Our church sponsors a Halloween outreach called Mission 10-31. Every year we pass out bags of candy and bottled water along with gospel literature. Families pass by our location attired in all types of costumes. Some dress in scary or gory attire. Others like to imagine themselves as someone else. So, they dress as someone who is more powerful, more attractive, or more muscular. Some dress as a superhero or even a police officer. Whether we put on a costume or not all of us sometimes engage our mind in the area of wishful thinking.
Wishful thinking can be harmless, but it can also be dangerous. One area that I believe is the most dangerous is wishful thinking about eternal life. When asked if they are going to heaven when they die many will say, “I hope so”. They are not sure but are depending on their wishful thinking to get them there. Some are hoping that their good deeds outweigh their bad and God will let them in on the curve. Perhaps they think that just because they are affiliated with a church, that fact will make them good to go. No matter what costume we dress ourselves in, our wishful thinking is not enough to ensure we will spend eternity with the Lord.
The only way we can be sure that we possess eternal life is to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Bible says that we are all sinners and separated from God. No matter what religious costume we dress ourselves in, we all come short of heaven. Rom. 10:9,10,13 instructs us what to do: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved”.
Replace your hope-so salvation with a know-so salvation. Instead of engaging in wishful thinking experience saving faith through Jesus Christ.
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