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Do you know that when you die Heaven will be your home
or do you have some doubts?
Be honest.
If you have doubts, that's normal. Most
people do have doubts. But your doubts can
be settled.
God wants
everybody to know for sure that they are going
to Heaven when they die, including you
personally.
He said in
I John 5:13, "These things have I
written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God;
that ye may know
that ye have eternal life..."
See, God wants you to know you are going
to Heaven,
not to just
hope you are.
You may be saying to
yourself "I'm a pretty good person. Why wouldn't
God allow me to go to Heaven?
Hell is just for the really
bad people. You know, murderers, rapists, and people like
that."
Let's take a little test to
see how good of a person you really are. Ready?
(This test will be based
off of the 10 commandments, God's moral law of
perfection).
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Question 1
Have you
ever lied? Even "a little white lie"?
If you have, that makes you a liar. ( 9th
Commandment)
Question 2
Have you ever taken something that wasn't yours
(regardless of value)?
If so, guess what, God calls you a thief. (6th
Commandment)
Question 3
Have you ever used God's name in
vain? Ever said God _ _ _ _ ?
God calls that blasphemy. (3rd Commandment)
Question 4
Have you ever looked at another
person with lust?
If you are like most people, the answer is yes.
Jesus said that if you look with lust,
you have
committed adultery with that person in your heart.
(7th Commandment)
So, how did you do?
Not as good as you thought? Here's the bad
news, that makes you a lying thief
and a blasphemous
adulterer at heart, and we've only looked at 4 out of the 10
commandments. In short you are
guilty of
breaking God's law and you are endangered of God's
judgment. And God's judgment for sin is death and
hell.
Think of it this way.
If you are standing before a judge for speeding (and
there is no doubt that you are guilty of it) and the
judge tells you that there is a fine to be paid and if
it is not paid you will be sentenced to prison. So
you try to plea your case. "Your honor, I don't
have the money to pay the fine and I can't go to prison,
I have a family to care for. I am really sorry for
speeding, and if you will let me go I will never do it
again, I promise. I will obey all the driving laws
for the rest of my life". The judge would respond
by telling you that it is a good thing that you are
sorry but the payment must still be made. Obeying all
the laws from now on still doesn't pay the fine.
The fine has to be paid. Justice demands
it.
God is the same.
He is a Holy and Just God and He demands justice for
sin. He said in
Revelation 21:8 that
"...all liars, shall have their
part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death."
He also said in
James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all."
Doing good works and being religious doesn't take care
of your fine either. God tells us
"For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians
2:8-9
About our good works God says in
Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all
our righteousnesses
(or good works)
are as filthy rags"
So there's the bad news.
You are a sinner, guilty of breaking God's law; and
you are in danger of His judgment, which is death and hell.
And there is no way you can make the payment on your own. Does that concern you?
It should.
Nobody in their right mind would want to go to
hell.
Here's the good news, though. God loves you so
much that He doesn't want you to go to hell so He
provided a way of escape for you.
Think about the court room
scenario for a moment. The judge has set the fine
and turned down your plea. Out of the blue someone
you don't even know steps into the courtroom and says
"Your honor, I will pay the fine for this person".
The judge can accept the payment and let you go,
not because of your plea, but because justice was served
- the fine was paid.
That's what God did for you
2,000 years ago when He sent His only son, Jesus, to die
on the cross. He did not
die on the cross to pay
for some sin He committed. He died on the cross to
pay your sin debt, so you could go free.
Pretty amazing! But in order for the payment to be
applied towards your account you must accept the payment.
Let's go back to the court
room one last time. The stranger walks in and
announces that he wishes to pay your fine. If you
tell the judge that you wish to pay your own fine and
that you don't want this stranger paying your fine, then
the stranger cannot pay your fine. You must accept
this stranger's gift on your behave or the gift will do
no good.
Jesus dying on the cross
does you no good unless you accept His payment for your
sin.
You do this by:
1. Realize you have
sinned against God.
Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23
2. Understand there is
a payment for sin - death and hell.
Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:14
3. Admit that without
accepting God's gift (Jesus' payment for your sin), that
you will go to Hell.
4. Pray directly to God
and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, accept His gift
of salvation and
completely put your trust in Jesus
alone to save you.
Romans 10:13
You may be thinking,
"that's too easy". Again, God loves everyone and
wants everyone to
go to Heaven when they die.
That's why He made salvation so easy, so easy even a
child
can understand it.
Won't you accept His gift of salvation today?
Still need help? Please
contact us.
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