more than I can reverse the blessing He bestows on those who rejoice in Him.

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Jesus, the mystery of what will happen at the end is not fully described. You gave us only enough to know that there are two sides to it; the sheep and the goats, the saved and the unsaved, the children of Light and the people of darkness. I’d like everyone to experience Your grace without anyone being in that other category. The best I can do is tell the world about Your saving power and hope that some will say YES to You and move from one side of the story’s end to the other.

I belong to Jesus . . .

Life is full of disappointments, yet because I believe in the sovereignty of God, and that I belong to Him, I know that whatever happens is for my good, even if it does not seem like it at the time. He may show me His reasons for those disappointments, but even if He does not, I can still call Him a good, good Father. I can still . . .

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:1–5)

All people belong to God by creation, but we who believe belong in a more intimate way, like a child belongs to its father. We enjoy a loving family relationship with our heavenly Father and His human family.

This is God’s idea. He said, ‘I will be their God; and they shall be my people.’ All Christians belongs to God because God choose them . . .

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16)

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13–14)

Not only did God choose me to be His child, He bought me out of slavery at an incredible cost. I am redeemed from the curse of sin because of Jesus . . .

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

It is one thing to be chosen, one thing to be redeemed, but God also changed me, made me a new person. As a sinner, all I could choose was sin, but as a new creation, I am able to willingly choose to serve Him, not sin.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved . . . .” (Ephesians 2:1-5)

All this is more than a change of mind. It is a change in the direction of life, a turn-about made possible by identification with Jesus. Just as He died for my sin, I have died to my sin — and this was visibly declared when I was publicly baptized.

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:4–6)

This is real stuff. At times, the temptation to sin is strong. At times, I want to quit this way of life for it can be very difficult, but I cannot — because I belong to God. He does not quit. He lives in me and carries out His will in me.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

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Jesus, baptism was my public confession of faith that identified me as belonging to You. Because that is true, glorifying You with my body in the way I live is not only reasonable, but possible. I’m amazed at how Your Spirit warns and protects me, keeping me from doing things that do not honor You. Because I belong to You, I am set free from the bondage of not being able to choose anything else but sin — and in the glorious place of knowing and loving You.