Safari Mwisho

Safari simply means “journey” or “trip,” and mwisho is Swahili for “last” or “final.”  As this life moves towards its logical and theological end it is important to know where your safari goes next.   God’s Word (the Bible) has answers for life’s most important questions.  Like any safari, there are dangers.  God’s Word is a faithful “travel guide” so that you can know with certainly where your safari is headed, and you can be certain this is not the end of the journey.  There is an eternal destiny waiting for every single person.

To help you in your consideration of the gospel, I would encourage you to follow the link to a multimedia presentation of the Gospel from Matthias Media entitled Two Ways to Live.  It is my hope that this presentation will answer your questions about God and His claim on your life and His plan for your future.

I have also included a selection of verses which will serve as accurate “trail signs” for anyone lost in the jungle of sin and needing a Savior.  Hebrews 9:27 says, “just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Jesus told a story about a rich unbeliever and a poor beggar and said, “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (Luke 16:22-23).

Hades provides a dark backdrop that helps highlight God’s grace.  Among the horrors Jesus describes in Luke 16 there are four:

1. unquenchable flame (v.24)
2. an accusing conscience littered w/memories of what he had including family (v.25, 28)
3. irreversible separation from God (v.26)

In addition to Jesus’ descriptions here consider the following:

1. Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
2. The wicked are not given a second chance…
3. The wicked are not annihilated.

The punishment of the wicked dead is described throughout Scripture as:

• “eternal fire” – (Matthew 25:41)
• “unquenchable fire” – (Matthew 3:12)
• “shame and everlasting contempt” – (Daniel 12:2)
• “where the worm does not die and where the fire is not quenched” – (Mark 9:44-49)
• “eternal destruction” – (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
• “fire and sulfur” where “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever” (Revelation 14:10-11).
• “a lake of fire and sulfur” where the wicked are “tormented day and night forever and ever” – (Revelation 20:10)

In Matthew 25:46 Jesus refers to the punishment being eternal – not just the flames and smoke.

Charles Spurgeon said, ‎“When you are in good health any form of religion may satisfy, but a dying soul wants more than sand to rest upon. You will want the Rock of Ages. Then let me assure you, that in light of the grave, all confidence, except confidence in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ, is a clear delusion.”

• Mark 1:15 Jesus came preaching, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

• John 3:16-17  “For God so loved ithe world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not kperish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

• Romans 3:21-25  ”But now the righteousness of God bhas been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for fall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

• Romans 5:12  “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

• Romans 6:23  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

• 1 Timothy 1:15  “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

• Romans 10:9  “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”