His Last Chance by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2015, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 The word "His" in the title of the book is a pronoun. It could refer to a lot of different men. But I do have a specific person in mind, and I'll tell you who. But a lot of the things that I'll be saying about that man apply to many thousands of people, both men and women. The man is my Dad, who was also Frederick Hoehn, but he and I had different middle names. And I don't think Dad ever wrote a book. I'm a Senior Citizen, now. Dad passed on years ago. Unfortunately, he went down to hell, and not up to heaven. Someone might say, "But how can you be sure he went to hell?" Because hell is the default destination for everyone, unless they make other arrangements. And the other arrangement that we need to make is to become a born-again Christian, like Jesus said in John chapter 3. More on that at the end of Chapter 2 in this book. But although Dad missed his last chance to go to heaven, he certainly did have many chances. He wasn't born in Russia, or some Atheistic nation that won't let you have a Bible. In fact, there were Bibles at our house in Southern California. Dad's wife, my Mother, had a Bible. His elder son had a Bible. His younger son had a Bible. There were Public Libraries and bookstores where Bibles were available. Dad can't claim lack of opportunity. One of my recent books is, "The Hebrews Ch. 6 Guy." In that book, I told about a man who had been a Christian, but fell away, and I believe, can't be renewed again to repentance. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God again, and put him to an open shame. (Heb 6:4-6) But my Dad didn't fall away from being a Christian. Dad never was a Christian. When I was a young man, my Dad had some advice. He advised me to make use of a prostitute. Advice that I didn't follow. I knew the scripture that says-- 27 For a whore is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28 She also lies in wait like for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men. (Prov 23:27,28) Falling into a deep ditch can give you serious injury, or possibly death. Notice in vs 28 that the whores increase the transgressors among men. Whores don't steer you toward heaven, they steer you toward hell. But in view of the fact that my Dad advised me to use a whore, it seems likely that my Dad may have used whores himself before he married my mother. That may have been a contributing factor to my Dad's going to hell. "To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life." (Prov 2:16-19, King James Version) Notice in vs 19, None that go to her return again. Once you fall into that ditch, you don't get back out. 5 So that they'll keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words. 6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7 And saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man without understanding, 8 Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house, 9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night, 10 And see, a woman dressed like a prostitute met him, and subtle of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn, her feet don't remain in her house, 12 Now she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with a naughty face said to him, 14 "I have peace offerings with me, I've paid my vows today. 15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I've found you. 16 I've decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen from Egypt. 17 I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning, let us solace ourselves with loves. 19 For the owner of the house is not at home, he has gone on a long journey, 20 He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed." 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23 Until a dart strikes through his liver, like a bird hurries to the trap, and doesn't know that it is for his life. 24 Listen to me now therefore, O you children, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25 Don't let your heart decline to her ways, don't go astray in her paths. 26 For she has thrown down many wounded, yes, many strong men have been killed by her. 27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death. (Prov 7:5-27) Notice in vs 23, "Until a dart strikes through his liver." We don't usually pay much attention to our livers. But if a dart strikes through your liver, now you have very serious trouble. Notice in vs 26, "many strong men have been killed by her." MANY STRONG MEN HAVE BEEN KILLED BY HER. Notice in vs 27, "Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death." Chapter 2 However, even though Dad is not a Heb 6:4-6 person, I believe there's something like Heb 6:4-6 for unbelievers. That's why I'm talking about a person's LAST CHANCE. In the U.S. Navy, I was on a deep draft ship. Some of the harbors we went to just weren't deep enough for the ship to tie up at a dock. So, we anchored out in the harbor. And then for the sailors to have liberty, and go ashore at that port, Navy boats carried sailors from the ship to shore. And they would tell us when the last boat would be for returning to the ship. If your ship was sailing out next morning, you had better not miss ship's movement, a very serious offense in the Navy. You could go ashore and have some fun, but don't miss the last boat back to the ship. Of course, we're talking now about earthly matters. A far more serious problem is if you miss your last chance to go to heaven. We are all going either to heaven or hell, says Jesus in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible. And Jesus said, "For how does a man profit, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt 16:26) You lose your soul if you go to hell. Not the richest man in the world, not Bill Gates or anyone else can ransom himself out of hell, or buy his way out of going there. No, they have to become born again Christians, like the rest of us, if they want to go to heaven. The rich man's money counts for nothing with God. God is richer than all the rich men of the world put together. And in hell, Jesus said there's crying and gnashing of teeth, where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched. To be in hell is like dying every day. And hell is forever. So then, the most important thing in this life on Earth is to get straight with God, to avoid going to hell. Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John chapt 3) More on that at the end of Chapter 2 in this book. Jesus said, "And don't fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt 10:28) So then, who is that who can destroy both soul and body in hell? Well, that would be God, of course. In Gen 6:3, God says, "My spirit shall not always strive with man..." But God's spirit does strive with man, up to a point. God makes efforts to get people onto the right track. He tries to show people the right way. "See, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I'll come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20) Jesus will eat with you, and you with him, if you're willing. But the Bible gives us a warning in Eccl 12:1-- ___Ecclesiastes chapter 12 1 Remember now your creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days haven't come, nor the years come near when you'll say, "I have no pleasure in them," But why does it say, "in the days of your youth"? Because if you postpone, and postpone, and procrastinate, then you may become that person who gets older and says, "I have no pleasure in them." My Dad had no pleasure in God. In fact, my Dad made the terrible mistake of choosing to be an Atheist. Atheists say that there's no God. But God has something to say about Atheists. God says, "The fool has said in his heart that there is no God." (Psa 14:1) Those who desire to be fools in the sight of God need only to choose to be Atheists. But what is the advantage? Well, there is no advantage to being a fool. In the Proverbs, it says, "Wisdom has built her house." (Prov 9:1) Foolishness won't build you a house. And you'll wind up in hell, like my Dad. Someone made the point that my Dad's salvation was prayed for by a lot of people. And that's true. My Mother had been with Angelus Temple in Los Angeles (the Foursquare Denomination). Angelus Temple had a prayer tower. I think people were praying there twenty four hours a day, and I'm pretty sure they prayed for my Dad's salvation. But you see, God never forces anyone to become a Christian. We've heard in the news about militant Muslims who think that you should be executed if you won't convert to Islam. But although Islam will use force to make converts, Christianity doesn't force people to convert to Christianity. Christianity uses the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you'll believe good preaching, you can go to heaven. But if you resist God, and resist God, and resist God, then there is little hope for you. There's some good advice in Prov chapt 22-- 24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man you shall not go, 25 So that you don't learn his ways and entrap your soul. If you hang around with an angry man, you'll learn his bad ways. But also, if you hang around with adulterers, it's likely that you'll become one. If you hang around with thieves, you're likely to become one. We need to be careful how we choose our friends, because our friends will influence our lives for evil or for good. Someone might say, "I don't want to become a Christian right now. I'm having too much fun." But is the fun that you're having worth going to hell for? Will you miss the last boat back to the ship? Will you miss the last bus? Will you miss your last chance? Someone might say, "But how will I know when it's my last chance?" Probably you won't know just when God will give up on you. That's why we had best get straight with God now, instead of putting it off until later. Here is a scripture from 2 Cor 6:2-- "...see, now is the accepted time, see, now is the day of salvation." So then, my friend, if now is the acceptable time, and now is the day of salvation, how can you be sure that now is not your last chance? "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind..." (Rom 1:28, King James Version) When God gives a person over to a reprobate mind, that's when God is giving up on you. He's done all he could do. I believe my Dad had his last chance somewhere along the line, during his lifetime, probably before age 27. It could have been while he was in the Navy. Or, it could have been later, while he was an Estimator for an Aerospace firm. You don't make any points for yourself with God by choosing to be an Atheist. The way Dad had it figured out, when you die, that's the end of you. No, THAT'S VERY MUCH WRONG. When you die, it's only your body that dies. Then you, the person that had that body as your house, either go up to heaven, or down to hell. Sadly, Dad went to hell. On an I.Q. test from his employer, Dad scored high. How surprising then, for someone with a high I.Q. to jump to the wrong conclusion that all Jews are bad, after having an unpleasant employment working for a Jewish employer. I would have thought that Dad would have been smart enough to know that with any group of people, there are some good, and some bad. I remember, as a youth, hearing my Dad ask my Christian Mother, "You worship a Jew?" It is not very accurate, Theologically, to refer to Jesus as a Jew. Is God a Jew? Of course not. Now, two thousand years ago, when Jesus was born on earth, his Mother, Mary, was a Jew. But who was the Father? Well, it wasn't Joseph. Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus, and when she gave birth to Jesus. Joseph and Mary later had other children the natural way. Jesus' Father was God. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him won't be destroyed, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Now, when did God the Father beget Jesus? About two thousand years ago? Of course not. Jesus was present at the creation of the world, which was probably at least six thousand years ago. Of course, it's true that because of the covenant between God and his friend, Abraham, Jesus came first to the Jews. But for the four thousand years prior to his coming down to Earth as a man, Jesus was not a Jew. But then, my Dad was never very good at Theology, simply because the things of God, and the Bible, were never important to him. I remember Dad ignorantly referring to a book of the Bible, “Hezekiah,” I think he said. No, there's no book of Hezekiah in the Bible. Hezekiah is the name of one of the kings in the Bible. But somewhere along the line, I believe Dad had his last chance, and God gave up on him. God gave Dad over to a reprobate mind, as per Romans chapter 1, King James Version. What a pity. But I did make efforts to persuade my Dad to become a Christian. He wasn't interested. One time, my Dad asked me why I had done something. So I started to quote some scripture from the Bible to him. He said, "I don't want to hear any scripture." I said, "You asked me why I did what I did. The reason I did that was because of scripture. If you won't let me quote scripture, then I can't explain why I did what I did because the reason I did what I did is scripture." Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.