As I get on in life one thing becomes more and more clear and paramount: the only thing that really matters is my relationship with Jesus Christ. Chess is fun, challenging, entertaining and at times frustrating! But where my soul will be in eternity is what really matters.

Jesus says: Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest". John1:1-14 makes it clear that Jesus Christ is our creator. He said that "before Abraham was, I Am." But God is perfect and our sin separates us from having a relationship with Him. God demands perfection to go to Heaven. Because He cannot look upon sin because He is holy. We therefore cannot be "good enough" as we are all sinners. We have all stolen, lied, lusted and broken the great commandment to love God.

But we can have fellowship with God! We can only qualify however by having Jesus Christ's righteousness "imputed" or given credit to us. Jesus Christ who is perfect, being God the Son, died in our place to provide a payment for sin on our behalf. Such is the magnitude of mankind's sin that God's only Son had to come to pay the penalty himself. His perfectness is a covering for our sin. The Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for all sin, for all time so you don't have to.

Hell is a real place where all who do not have Christ will go (see Luke 16:19-31). Listen carefully: The reason people will end up in Hell is not because of their sins but because of their unbelief. Because they refused to believe in Jesus Christ. "He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18). He will be our judge and all shall bow before him and confess that he is Lord at the end of time anyway. Isn't it time to surrender to him now in this life? Jesus said all who believe in him shall be saved. There is no other way. Turn to the living God right now for today can be the day of your salvation.

Doctor_Zugzwang