A Fearful Experience

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(Hebrews 10 : 31  ESV)

What is the most fearful experience you've had?
Being sent to the Principal's office for the first time, not knowing what you'll face having heard horror stories/fantasies from others?
Being diagnosed with a serious illness, not knowing what can be done about it having heard bad stories from others with a similar diagnosis?

Have you thought about standing at the Great White Throne, not knowing what your fate might be and having heard "destroyer" stories from sermons in churches about eternal torment or annihilation using Hebrews 10:31 (among others)?

Of course it's fearful!
There is no place to hide when you have to honestly face yourself and your life being revealed by the all-knowing God.
And you don't know him ...
So you have no idea that He is loving, forgiving, merciful, and has planned for everyone to be saved.

You don't know Jesus has dealt with your sins, so you don't know God is no longer holding your sins against you.
All the fear you experience is internal because of these unknowns.

But what do you discover at the Great White Throne?
Yes, you deserve punishment as all guilty criminals do before a court judge.
But, you discover that your penalty has already been paid for you.
You are saved !! - saved from punishment and further embarrassment.
    

When you fall into the hands of the living God, you are a sinner who is really falling into the hands of a loving God (who will certainly want to clean you up a bit with a visit to the lake of fire before you move on).

This is the picture that Jesus paints for us about his and our father when he told the parable of the Prodigal Son. The returning son was fearful as he fell into his father's hands, yet there was no better place to be.

He fell fearfully into the hands of the forgiveness, healing and restoration of his loving father, who ordered a radical change in his dress and appearance in preparation for the celebrations about to take place.
   
Rembrandt captured this truth in a beautiful painting called "The Return of the Prodigal Son" - a picture of a sinner in the hands of a loving God.
This painting should be hung prominently in every Christian church in the world.

The anticipated fear of appearing before the living God will be swamped by love and forgiveness - the acceptance and celebration of the God who is love - because of what Jesus has already accomplished on our behalf.

Blessings, Barry

Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au