The Ultimate Restoration

The Big Show

All automotive enthusiasts, car nuts, gearheads, and such really enjoy participating in car shows. But in order to be a participant in the Big Show, some things have to occur.

First of all, we need to get our car restored. You're going to have to take your basketcase and restore it back to the original condition... and probably better.

You're going to need to come up with some information to help you through the restoration process. Then you need to become more knowledgeable about these cars in order to continue to help them mature into a car that will be as close to perfect as possible. The company that built these cars originally, in this case the Pontiac Division of General Motors, assembled manuals that contain the pertinent information needed to properly restore your car. You can also gain valuable information and help from others who share you enjoyment of cars. Becoming knowledgeable is important so that you can discern good information from bad information... we've all heard those who talk about their 1970 Ram Air V Trans Am that has a factory tri-power, hemi heads, 9-inch rear axle with a 390 positraction, 6 speed manual Super T-10 with a factory Hertz shifter, titanium exhaust, retractable hardtop, ...well you get the idea... that's not the truth, but someone who is not knowledgeable could be deceived into thinking it is the truth. It's not that you want to be a snob, but rather be able to know what is correct and help others to not be led astray with bad information from others who are in the hobby for the wrong reasons.

Once you complete the restoration, then it will be time to test out your restored car. You'll want to start, run, and break-in that freshly rebuilt engine. You'll want to take your restored car for a test drive to make sure everything works properly...it'll be a test of how well the restoration was done. There can be some trials and tribulation during this process. You may have some problems that will need to be corrected and fixed. Sometimes this stage can feel like it takes forever, but it will be worth it in the end. But there will also be triumph when you do get everything completed and working properly!! Most folks say that the restoration process is never really complete...but it is an ongoing process throughout the life of their car.

Now that you've got everything as it should be, you're finally ready for the Big Show!! This is an exciting time... if you're ready. It is exciting to roll your beautifully restored car out onto the show field. Many will come to see, ask questions, take pictures, and just enjoy your car. Then your car will be judged. So in a way, a car show is like judgment day.

But this is the real world and not everyone who comes to the Big Show will be happy. There are those who bring their cars to a car show and end up being upset with the judge or wanting to argue with the judge. They feel that they should have received an award, but didn't. They attempt to explain to the judge all of the things they did in the restoration of their car and why it should be worthy of an award. Since these cars are being judged by imperfect people, some of these complaints are completely justified.

Just as these cars are judged, we too will be judged one day... but not by imperfect people. We will be judged by God. Will you be ready? Have you experienced the Ultimate Restoration so that you too will receive awards on judgment day?

Well, just like we told you in the Ultimate Restoration, people too are in need of restoration. As we said above, you're going to need some information to help you through the restoration process. We too need a "factory manual" to help us... but it's not a Pontiac Service manual... it's the BIBLE!! You'll also need some good Christian friends to help you. Through prayer, Bible study, church attendance, and journeying down the road of life with your Christian friends, you can become spiritually mature and help others to become spiritually mature too... so you and they are not let astray by bad information or false teaching.

Ephesians 4:11 - 17

¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Once you complete the Ultimate Restoration, then you are going to head out on the road of life for a test drive that lasts as long as you are on this earth... it's called your life. Yes, there are going to be trials and tribulations as the Lord continues to work on you to mold you and shape you into the Christian that He wants you to be. But you will also experience triumphs too!! You'll enjoy special moments throughout your life. Your Ultimate Restoration process too is an ongoing process that will take your entire lifetime.

James 1:2-4

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Romans 8:28

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

Just as the trials and tribulations of getting your restored car finished works for the good of the car... the trials and tribulations you face as a Christian also work for your good.

Jesus told the disciples and us that He will always be with us in Matthew 28:20b

²⁰... And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Once the journey of life is completed, the trials, tribulations, and triumphs will be over. We too will then be ready for the Big Show... and judgment. But it will not be judgment by imperfect people to an imperfect, earthly standard... it will be God's judgment.

Romans 14:10b-12:

For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

¹¹It is written:
   " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
   'every knee will bow before me;
      every tongue will confess to God.' "

¹²So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

I Peter 4:5

⁵But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Yes, everyone will give an account to God. To some, this may sound foolish and they don't believe, but just remember this...

I Corinthians 1:18-19

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Some also say that they cannot understand the Bible. Well, you need the author's help to understand the Bible... the Holy Spirit inspired various men to write down God's words. If you are not saved, you do not have the Holy Spirit (the author) to help you understand...so it is veiled to those who are unsaved. The unsaved can understand the plan of salvation, the need to be saved and forgiveness of sin, and the recorded history... but they will not fully understand the Bible without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:3-5

³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

2 Corinthians 3:15-16

¹⁵Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Romans 8:9

⁹You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Those who are saved will face one judgment, and those who are lost will face another judgment. Christians will not be judged to determine whether or not they will be allowed to enter heaven and enjoy eternal life...Jesus has already taken care of that for the Christian, but rather the works they did as Christians on earth. Works do NOT save you. Salvation and eternal life are a GIFT from God. We were created for God's pleasure to do good works.

Ephesians 2:8-10

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I Corinthians 3:13-15

¹³his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. ¹⁴If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

So each Christian's work will be tested on judgment day, BUT even if all of their work was of no value and is burned up... they will still be saved and enter heaven... "with their coattail smoking!!" But the good works of a Christian will be refined by fire and rewarded with the crowns of life, righteousness, faithfulness, soul winning, and incorruption.

Those who refuse to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior will face a separate judgment, the Great White Throne.

Revelation 20:11-15

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and everyone was judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ All whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire.

You see, when people who are not saved die, they go to Hades or Hell. Hell is the bad side of paradise that you read about in Luke 16:19-31. The rich man who died unsaved ended up in hell, but Lazarus who was saved, ended up at Abraham's bosom or paradise. We can also read here that the bad side of paradise (hell) and the good side of paradise (Abraham's bosom) are separated by a great chasm that cannot be crossed. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He went to the good side paradise and got all of the Old Testament saints who had died and took them to heaven... including the thief on the cross that died when Jesus was crucified (Luke 23:40-43). So hell still have the unsaved in it and more are going each day. While that is very sad... it will only get worse during the white throne judgment because all of hell will then be thrown into the lake of fire!!

But even during the God's judgment, there will be people who will argue with the judge. They feel that they should have received an award... in this case eternal life, but didn't. But Matthew warns us of this.

Matthew 7:21-23:

²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' ²³Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

So please make sure you're ready for the Big Show!! Make sure you've asked Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior!! Be obedient to His will for your life. If you think it's bad when your Firebird or Trans Am runs hot... you ain't seen nothin' yet if you're lost and without Christ.

If you've got questions... send us an email... we're not just interested in Trans Ams and parts!!