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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: River (04/10/25)
Be it the crossing of the Jordan River by the ancient Hebrews into the Promised Land, or the crossing over of the soul onto Gods celestial shores, the “crossing of the river” often refers to a major change in the location and environment of those involved.
For those who can’t swim, just seeing the rapids of a raging river, or being out on a rocking boat over deep water can be frightening experiences.
For the purpose of this article, the river crossing refers to the proverbial river crossing that takes place at the moment of physical death, when the departing soul leaves the body behind and crosses over into eternity future.
Scripture (1) speaks of people who spend their whole lives in the devil’s grip, living in fear of death. Sad to say, but many who claim to be people of faith (Christians) are among them.
Roman Catholicism would have us believe that a departed born-again believer could spend time in the Torments of Hades, paying for sins, before being allowed to enter Heaven. This teaching amounts to an insulting attack on the Person and atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid in full, the sin debt of the entire world (2), with one exception. That one exception, by divine design, being the sin of disbelief (3).
God would not be true to His Word if He were to require any further payment or punishment for a debt that has been stamped “paid in full” by the blood of Christ.
There is NO eternal condemnation for born-again believers (4). Eternal life is an unearned, undeserved, GIFT from God that He gives to those who believe (5).
There is, however, divine discipline (6) here on Earth, and there is forfeiture of specific reward (7) and privileges (8) in Heaven, as a result of negative, post salvation choices that born-again believers make, regarding sin, or to the call to discipleship.
The need to feel safe, the desire to survive, and common sense to avoid unnecessary danger is natural, wise, and healthy, but at the end of the day (life), we all have an appointed time to cross the river, with eternity waiting on the other side.
According to secular statistics, 150,000 souls “cross the river” every day. The Intake Centers in Heaven and the Torments of Hades are busy places, running 24 hours a day.
Some departures were, are, and will be expected, but for many, their crossing over was the last thing on their minds when they went to bed last night, or got up this morning. Never-the-less, they are no longer with us, or will be gone before the end of today.
Just as God determined the timing and provided the supernatural means (9) for the ancient Hebrews to cross over the Jordan River, God provides or allows the circumstances under which each one of us will cross the river and enter into eternity future.
God, through what He sends or allows to take place, provides the means for us to leave our physical bodies behind and cross over.
Some believe that angels are involved in escorting the departing soul of the believer from the Earth, through the 1st (our atmosphere) and 2nd (the stellar universe) heaven and into the 3rd Heaven. The important thing is our destination, and not the means of transportation.
As in God’s individual plan for Jesus, and many of His martyrs, the events that God sends or allows to take place, leading up to one’s departure, could be horrific. But the crossing over of a born-again believer is always a precious (10) moment, having left the body behind, and now being present with the Lord in Heaven (11).
It is the crossing over by an unbeliever that is the tragedy of all tragedies, with irreversible consequences.
It is the departing soul of an unbeliever that immediately finds himself or herself in the horrid Torments of Hades, with permanent residency awaiting him or her in what Scripture calls the lake of Fire, after the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.
Being an “unbeliever” is a self-induced status that begins here on Earth, and has eternal consequences. Being an unbeliever is the result of rejecting the unadulterated Gospel Message encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18.
Rather or not the results of our crossing will be the best or the worst possible experience in the hereafter, is determined by the choices we make in the here and now.
(1) Heb. 2: 15 (2) 1John 2: 2 (3) John 3: 18 (4) Rom. 8: 1 (5) John 3: 16 (6) Rom. 12: 6 (7) 1Cor. 3: 15 (8) Rev. 2/Rev. 3 (9) Joshua 3: 16 (10) Psalms 116: 15 (11) 2Cor. 5: 8
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This article has been read 274 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Marlene Custer 
04/19/25
A sobering entry. A little more spacing would make it easier to read.
JK Stenger
04/23/25
Well done. What else can I say than 'Amen' to all you wrote down. A good and indeed sobering study. Yes, I heartely agree with Marlene that spacing would have made your article easier to read. It was the first thing that stood out to me when I began reading.
Cheers and thumbs up.
Arrah Atem-Tambe
04/24/25
Thank you for reminding us about these fundamental truths in your simple yet profound piece. Great job!