Let’s read John 1:40-41, “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).” (NKJV) In the Old Testament, we have the word ‘mashiyach’ translated as MESSIAH. In the New Testament, we have the word ‘Christos’ translated as CHRIST. Both of these words mean ‘anointed’ and refer to the same person…the Lord Jesus Christ.

To reject the Lord Jesus Christ is to reject all that He offers. We have the words of the Lord in John 12:47-48, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” The purpose of the Lord’s coming was not to judge the world. We read in John 3:17-18, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Condemnation is the result of rejecting the Lord Jesus as savior and Lord.

We read in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 concerning the Lord returning “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” Those who reject the Lord and His free gift of eternal life will be ‘punished with everlasting destruction’. How tragic that ANYONE would suffer such destruction when the Gospel is given to all. The Lord has no desire to condemn anyone. Rather, His desire is that all men put their faith in the Lord Jesus and receive everlasting life. In Ezekiel 33:11 the Lord says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live…” 2 Peter 3:9 assures us that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” However, when one rejects the Lord Jesus and refuses to bow their knee to Him, owning His as savior and Lord, there is no other option but to face the fierce wrath of a sin hating God.

I’m not quite sure how to answer your question concerning rejecting the Messiah is like “denying yourself access to that most powerful part of yourself.” Without Christ, there is no ‘powerful part’ within ourselves. We read in Romans 5:6, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Apart from the Lord Jesus, we have NO STRENGTH at all and we are UNGODLY. It was while we were in that state of weakness and ungodliness that the Lord Jesus died for us. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to God to pay our sin debt, so that we might be saved. It is when we have trusted the Lord that we receive GREAT STRENGTH. The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13, “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me.” This is the source of true and great strength: Christ in me!

To reject the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior is to doom yourself to an eternal Hell. I pray that if you have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, that you would do that today. Hebrews 2:3 asks the question, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” There is no escape from God’s fierce judgment if we reject the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. (278.8)