Part
Seven
By Nick Bibile
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)
Have you ever seriously considered why the natural man will not come to Christ? Our Lord Himself gives the answer: “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). The problem is not inability alone, but unwillingness. Fallen man will not come.
This does not mean that sinners consciously desire hell. No one delights in eternal torment. Yet, by nature, man has no true desire to be delivered from sin, from the wrath of God, or from the holy demands of Christ. Instead of fleeing to Christ, he turns away from Him.
Why? Because the natural man sees no beauty, worth, or necessity in Christ. As Isaiah declared, “There is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa. 53:2). Christ is offered freely in the gospel, yet the sinner finds Him undesirable.
You may say, “But I love God. I am religious.” So were the Jews in Jesus’ day—perhaps the most religious people on earth. Yet Christ said to them, “But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you” (John 5:42). He was not speaking of outward religion, but of inward, spiritual love. True love for Christ is inseparable from obedience: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The natural man does not value the spiritual beauty, grace, and perfection of Christ. He will not come because coming to Christ requires parting with sin. He must abandon the love of the world—its pleasures, entertainments, idols, and self-rule. He must deny himself and take up the cross.
Thomas Watson wrote:
“Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.”
God sent His Son to redeem men from their idols, but fallen man clings to them. He invents a god who tolerates sin, excuses worldliness, and never judges. Such a god is not the God of Scripture, but an idol of the heart.
“This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
John Owen rightly observed:
“The mind of man is naturally set on things below, and it will not be raised unto things above without an act of sovereign grace.”
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)
Man may be your enemy while he lives, but once he dies, his power ends. God, however, is the living God—eternal, omnipotent, and unchanging. There is no escape from His judgment. To die as God’s enemy is to face everlasting punishment, for the offense is against an infinite Majesty.
You may say, “But I attend church, Bible studies, and prayer meetings.” These are good—if they flow from a renewed heart. But obedience is better than sacrifice. Without obedience, outward religion only increases guilt.
“For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” (Colossians 3:6)
Jonathan Edwards warned:
“There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.”
Imagine if your neighbors, friends, relatives—even your own family—turned against you. Life would become unbearable. Yet all men are but dust. What then if God Almighty is your enemy? This is the most miserable condition possible for a human soul.
If you die as God’s enemy, you will remain His enemy forever. There is no reconciliation after death. No mediator. No mercy offered beyond the grave.
Richard Baxter wrote:
“As death leaves you, so judgment finds you.”
Now is the day of reconciliation. Now Christ is offered as Mediator. After death, God will meet you not in mercy, but in judgment.
In this life, God restrains human wickedness. Many appear moral, kind, and respectable. But this is not regeneration—it is restraint. After death, God will remove that restraint. In hell, the sinner’s true nature will fully manifest.
Outward righteousness, religious masks, and hypocritical love will be stripped away. The sinner will stand exposed—hating God, blaspheming Him, yet unable to escape His wrath.
John Flavel wrote:
“Grace restrains corruption, but glory alone removes it.”
There will be no new corruption in hell—only the full eruption of the old.
God gave you life, breath, intellect, provision, and time. Your days are numbered. One day He will arrest you by death, and you will return to the dust.
All earthly helpers—parents, spouses, friends—will be gone. You will stand alone before the God you ignored, resisted, or pretended to love. The Bible you neglected will judge you. The Christ you claimed to love, yet did not obey, will stand before you as Judge.
The psalmist pleads:
“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” (Psalm 2:12)
Those who loved Christ on earth will meet Him with joy. Those who trusted themselves will meet Him in terror.
“The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” (Job 21:30)
The prosperity of the wicked is temporary. God is fattening them for the day of slaughter.
“But the wicked shall perish… they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” (Psalm 37:20)
“I will punish the world for their evil… in the day of his fierce anger.” (Isaiah 13:11, 13)
“At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” (Jeremiah 10:10)
This message may not pierce your heart now because you feel secure—family, work, home, church. But security is fragile. Death is certain.
When you meet God, falling into His hands will be either absolute terror or unspeakable comfort. For the true Christian, it is far better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men.
David understood this:
“Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.” (2 Samuel 24:14)
The true believer walked the narrow road, denied himself, carried the cross, and endured hardship for Christ. For him, meeting God is glory.
There is still time to repent—but you do not know when your last breath will come. Cry out to God while mercy is offered.
“God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
May the Lord awaken your soul, grant you repentance, and draw you savingly to Christ.