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Pull out all the stops, go for what you really want, go for it all, do it your own way, and you will pay a price - maybe not immediately, but you will someday. You will face "The Price" when you come to terms with the truth and honesty that Christianity demands. You say, "But I have no faith in that! I'm not a Christian! So, this has nothing to do with me!" That may be true. You may not be a Christian today; and certainly, if that's the case, I agree that you can escape facing the truth and honesty which Christian faith in God demands. It does not apply to you, today. But it will, someday.

I am convinced that every person will someday come face-to-face with the demands of Christian faith, if not in this life, then in the next. We each will be called to stand before God. The Bible leaves little doubt what your response and mine will be at that time, for it tells us: "...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10,11).

My friend, you and I will then see clearly what we may choose to ignore now. We will see the price which must be paid for the foolishness of ignoring God's calls to our conscience. Ignore your feelings of guilt now, if you feel you must. But the Bible leaves me no doubt, someday we will each face the ugly power of our own sin as we realize it is what separates us from God and His great love for us. Ignore God in this life, and I am still convinced you will see Him in the next!

In fact, I believe all men and women will someday see God. But in the very moment of seeing Him, I believe we shall also see the difference made obvious between those who have chosen to listen to God and serve Him as they walked this earth, and those who didn't. Those who have ignored God will no longer be able to do so, when faced with the awesome reality of His face before them. But seeing the Truth before them will only reveal the Lie they have believed, and in the very moment when they realize such Great Love is available, they will also realize their own choices to live separately with no need for that Love will now mean they will remain separated from that Love, forever! They have chosen a life empty of God, and now the emptiness of hell without God will be theirs.

The barrier of my sin stands before me as I face the One True God, either today or in eternity. Either in this life or in the next, we will realize our selfish acts may fulfill our desires or resolve our problems, but these same selfish acts will destructively affect our futures with other people, and with God. These are the ultimate consequences of searing the conscience and choosing my own way. What I do when I'm sixteen may seem like fun at the time, but how will it affect my own children someday? How does it affect my ability to cope with my own feelings of self worth?

Leaving my wife or my husband (whom I'm not certain now, I ever really loved) in order to fulfill my desires in a more meaningful relationship, may seem to change my whole outlook on the rest of my life. But how will my own children respect me, once I've done this? And how will I ever be able to influence them to not end their own marriage someday? Being willing to play the music the world wants to hear may land the recording contract I've worked so hard for, but how many people have I lead further into darkness when I could have shown them the light of the gospel? These are the things we must face and will face at some point in our lives, as a result of the foolish choices we make in selfishness. A price must be paid for such selfishness. Who will pay the price? You and I will pay a price, as we realize the effect of our choices on those around us whom we love. This is called, consequences. But who will pay the price before God?