“Terrible” isn’t often used to describe the word “freedom.” Other things are aptly described as terrible: “T-rex” might be a terrible lizard; droughts, tornadoes, and other natural disasters might be called “terrible,” but “freedom?”
How could freedom possibly be terrible?
Every person on Planet Earth has the freedom to believe on the Man who rose from the grave. By the resurrection from the dead, and the power of a holy, sinless life, He showed that He was God’s Son. As the Son of God, Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth that He might bring sinful men back to God. He alone in all the history of mankind arose from the dead to live in the power of an endless life, and He alone has the power to give eternal life
If men are free to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they are also free to reject Him. This is what makes the freedom to believe exceedingly terrible. The flip side of believing on Christ is rejecting Him. Rejecting Christ for any reason carries with it the terrible price of eternal death and separation from God.
Men are free to close their eyes to the great truths in the Bible: the truth of sin, death, and a Saviour come from glory, but they are not free to escape the eternal death their sins have earned. The “outer darkness” of hell is as real as the air you breathe or the ground you stand on. It is a place that many seem to be racing to by loving sin and darkness, and excluding the God of all grace from their lives.
God loves you. So that you might be saved, He sent His Son into the world. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). On the cross the Lord Jesus paid the terrible price our sin deserves by His own death. By coming to Him in faith, hell-deserving sinners are forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
You cannot deserve the great gift of salvation by your own efforts. You must receive it as a free gift through faith. “For by grace are [you] saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)).
You have the freedom to receive this gift right now by placing your faith in Christ. Nothing can prevent you from doing so. You need not wait another moment before you come to Christ. You may trust Him from any spot on earth. You are free to trust Him! You also have the terrible freedom to go through life rejecting the gospel message.
What you do with this freedom will determine where you spend eternity. By God’s grace, won’t you trust the Saviour?