Have you ever heard the commercial for a certain insurance company that says  “you’re in good hands with...”?  Insurance companies provide a service that focuses on property damage, property loss, loss of life coverage, health costs, etc.  These services are great for car accidents, illnesses, and other costly losses in life.  However, one thing that no insurance company can provide for is the loss of one’s soul.  While we must be concerned about a place to live and a way to provide in the case of accidents, what about our souls?  Jesus said: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:26)?  What insurance do you have in place to care for your soul?

     There is only one who can provide the kind of insurance that covers one’s soul.  It was Jesus Christ who came and died on Calvary’s cross to make a payment covering the costs of our sins (Romans 5:5-9).  When Jesus Christ died on the cross His blood was powerful enough to remit sins (Matthew 26:28).  Salvation for mankind comes only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6 and Acts 4:10-12).  When Jesus left this earth He allowed His word to remain and commanded His disciples to publish His word throughout the world (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15-16, and Luke 24:47).  It is through the word of God that we can know what we must do to be saved.  It is through the Gospel that we can have salvation for our eternal souls (James 1:21).

     As a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I have often wondered why people do not want to hear the Gospel.  I have gone to many who have no interest at all in the words of life.  It is such a privilege to be able to bring the Gospel to someone who is lost in sin.  James said: “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).  Think of the blessing of salvation to those of us who realize the need to be saved.  Paul said: “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (I Timothy 1:15).

     With this great news and the blessings we can have through the blood of Christ, you would think that all would come to know and love the Lord.  However, just like a good insurance agent could tell you, not everyone looks for the best coverage.  In fact, as we have stated earlier, there is no other coverage.  The insurance of salvation through the grace of God has been shown to all mankind (Titus 2:11).  Yet, most of mankind will be lost (Matthew 7:13-14).  Why?  Many do not want to put their faith in God and their soul in His hands.

 Outside of Christ there is no hope.  To get into Christ you must obey the Gospel (Romans 10:17, John 8:24, Acts 3:19, Romans 10:10, and Acts 2:28).  After one is baptized [immersed in water] they are then in Christ (Galatians 3:27).  All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  Once in Christ, no form of persecution, man (outside of our own sins - Isaiah 59:1-2), or other force can separate you from Him.  Paul said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).

     A faithful child of God is sure to face different types of persecution because of their faith (Matthew 5:10-12 and II Timothy 3:12).  When facing such things the child of God must cast their cares upon the broad shoulders of God and know the reward is worth the costs.  Peter noted: “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (I Peter 4:19).  The Lord will not allow us to be overburdened (I Corinthians 10:13) as He is always providing for His children (Romans 8:28).

     Many are familiar with the twenty-third chapter of the book of Psalms.  Therein is a great lesson from David whom did realize he had to put his life and soul in the hands of God.  David penned: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup Runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalms 23:1-6).

     Why, with such beautiful words recorded about what God can do for His children, will so many deny the faith and keep their souls from the hands of God?  If your soul is not in God’s hands it then is in the hands of the Devil.  There is good and evil with no “in-betweens”.  Jesus made a profound statement saying: “He that is not with me is against me…” (Matthew 12:30 and Luke 11:23).  So many want to claim their destiny is in their own hands.  They reject the truth that there is a greater force (God) than mankind.  The next time a plane runs into a building, a storm tears up the Florida coastline, a tornado changes the location of a city on the map, ask  yourself – who’s hands is my life really in?

     A family sits down and plans there coming vacation.  They plan for the travel expenses, they outline routes they will take, they book a hotel room, and conclude all of the other necessary plans.  They get in the family automobile and head to their destination with all plans in place.  The exception, they failed to plan for that hard turn in the hills of West Virginia and a tractor trailer turns their automobile into a crushed pop can.  Mom and dad are local Science teachers and both are atheists.  Dear reader, when they open their eyes in torment they will no longer be atheists, their vacation will have ended, and they cannot reschedule their plans (Luke 16:19-31).  Their life insurance will make someone wealthy.  Their car insurance will pay the note on their automobile.  Their home will be covered by their accidental death insurance.  Yet, these folks never did insure their souls through the blood of Jesus Christ.  One day, all will believe.  One day, all will confess the name of Jesus (Romans 14:11-12).  Sadly, that one day will be one day too late for so many.

     I mean no offense to Allstate, but you are not in good hands unless you are in God’s hands.  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).   Let us consider a fact or two in conclusion.  First off, tomorrow is not promised to any of us: “¹Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. ²Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (¹Proverbs 27:1; ²James 4:13-14).  Secondly, since life is short and we cannot know when it will end, we must know that at the end of this life we will be judged (Hebrews 9:27).

    “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (II Peter 3:9-12)?