Last week Nanci and I went on a romantic getaway to San Diego! It's been over 10 years since either of us saw Shamu, so we thought that we'd swing by to say "hi".  We stayed at a little hotel across the stree from Old Town San Diego. The room was small, but clean...and it fits in our budget!  That first night we had great Mexican food!

The day after we visited Sea World we drove to Coronado Island and saw plenty of fancy hotels that we would never stay at in this lifetime.  As grand as these hotels look, they are nothing compared to the room in the MANSION that Jesus is preparing for me when I get there!  We found a place to park our car and went for a walk on the beach.  As we walked by Hotel Del Coronado (probably the fanciest hotel in Coronado with nightly rates as high as $650/night) Nanci told me that she needed to go to the bathroom.  And since we were standing by Hotel Del Coronado, we decided to go in to use their bathroom.  People were walking in and out anyways...we just had to make sure that we look like we belong. 

After using their restroom we decided to check out their pool.  Just as we were being facinated by how fancy their pool was, a lady walked through the pool gate that required a hotel key to open.  It was the perfect opportunity, so we followed the lady through the pool gate and into the pool area.  We thought to ourselves: So this is what the rich and famous live like! 

We ended up spending a good part of the day sitting by the pool on a couple of very comfortable padded beach chairs, reading a book, talking, and watching wealthy people walk by.  We even helped ourselves to the free apples and oranges that they had!  Ok, so maybe I should feel a little guilty...but not really!  It was FUN!  We got to enjoy all the benefits without paying the price!  What a way to vacation! 

As I reflect on that fun day at Hotel Del Coronado, I thought of the passage in Hebrews 6:4-6 where it says:

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Some people have taken this passage to mean that we can lose our salvation.  I have to admit that this is a difficult passage.  But there are simply too many other passages which clearly states that we cannot lose our salvation (Jn 6:37, 10:27-29; Eph 1:13-14; etc.)

What this passage is doing, it seems, is giving a strong warning that it is very possible to be enlightened by the gospel truth, to share the benefits of fellowship, to enjoy the love of a Christian community and still NOT be truly regenerate or saved.  This is exactly the picture of Nanci and I as we were hanging out by the pool at Hotel Del Coronado, enjoying the amenities and benefiting from the facilities and services without being real hotel guests.  From an outside perspective, no one could tell us apart from other the REAL hotel guests!  We looked and acted just like everyone else! 

The tragedy is that there are people who are members of local churches, enjoying all the benefits of belonging to a small group and a loving community, listening to the gospel truth preached week after week, but still are not true followers of Jesus.  Looking like a follower of Jesus, acting like a follower of Jesus, and talking like a follower of Jesus doesn't make you a genuine follower of Jesus. 

Have you fallen on your knees in despair because of the depth and wretchedness of your sin?  Have you been overwhelmed by the depravity and utter wickedness of your own heart?  And have looked to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who died on your behalf by taking upon Himself ALL of your sins, and who imparts to you His own perfect righteousness?