DO YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN?

There's only one way!  

Ye must be born again.

Jesus said . . . Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  John 3:3

HOW TO BECOME A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN

Understand you are a sinner:  As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10)

Understand that you cannot save yourself by any good works:  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)

Understand Jesus Christ is the only way to be forgiven:  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  (Romans 10:9)

Repent, and ask Jesus Christ to forgive you:  I tell you, nay:  but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (Luke 13:3) (JESUS' OWN WORDS)

Pray this simple prayer and mean it with all of your heart:  Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness.  I now receive You as my Saviour and Lord.  I believe that You died, shed Your blood, and rose again from the grave to purchase my salvation.  I am willing to turn from my sin.  In Jesus' name I ask this, Amen.

Love Worth Finding

Psychologists have long known that every person has two great longings and inward needs.  The first is to be loved, and the second is to love.  But when pressures and heartaches come into our lives, many give up any hope of every finding love.

The tragedy is that we often look in the wrong places to fill this deep need and longing.  Some substitute lust for love.  Others pursue material things or superficial relationships -- all in the futile attempt to fill a God-shaped vacuum in the human heart.  But there is good news!  There is a love worth finding and a love worth sharing.  The Bible says, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).  On the cross of Christ, God's mighty love was revealed and offered unconditionally to all who would be saved.

Do you long to know this mighty love?  Then I need to ask you the most important question you'll ever be asked:  Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you, that your sins are forgiven, and that you are saved and on your way to heaven?

The great news is, you can know!  Let me share with you how to discover the greatest love worth finding.

Admit Your Sin

First, you must admit you are a sinner.  The Bible says, "None is righteous, no, not one . . . .For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23).

It is our sin that separates us from God and from fulfilling our deepest needs and longings.  Sin is an offense against God that carries a serious penalty.  According to Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death [eternal separation from the love and mercy of God]."

Abandon Your Efforts

Second, you must abandon any efforts to save yourself.  If we could save ourselves, Jesus' death would have been unnecessary!  

Even "getting religion" cannot get you to heaven.  The Bible says it is "not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His mercy" that we are saved (Titus 3:5).  Salvation is by God's grace, "not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Acknowledge Christ's Payment

What you cannot do for yourself, Jesus Christ has done for you!  "But God shows His love towards us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).  He died on the cross for you and then rose from the dead to prove that His payment was acceptable to God but you must acknowledge and believe this fact.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).  

Accept Christ as Your Savior

Salvation is God's gift to you.  "The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).  When someone offers you a priceless gift, the wisest thing you can do is accept it.  This very moment, you can receive Christ's gift of salvation by sincerely praying this simple prayer from your heart:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I know that you love me and want to save me.  Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, who died on the cross to pay for my sins.  I believe God raised you from the dead.  I now turn from my sin and, by faith, receive you as my personal Lord and Savior.  Come into my heart, forgive my sins, and save me, Lord Jesus.  In your name I pray.

Amen.

--Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thirsty - For the Water of Life?

Family hardships.  Relationship tensions.  Indecision and restlessness . . . emptiness.  Are you overwhelmed with life -- drinking in self-help and worldly counsel to satisfy your craving for peace and fullness in life?  The living water of Jesus Christ is what you are really thirsty for.

One day Jesus was walking through Samaria.  He was weary, so he rested at Jacob's well.  In the heat of the day, a woman came to draw some water.  The Bible says:  "Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink.'. . . the Samaritan woman said to Him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?' . . . Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink," you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.'  The woman said to Him, 'Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep.  Where do You get the living water?  Are you greater than our father, Jacob?  He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.'  Jesus said to her, 'everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will be become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (John 4:7-14).

Jesus is the Living Water.  This is what all people need, whether they are in Africa, or India, or China, or the United States.  We all need the spiritual water Jesus gives.  The Bible says that we are prisoners of  "the waterless pit" (Zechariah 9:11).  Think of that -- prisoners in a pit with no water. 

How long do you think a person can live without drinking water?  Not very long.  You can live a long time without food, but not without water.  Have you ever been really thirsty?  So thirsty that you thought you were going to die.  I am told there is no feeling quite like it. 

The Apostle Peter talked about wells without water (II Peter 2:17).  Think of travelling across the desert and coming to a well where you believe there is water.  You are thirsty.  Your tongue is swollen.  Your cheeks and lips are parched but when you arrive at the well, there is no water.

"WATERLESS PITS"

Are you in a "waterless pit" right now?  In your family?  In your business?  Maybe you are a young person not knowing what vocation to follow, not knowing what to do about marriage, not knowing what to do about the problems you have gotten yourself into -- you are finding yourself in a pit without any water.  

Maybe you have tried everything to satisfy, to bring peace and joy to your life, to have a sense of forgiveness or a sense of belonging.  And you haven't found it.  Jesus said, "everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again" (John 4:13).

Drink of the water of drugs, and you will thirst again.  Drink of the water of fame, and you will thirst again.  Drink of the water of popularity, and you will thirst again.  Drink of all other waters being offered today, and you will thirst again.  

But drink of the living water that Jesus will give you, and you will never thirst.  Jesus said, "the water that I will give [you] will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).

WHAT YOU THIRST FOR

The Bible says, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money come, buy and eat" (Isaiah 55:1).  And "let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price" (Revelation 22:16-17).  Yes, come and buy; it's without price.  Some of you are thirsting for this -- a personal relationship with Christ.

Come to the water!  Drink of the living water!  Become excited about Christ!  "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).  The wells of salvation are being offered to you.  Come and draw the water with joy!  

THE LIVING FOUNTAIN

When you come to the water, there's a satisfaction beyond anything words can describe.  Jesus said, "if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38).

The Samaritan woman had come to that well.  She had come be divine appointment.  Jesus was passing by, and He stopped to rest.  This woman came at that moment.  

This woman had an empty life.  Her expectations in life had faded, no longer expecting, no longer hoping for anything different, she was on the same old treadmill.  She had been married five times, and when Jesus spoke to her she was living with a man who was not her husband.  Having tried nearly everything, she was miserable, unhappy -- thirsty.

"Come to the water; drink of the living fountain," Jesus told her.

The woman said, "Sir, give me this water" (John 4:15).  Will you say that?  He offers the same living water to you.  Will you accept His offer today?  

Lord Jesus, give me that living water.  I want forgiveness of my sins.  I want to know that I am going to Heaven.  I want a new life.  I am tired of the old life I have been living.  I want something else in life.  I believe that You are the Living Water.  I believe that You died for my sins, and conquered death, so that I can drink of the Living Water and have eternal life and a personal relationship with you.  Amen.

--Billy Graham

Because of God's Great Love

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, their relationship with God was radically and tragically altered.  In an instant, they went from enjoying perfect fellowship with their Creator to being estranged from Him.  Because of Adam's sin, every person comes into the world with a sinful nature (Romans 5:12).

Sin affects every aspect of who we are as human beings -- our body, mind, and will are all tainted.  It's tempting to think we are born neutral with the ability to choose between being "good" or "bad" -- between following God or not.  But the Bible says this isn't the case.  Rather, our natural inclination is to sin (James 1:14-15).  And we love that sin too much to turn from it by our own power:  "no-one seeks for God . . . . No-one does good, not even one" (Romans 3:11-12); see also (John 6:44).  Unable to come to God or even to desire to do so, we are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1, 3) and are "by nature children of wrath."

Against this backdrop comes one of the most beautiful and remarkable phrases in all of Scripture:  "but God . . .  "

"But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved."  (Ephesians 2:4-5)

While we were still living "in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, " (Ephesians 2:3) and absolutely deserving of eternal punishment -- God sought us out and saved us.  This was "not because of works done by us in righteousness but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5-6).

Because we were dead in our sins, God had to first bring us to life before we could come to Christ for forgiveness.  When Paul says that God "made us alive," he refers to the regeneration -- or new birth -- that God gives us when we place our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is this new life that enables us to come to Christ in faith.  Thus, even faith itself -- trusting in Jesus to save us from our sins -- is a gift from God.

Our salvation is, from start to finish, all of grace (Ephesians 2:5, 8-9).  Though we have done nothing to deserve his mercy or love, God lavishes these things on us none the less, let us rejoice, then in the "immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7)!

If you would like to express your trust in Jesus for salvation and take a first step on your journey as a Christian, we encourage you to pray to God, perhaps using this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I believe that because of Your love for me, You sent your only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to live forever with Him as part of Your family.  Because of what Jesus has done, I ask You to forgive me of my sin and enable me to receive eternal life.  Help me to live in a way that pleases and honours You.  Amen.

-- Erika Allen

The Only Solution to the Greatest Problem!

Sin is the Greatest Problem Facing Humanity

Sin has caused wars between nations, conflict between individuals and groups, fear and anxiety, illness and death, and all kinds of natural and human-influenced disasters.

In the Bible, the beginning chapters of the book of Genesis report that the curse of sin after the fall of Adam and Eve disrupted three basic relationships.  First, men and women were separated from God when they became subject to spiritual death (Genesis 3:6-13).  Second, they became at odds with nature.  From then on it would resist their efforts to cultivate and control it (Genesis 3:17-19).  Third, people were separated from each other as sin brought envy and conflict into the world.

Everyone who dies, no matter from what cause, dies as a victim of sin.  Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death."  Every human being is subject to the fearful power of sin.

The Definition and Characteristics of Sin

The definition of sin is simple:  "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4).  Practicing sin is living as if there were no God and no law.  It is arrogantly living on one's own terms, not being bound by God's standards.  Sin is not only open disregard of God's Law, but also a defiling or polluting of the divine standard.  Sin makes a person's soul stained with guilt and unrighteousness.  

Sin is rebellion against God.  Scripture describes those who rebel as people who walk contrary to God and defy Him (Leviticus 26:27).  If sinners had their way, they would go as far as overthrowing God which is what Satan attempted to do (Isaiah 14:12-21).   

Sin causes a multitude of people to live each day in absolute ingratitude despite the fact that God created them to praise and glorify Him forever -- a loftier purpose than they could ever imagine on their own.  All people owe their very existence and all that they have to God.  Acts 17:28 says, "For 'in Him we live and move and have our being' . . . 'For we are indeed His offspring.'"

The Extent of Sin

The book of Romans clearly states that sin's extent is universal:  "'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one'" (Romans 3:10-12).

When we enter this world, we are already sinners.  Sin is in our natures, woven into the fabric of our lives.  That's because we are all descendants of Adam, and as such, we all bear his corruption.  

As if it weren't bad enough that humanity's fall into sin subjected the whole creation to many miseries and hardships (Genesis 3:8-24; Romans 8:18-22), the most devastating result of sin is that it has the power to condemn the soul to eternal punishment and separation from God in hell.  

With sin, humanity has a horrible, pervasive, incurable spiritual disease that cannot be defeated by human means (Jeremiah 13:23).  Men and women in their own strength cannot cure the sin that is within them because their minds and consciences are defiled and depraved.  There is simply no human remedy for the problem of sin.  It will not be cured by any acts of human will, any programs of moral reformation or educational renewal, no pieces of legislation, no efforts of man-made counselling, and consultation, nor any deeds of self righteousness.

Good News:  The Solution

But if humans can't cure themselves of sin, what can they do about it?  The answer is found in Romans 6:23:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The apostle Paul expresses two absolute truths in that verse.  First, he reminds us that spiritual death results from sin.  It is the rightful destiny of every life that is lived apart from God.  Second, the verse tells in one concise statement the remedy for sins effects -- salvation freely granted through Jesus Christ.  Paul writes in the book of Ephesians:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The gospel -- the good news of Jesus Christ -- offers the only solution to the stark reality of sin.  Because of God's immeasurable love for His creation, He provided a way for all humanity to experience the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Jesus is "the way, and the truth, and the life."  Not one person will be rid of their sin except through believing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  

Jesus was not just an ordinary person, prophet, or Jewish scholar.  He was the perfect, sinless Son of God -- God incarnate.  Jesus was the only one who could take our place on the cross, and He died the death that we deserve for our rebellion against God.  Because of Jesus's sacrifice, those who repent of their sin and trust in Him alone for salvation receive the good news:  Their sins are forever washed away, and they are adopted into God's family as beloved children. 

The darkness of sin is no match against the light of Jesus Christ and the good news of salvation that He offers.  Turn and repent of your sinful rebellion against God today, and receive new life and the promise of eternity with our loving Saviour.  

Heavenly  Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that He died on the cross to save me from my sin.  I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to live forever with Him as part of your family.  Because of what Jesus has done, I ask you to forgive me of my sin, and allow me to receive eternal life.  Help me to live in a way that pleases and honours You.  Amen.

If you would like more information about the good news that Jesus offers, we encourage you to meet with a Christian friend and begin attending a local Bible-believing church.  Find someone who is knowledgeable about the Bible and can help you learn more about God.

-- John MacArthur

Have You Been Born Again?

Have You Been Born Again?

A Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus once visited Jesus.  Like many people, Nicodemus expected that his good life would earn him a home in Heaven when he died.  Imagine how he felt when Jesus said to him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the new birth is a spiritual change that can only be brought about by God.  The moment a lost sinner repents of his sins and trusts Jesus as the only one who can save him from the eternal judgment of his sins, he is born again.  God gives him a spiritual nature through which he can understand and enjoy the things of God:  that person is spiritually born into God's family!  

What Jesus told Nicodemus 2000 years ago is just as true today.  We may try to live a good life, go to church, or engage in other commendable activities, but we still must be "born again" in order to be a member of God's family.

Have you been born again?  This is life's most important question, because your answer will affect all of your eternity.  

How Can You Know?

How can you know that you have been born again?  The Bible lists six characteristics of someone who has been "born again."  These are not requirements in order to be born again, but life changes that show God is at work in your life.  They are the evidence that you have truly been born spiritually into a new, life changing relationship with God!

1. Believing in Christ

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:1).

Someone who is born again believes that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  That He was sent by God the Father to pay the penalty for man's sin by His death on the Cross.  His resurrection from the dead on the third day is proof that He is able to forgive us and bring us into fellowship with the Father.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6).

A born again Christian does not merely know the facts about Jesus Christ, but he has entrusted his life to Him as Saviour.  The child of God does not depend on his church, his good deeds, or his pastor to bring him eternal life.  The Bible says, "As many as received Him [Jesus Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

2.  Practicing Righteousness

"Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him" (1 John 2:29).

For the person who is born again, Christ is not only a Saviour but also an example.  Believers are to keep God's commandments (John 14:15, 15:14) to please God.  The true Christian lives to please his Heavenly Father and tries to avoid those things God hates.

3.  Loving Other Christians

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14).

Like Jesus, the child of God loves even his enemies; but he has a special love for those who are fellow believers.  They may be different from him in race, personality, and culture, but they are all members of the same family.  "This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (1 John 3:11).

4.  Overcoming the World

"Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (1 John 5:4).

Someone who is born again does not follow the world's ever-changing standard of right and wrong.  He does not mind opposing the world's ways, because he seeks God's praise more than man's and fears offending God more than offending man.

5.  Not Habitual Sinning

"No one born of God makes a practice of sinning" (1 John 3:9).

The true Christian does not habitually sin, because he wants to please God.  Although he is far from perfect, he knows that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).  If he does sin, he can confess it directly to God and "He is faithful and just to forgive" (1 John 1:9).

6.  Keeping Oneself Pure

"He that is begotten of God keepeth himself"  (1 John 5:18).

A person who is born again tries not only to avoid sin, but also to avoid anything that may lead to it.  He is like a soldier in enemy territory continually on guard.  He knows he can't keep temptation from coming, but by knowing God's word and through prayer he can resist it.

The Test

These are six characteristics of a "born again" Christian.  Each of these traits may not be equally obvious in your life.  But if you are born again, God is developing these traits in you.  Are you born again?

If you have never been born again or you are not sure, you can be sure right now.  Pray right now, asking God to forgive your sins, turn from sinning, and believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour.  "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

-- J. C. Ryle

Heaven . . . You Can Know For Sure

You Can Know

There's no need to wonder if you will go to Heaven after death.

"These things have I written unto you . . . that ye may know that ye have eternal life . . . " 1 John 5:13

Can you say that you are 100 percent sure that you will go to Heaven when you die?

If not, you will find the following truths helpful in understanding this important subject.  These truths are taken from the Holy Bible.

We Have All Sinned

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

The word sin means to miss the mark, or come short of perfection, by disobeying God.  The Bible reminds us that one time or another we have all disobeyed God.  

Sin Has a Penalty

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

A wage is a payment.  The payment for your sin is death and separation from God in a place the Bible calls Hell.  

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:  but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:46

Jesus Paid the Penalty

"But God commendeth (proved) His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

God proved His love for you by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and pay the penalty for your sin.  Jesus died in your place.  His death has provided the only way to Heaven.  

Believe on Jesus Today

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9

Believing on Jesus Christ as Saviour means to trust in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life (Heaven).  You must have faith that He died to pay the price for your sin, rose again three days later, and that He is the only way to Heaven.  You can express your belief on Jesus through prayer.

Pray Sincerely . . . 

"Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and that I deserve Hell.  I believe You died on the cross, paid the penalty for my sin, and rose from the dead three days later.  I am placing my faith in You alone to forgive my sin and save me.  Thank you for giving me eternal life.  In Jesus' name,   Amen."

It is Good to Know

The assurance that you have eternal life is based on God's unchanging Word.  

The Bible provides this assurance to those who believe on Him.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

God does not lie.  He has promised everlasting life to those who believe on Him as Saviour.

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."  Titus 1:2

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:  and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."  John 3:36

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Romans 10:13

Not only does God provide the assurance of salvation (eternal life), but He also promises that He will never leave us.

Jesus Will Never Leave You

You can rest in the fact that Jesus Christ will never leave you.  

". . .  I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."  Hebrews 13:5

Once you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you cannot lose eternal life.  It is forever settled and secure in the hand of God.

"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  I and my Father are one."  John 10:28-30

-- Mark Manning

HOW CAN WE KNOW WE'LL GO TO HEAVEN?

A recent poll indicated that for every person who believes he or she is going to hell, there are 120 who believe they're going to heaven.

This optimism stands in stark contrast to Jesus Christ's words written in the Bible:  "Enter by the narrow gate.  For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).

The truth is that according to the Bible we don't automatically go to heaven.  In fact, hell -- not heaven -- is our default destination.  Unless our sin problem is solved once and for all, we can't enter heaven.  That's the bad news.

But once that's straight in our minds we're ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Jesus took upon Himself, on the cross, the hell we deserve so that we could experience for eternity the heaven we don't deserve!

THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS

There are two possible destinations when we die:  heaven or hell.  Can we really know in advance where we'll go?  John, one of the writers of the Bible, said this:  "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life"  (1 John 5:13).

We can know for sure that we'll go to heaven when we die.  Do you?

To sin means to fall short of God's holy standards.  Sin is what ended paradise in the garden of Eden.  And all of us, like Adam and Eve, are all sinners.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Sin separates us from a relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2)  and it deceives us and makes us think that wrong is right and right is wrong (Proverbs 14:12).  Sin has terrible consequences but God has provided a solution:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loved us so much that He left the riches of heaven to become a man and deliver us from our sin.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).  He came to identify with us in our humanity and our weakness but He did so without being tainted by our sin, self-deception, and moral failings (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Jesus died on the cross as the only one worthy to pay the penalty for our sins demanded by the  Holiness of God: "For our sake He made Him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21).  But in victory over death, God raised Jesus from the grave, defeating the consequences of sin (I Corinthians 15:3-4, 54-57).

When Christ died on the cross for us, He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).  In those times "It is finished" was commonly written across certificates of debt when they were canceled.  It meant "Paid in full."  Christ died so that the certificate of debt consisting of all our sins could once and for all be marked "Paid in full."

THE CRITICAL DECISION

Only when our sins are dealt with in Christ can we enter heaven.

We cannot pay our own way.  Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).  Because of Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on the cross on our behalf, God freely offers us forgiveness.

To be forgiven we must recognize and repent of our sins.  Forgiveness is not automatic.  It's conditioned upon confession: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).  Christ offers to everyone the gifts of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.  "Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price" (Revelation 22:17).

 There's no righteous deed we can do that will earn us a place in heaven (Titus 3:5).  We come to Christ empty-handed.  We can take no credit for salvation.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This gift cannot be worked for, earned, or achieved.  It's dependent solely on Christ's generous sacrifice on our behalf.

Now is the time to make things right with God.  Confess your sinfulness and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on your behalf.

You are made for a person and a place.  Jesus is the person and heaven is the place.  They are a package -- they come together.  You cannot get heaven without Jesus or Jesus without heaven.  "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6).  For all eternity you'll be glad you did.

If you understand what God has done to make forgiveness and eternal life possible for you, you may want to express it in words like these:  "Dear Lord, I confess that I do not measure up to Your perfect standard.  Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins.  I now place my trust in Him as my Saviour.  Thank you for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life."

--- Randy Alcorn

Are You Going to Heaven?

What do you feel is the best basis for reaching Heaven?

1. Keeping the Ten Commandments
2. Gifts to charity
3. Doing my best
4. Leading a good life
5. Good works
6. Trying to obey the Golden Rule
7. Tithing or giving to the church
8. Church membership
9. Regular church attendance
10. Prayers
11. Fasting
12. Baptism
13. Holy Communion
14. Born of Christian parents
15. Confirmation
16. Penance
17. Extreme Unction

Read further to find out if, according to God's Word, the Bible, you're on the way to Heaven.

1 -- The Ten Commandments are God's absolute rules for living.  No man has ever perfectly kept God's laws -- except for God's only Son, Jesus.  A person will never reach Heaven through his or her own efforts.  The Bible says:  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His [God's] sight:  for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).

2, 3, 4 -- Gifts to charity, doing your best, leading a good life are commendable acts, but according to the Bible, they will not save anyone: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us (Titus 3:5).

5, 6, 7 -- Neither good works, trying to obey the Golden Rule, or giving to the church will get you to Heaven.  God's Word says:  For by grace ye are 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),

8, 9, 10, 11 -- Church membership, regular church attendance, prayers, and fasting are good in themselves, but they can never justify sinners before a holy God:  We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  

12, 13 -- Without trusting in Jesus Christ, baptism and communion cannot help.  The Bible shows clearly that these are of spiritual value only when one believes in Jesus Christ.  See Acts 8:12; 1 Corinthians 11:2, 23-32.

14 -- Children born into Christian homes need to be saved just like anyone else.  As many as received Him [Christ], to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name:  which were born, not of blood [not of one's parentage], nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13).

15, 16, 17 -- Confirmation, penance, and extreme unction are not the means for going to Heaven.  God has provided only one way of salvation.

So what is God's only way of salvation?  The one and only means of spending eternity with God in Heaven is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.  Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.(John 14:6).

Because we cannot save ourselves by good works, good character, personal effort, or merit of any kind, God sent His Son to die as a substitute for sinners like you and me.  When the Lord Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day, He completed everything necessary for your salvation.  Now all God requires of you is to receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour:  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

So when you trust in Jesus you are saved and are destined to spend eternity in Heaven.  Jesus said, "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Will you accept God's way of salvation?  The choice is yours.  You may continue to trust in those things listed above.  If so, you will go to the grave without Christ and wake up facing God's eternal punishment.  Or you can believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.

Be Wise!  Choose Christ!  Pray to God in words like these:  Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and cannot go to Heaven based on my own efforts.  My only hope for Heaven is based completely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  I know accept Him as my Lord and Saviour.

-- William MacDonald

Do Good People Go to Heaven?

Yes, they certainly would go to Heaven . . . if there were any people good enough!  

People often say, "If I do the best I can and treat everyone fairly, I'll go to Heaven."  But have any of us done the best we can or treated everyone fairly?

A religious leader in the Bible once asked Jesus Christ: " Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

Without hesitation Jesus answered, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self."

Has anyone fully kept this supreme law of God?  The Bible answers that no mortal can keep God's law, nor can one reach Heaven by trying:  "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no one be justified in His [God's] sight:  for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  When we compare our lives to God's holy standards, all our good works -- our morality, religion, charity, pleasing personality -- fall far short of His absolute righteousness.  The truth is:  "There is non righteous, no, not one . . . "  We stand condemned by a holy God who must judge our sin.  We are sinners in need of a Saviour.  

It is impossible then for anyone to be good enough for Heaven.  That is why the Son of God came to earth.  The Lord Jesus said, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

On the Cross of Calvary Jesus opened the way for sinners to stand before a righteous God.  There He suffered for our sins as the prophet Isaiah wrote:  "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

The Lord Jesus took the punishment for our sins so that we could be declared righteous before God.  He "who knew no sin" bore our sins on the cross being made "sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."  Do "good" people go to Heaven?  No!  But through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, sinners like you and me can be sure of Heaven as our final destination.

Come to Jesus Christ today.  Don't try to prepare yourself for Heaven.  Let Him prepare you and give you His gift of everlasting life.

If you believe that Jesus Christ died in your place and rose again from the dead, you can come to Him now by praying something like this:
Lord, thank you for taking the punishment for my sins.  I know that I could never be fit for Heaven without You.  So I invite You into my life to be my Lord and Saviour.

Heaven:- Who's Good Enough to Get In?

Have you ever heard people say, "I could never be good enough to get into heaven; I've messed up too many times"?

Well, they're exactly right!  On our own, we can do nothing to get into heaven.  Even if someone is "righteous" in many people's eyes, the Bible tells us that our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 65:6).

So how can we get into heaven since we are sinful and God is sinless?  Sinful people aren't allowed into heaven are they?  No, but forgiven people are!  God, in the most sacrificial act in the history of the world, sent His sinless, perfect, only Son to die on our behalf -- even though we are sinners -- so we can spend eternity with Him.

Life in heaven is a free gift!

The Bible calls what God did an act of grace.  The word "grace" means gift.  Salvation from our sins is freely provided by a God who loves us despite our sinfulness.  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

You cannot earn, learn, or deserve salvation.  It is not a goal to achieve, but a gift to receive.  Salvation is rooted in the mercy of God, not the merit of mankind.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

But there is a problem . . . 

We are all sinners.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Every person has broken God's commandments.  Though you may be a "good" person in the eyes of others, you know in your heart there is something wrong.  We often fail to do the things we should, and we do the very things we shouldn't.  We "fall short" of God's high standard, which is perfection.  Jesus said, "You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).

But no one is perfect!  We have all sinned and therefore cannot save ourselves by simply living a good life.  The very best we can do is not enough.

Because God is holy, He must punish sin.

God cares about you to the extent that He is expressing His love to you right now.  But He is holy, totally unique, and without sin.  It's our sin that separates us from God's love.  His righteousness demands that something be done about our sin problem, for God says that He "will by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:7).

God cannot simply dismiss sin or admit sinners into heaven because that would violate His own holiness and break His own law.  So, God had a dilemma.  How could He love us and at the same time judge our sin?

The answer is the greatest news every shared.

God solved the dilemma in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is God's unique Son who came from heaven to earth to reveal the love of God for you.  He is more than just a man, though He was fully human.  Jesus was not merely a man of God, but was the God-man -- 100% God and 100% man.

The Bible declares that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14).

The ultimate demonstration of Jesus' deity is the cross and resurrection.  In that great act of love by dying on the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins and purchased a place in heaven for us that He now offers as a free gift.  He took our place of judgment, and the wrath of God that burns against sin fell on Him:  "For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21),

What does all this mean?  

Man can receive God's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life.

The Bible boldly declares, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).  Only by belief -- faith -- can we know God's love and forgiveness.

Saving faith involves a choice to turn from whatever you may have hoped would save you and instead place your complete dependence only upon Christ Jesus to save you from the consequences of your sin.  Faith means that you trust in Christ -- nothing more, nothing less, nothing else -- for your salvation.

If you've never considered yourself good enough for heaven, all you have to do is accept God's gift of grace that He gives though the sacrificial death of His Son.  Then let Jesus' righteousness pay for all your sins in full!  

Are you trusting in Christ alone for your salvation?  If you desire to have this certainty of salvation, you can receive Jesus Christ right now by expressing your faith through a prayer like this;  

Jesus, I am a sinner and I need to be saved by Your grace.  I turn from trusting in myself, and I look to You who alone can forgive and save me.  I know that You died on the cross for my sin, that You were buried, and that You rose again so I can have everlasting life.  Come into my life, Christ Jesus, and make me the person You want me to be.  Thank You for saving me.  Amen.

Did you really mean what you just said?  If so, let's see what Jesus says about what you have just done:  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting life" (John 6:47),

The Promise of Heaven

What Will Heaven Be Like?

Heaven is a place more wonderful than we can ever begin to imagine.  It is a place of joy and beauty, of peace and happiness that will never end.  

Why?  Because heaven is also a place where there will be no sin or suffering, no sorrow or pain.  It's a place where there will be no quarrels or disagreements, no disappointments or weeping -- because there will be nothing there to make us sad.  And in heaven we will never do anything to displease God.

We will then know perfect joy.  Psalms 16:11 says, "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."  Everything that now makes us groan will finally be done away with, and we will find ourselves in the very presence of God, where the purest and truest kind of joy is possible.

In heaven we will also have perfect knowledge.  The Bible says "then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12).  We will have no more unanswered questions, no confusion, no ignorance, and no more need to walk by faith rather than by sight.

We will live in perfect comfort.  We will love God perfectly and will be loved perfectly by Him.  His love will engulf us forever.  

Stated simply, heaven is a place of perfect joy forever.

Think of it!  We will be perfectly free from evil forever.  We will be set free from captivity to sin, and finally able to do that which is absolutely righteous, holy, and perfect before God.  With sin and its effects erased forever, the promise of heaven is an everlasting life of unimaginable blessing!  

How Good Do I Have To Be To Go To Heaven?

Most people understand that doing evil can keep us out of heaven.  But few realize that the Bible also teaches that doing good cannot get us in.  

None of us could ever gain enough merit to deserve heaven.  We are sinful and God's standard is utter perfection.  Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt.. 5:20).  He added, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (v. 48).

Who Then Can Go to Heaven?  Who Can Be Saved?

Jesus' disciples asked Him this same question (Matthew 19:25).  His answer?  "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (v. 26).  In other words, being saved so that we can go to heaven is not something we can accomplish.  It is something God must do for us.  

What if I Stopped Sinning Now and Never Sinned Again?

No matter how hard we try, we could never stop sinning because we are hopelessly in bondage to sin.  The Bible tells us even our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked ( Jeremiah 17:9).  In other words, we are sinful to the core. Furthermore, even a single sin would be enough to destroy us forever; "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all" (James 2:10).  But even if we never sinned from now on, we would still be guilty of our past sins.  And as the Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

But the good news is that God has provided a way to free us from the guilt of sin!

What Has God Done For Me To Take Away My Sin So I Can Go To Heaven?

When God forgives, He cannot merely overlook sin.  Full payment (atonement) must be made for our sin.  Christ's death made full atonement for those who trust Him.  If we believe in Him, His dying counts in our stead, paying for our sins in full.  The Bible says, "The blood of Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).  It is only through the blood of Christ that we can ever be cleansed from the terrible guilt of sin.  

But that only erases the guilt of our sin; we still need perfect righteousness in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

Where Do We Get That Perfect Righteousness?

If you truly believe in Him, the full merit of Jesus' own righteousness is credited (imputed) to you -- to all those who trust Him alone for salvation.

The Bible teaches that God "justifies the ungodly" by reckoning (or crediting) Christ's righteousness to them (Romans 4:5).  Believers are clothed in His righteousness, and God accepts them solely and exclusively on that basis.  That's why the apostle Paul was willing to discard all his own efforts to earn God's favour, preferring to stand before God robed in a righteousness that was not his own (Philippians 3:8-9).

If you are not a Christian, you need to lay hold of this truth by faith:  The sin that will keep you out of heaven has no cure but the blood of Christ.  If you are weary of your sin and exhausted from the load of your guilt, He tenderly holds forth the offer of life and forgiveness and eternal rest to you: "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).  

How Can I Be Sure Christ Will Save Me?

The Bible promises that no one who believes in Christ will be turned away: "Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out" (John 6:37).  In the closing words of the Bible, Christ invites all to come to Him and receive the promise of heaven: ". . . Let him that heareth . . . come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17b).

-- John F. MacArthur

If you would like to know Jesus Christ as your Saviour and have the promise of heaven, we would encourage you to receive Him right now wherever you are.  Simply pray:

Dear Jesus,   I know that I am a sinner, and I know that You died for me to pay for my sins.  Please forgive me and make me one of Your own, that I may live in heaven with You for all eternity.

Your Greatest Mistake!

 

The Fire of Hell

The term fire is often used in connection with the punishment of the lost.  In Revelation 20, the expression "lake of fire" occurs three times to denote the final destiny of God's enemies. 

Fire is also associated with hell because of the Greek word "gehenna," the term most often employed to denote the place where the lost will go after death and judgment.  It occurs 11 times in the Gospels and once in the rest of the New Testament (James 3:6).  The word itself referred to " the valley of Hinnom,"  just south of Jerusalem.  It was there that the Israelites under Ahaz and Manasseh (II Chr. 28:3, 33:6) placed children on a fiery altar dedicated to the god Molech.  The specific place where this was done was called Tophet (literally "fire place").  There is a strong tradition that the valley became a city dump where refuse and the bodies of criminals were burned.  The terrible reputation of this valley plus its association with fire and judgment made it an apt symbol for the place of final punishment for the wicked. 

The Bible presents a literal hell as the place of eternal punishment for all who die in unbelief and rebellion.  This truth can be used by God to strengthen Christians and to awaken sinners to their need of Christ.

We don't like the idea of eternal punishment.  We may even find ourselves repulsed by the concept.  But we need to be careful.  God sees and understands infinitely more than we do. 

He has proven His love in so many ways, especially providing salvation through Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16; Rom. 5:8).  He wants you to place your trust in His Son.  Listen to Him and accept His salvation.  Accept His warning to escape "the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched'" (Mark 9:44, 46, 48).

Hell is a Place of Lost Hope

We have seen that people choose hell by rejecting the light they have received from God.  We have seen that everyone is a sinner whose selfishness and pride call for divine punishment -- even the nice non-Christian who has so many fine qualities.  We have seen that Jesus Christ is going to judge every person individually and will sentence him/her to receive exactly what he/she deserves.  Now we are ready to develop the solemn fact that hell is a place of lost hope.

We who believe on Jesus Christ and therefore are confident that we will go to heaven would like to see everyone get there eventually.  We would very much like to find evidence in the Bible that the lost will get another chance to be saved after death.  And there always have been teachers who have held the viewpoint of another opportunity after death.  As much as we would like to think that ultimately all will be saved, we cannot honestly use the Scriptures to build a case for it.  The Bible does not promise or even imply that the lost will have another chance for salvation after death.

In summary, the future of those who die as unbelievers or rebels is not pleasant to contemplate.  When Jesus talked about hell, He spoke of  "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 8:12), of "the fire that shall never be quenched" (Mk. 9:43, 45), and of a place "where their worm does not die" (Mk. 9:44, 46, 48).  Even if many verses are inconclusive regarding the eternal conscious suffering of the lost, Revelation 14:11 and 20:10 indicate that at the very least, some of the lost will suffer conscious torment for all eternity.

The biblical doctrine of hell is designed to warn sinners.  It is designed to motivate believers to do all they can to reach people with the Gospel.  It is designed to show us how terrible sin is in the sight of an awesomely holy God.  Therefore, although we cannot visualize the timelessness of eternity or the exact nature of hell's suffering, we can be moved to godly fear and proper action.  And we can ultimately trust God to do what is right by friends and relatives who for one reason or another refuse the Gospel.  With Abraham of old we ask the rhetorical question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25), and leave the matter to Him.

The Fate of Those Who Never Heard

Many people have gone through this life without even once hearing about Jesus Christ.  Even among those who live in cultures where Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are observed, there are multitudes who never really hear the gospel.  And some who have had contact with professing Christians never give Jesus Christ serious consideration because of what they see in the lives of people who claim to be His followers.

What about such people who will die without ever having heard a clear presentation of the gospel?  Can we assume that God will find some way to open the doors of heaven to them?  We would like to believe that.  But the Scriptures make it clear that those who haven't heard the gospel are lost just as surely as those who refuse to believe on Christ.  Jesus declared that He Himself is the only way to God (Jn. 14:6).  Peter boldly told the Jewish rulers who had arrested him "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).  Paul referred to all who don't know Jesus as "those who are perishing" (2 Cor. 4:3) and described the Gentile world before the time of Christ as "having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12).  The heartbreaking fact is that people who have never heard the gospel are on their way to a Christless eternity.

God will hold those who never heard the gospel responsible for what they did with the light that they had in this world.  Paul said of the pagans that God had revealed Himself to them in nature (Rom. 1:18-21) and in conscience (Rom. 2:12-16).  They must give an account of what they did with this light and will be punished accordingly.

Hell is a Place of Fair Treatment

We have seen that hell is the place people chose, even if unknowingly, when they go their own way instead of listening to God.  We have also noted that hell is a place that will forever tell the truth about the real character of those who have rejected and resisted God's provision for their salvation.

Hell will be a place of fair treatment.  Before anyone goes there, that person will stand at a final judgment to determine the exact degree of punishment he or she will receive.  God will be perfectly fair.

The final judgment is depicted graphically in Revelation 20:11-15.  This is the great white throne judgement.  The Judge is none other than Jesus Christ (John 5:24-30).  All the unsaved will receive new bodies and will stand to be judged.  Then the books containing the life record of every person and the one special Book of Life will be opened.  The opening of these books shows that those who rejected God's gift of salvation will receive perfect justice.

The awesome picture of final judgment in Rev. 20: 11-15 led Thomas Carlyle to exclaim:  "What a magnificant conception is that of a final judgment!  A righting of all the wrongs of the ages."  The Lord Jesus Christ will take into account every circumstance overlooking nothing.  He will be the Supreme Court of the universe.  No one will be able to appeal His decisions.  In fact, no one will feel the need to do so.  Every person will acknowledge Him as Lord and admit that His verdict has been absolutely fair and right.  It is at this time, that everyone will recognize Him to be all He claimed to be, fulfilling the words of Philippians 2:9-11.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hell is a Place of Truth

The second point we need to see is that hell is a place of truth.  Even though it is sometimes described as a place of outer darkness, it is a place of the light of truth.  Hell will finally expose the true nature of all who have consistently rejected the love and grace and mercy of God.  In the meantime, the true nature of human hearts is often buried under deceptive appearances.

Now, most people don't think of themselves as deserving of everlasting punishment.  Many who have chosen to live their lives apart from God don't look any different from others who openly admit their need of the forgiveness and mercy of  Christ.

But present appearances are deceiving.  While the Bible says that most people are headed for the lake of fire, many of them don't look as though they deserve a fire reserved for the devil and his angels.  Evil men like Stalin or Hitler or serial killers might seem to qualify, but not the rank-and-file of people who seem to live basically decent lives.

Yet, from the Bible's point of view, such evaluations are extremely misleading and even deceptive.  The Bible shows us that the fires and blackness of hell will make eternal statements about (1) the true wickedness of public enemies and (2) the true wickedness of good people,

The Wickedness of Public Enemies

In some respects, human wickedness is terrible to contemplate.  Think of what God sees as He looks down on the world of mankind.  He watches the murders, adulteries, thefts, fights and physical and emotional torment that occur day and night in every part of the world.  He sees the child abusers -- their lust, cruelty, and heartlessness.  He sees wives crying, children abandoned, friends and partners betrayed, governments oppressing, and religious leaders fleecing their trusting flocks.  

It is the moral and spiritual condition that God has been patiently tolerating ever since man's fall into sin.  Read the Apostle Paul's timeless and universal description of the human condition:  

(Rom. 3:12-18)  They have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one.........their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is a striking picture of the dishonesty, the greed, the profanity, the deceitfulness, and the cruelty that continues to produce rapists, child molesters, embezzlers, and pornographers.  When the judgment of God falls, and when such persons are sentenced to the lake of fire described in Revelation 20: 11-15, the fire will make an eternal statement of truth about those who have lived their lives at the expense of others.

What we need to realize, however, is that Romans 3 was not written merely to tell the truth about those public enemies who will one day find their rightful place in hell.  It also describes:

The Wickedness of Good People.

A closer look shows that Romans 3: 10-18 doesn't just describe the judgment-deserving character of those we call public enemies.  Verse 10 expresses the inclusive argument of the first three chapters of Romans, when it says of mankind, religious and non-religious alike:

There is none righteous, no, not one, there is none who understands, there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable, there is none who does good, no, not one (3:10-12).

We don't like to think that good people deserve to go to hell.  But our good impression of decent law-abiding neighbours is not a real reflection of the truth.  We think naturally in man-centered ways rather than in the God-centered measurement described in Romans 3.  Man wasn't made to be a decent public servant.  He was made to glorify his Maker and to enjoy Him forever.  We weren't made to live decent, self-serving lives.  We were made to depend gratefully on the love and goodness of God.  We weren't made just to abide by the external requirements of civil and religious law.  We were made to worship God from our hearts and to love one another as He has loved us.

When we measure ourselves by that evaluation, the threat of hell becomes more of an issue.  The irresistible fire of judgment will expose the enormous deception that now hides behind social and religious courtesies and proprieties.

We have good reason to shudder at the thought of standing in God's presence on our own merits.  If we're honest, we must admit that apart from Christ we deserve to hear Him sentence us to hell.  In God's sight, no-one is really a good person.  (Romans 2: 12-16).

All people, at one time or another, sense that there is a God to whom they are morally accountable, that they have sinned, and that they need divine forgiveness.  But most men and women stifle these disquieting thoughts.  Some do so by denying the existence of a personal God.    Some do so by saying that what we call sins are merely weaknesses.  Others affirm that God is so loving that He will never punish anyone on the other side of death.  They don't want to acknowledge their sin and believe on Jesus Christ.  But the day is coming when they will stand before God for final judgment.  There they will see themselves as they really are.  Stripped of all their self-righteousness, they will recognize their guilt before God.  And nothing less than the lake of fire will ultimately tell the truth.

Hell is a Place of Choice

People don't choose hell with a full understanding of what they are doing.  They don't have a clear picture of the eternal happiness they will live or the everlasting separation and darkness they will endure. But according to the Bible, hell is a place of choice.

As a result, the Bible repeated appeals to its readers to choose the way of life rather than the path of death and judgment.  Over and over, Jesus Himself urged His listeners to make wise choices with questions like:

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  (Mk. 8:36-37).

Yet the same Bible also reminds us that most people will risk their eternal souls rather than feel obligated or indebted to the love and mercy of God.  In some cases, this stubborn independence is easy to see.  Some will even tell you that if there really is a heaven and a hell they would rather go to the place below because that's where their friends will be.  Others say that heaven and God and eternal goodness sound boring.  Still others are so angry at God for the pain and rejection that He has allowed them to experience that they have literally challenged Him to send them to the devil and his place.

Most people, however, are merely ignoring the long-term possibilities of their own choices.  They are either counting on the hope that God is too loving to send them to hell, or they are assuming that they aren't bad enough to be sent there.  Many are so preoccupied with trying to survive day-to-day struggles that they have chosen not to worry about the future.

In the process, such people make personal choices for which they will be held accountable.  Certainly they fail to understand the full weight of their choices.  They fail to realize that just as the first man and woman made choices that resulted in enormous loss, so also we who are made in the image of God continue to be held accountable for the choices we make.  With such choice and consequences in mind, the apostle Paul wrote:

The wrath of God is revealed  from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them (Rom. 1:18-19).

As God's creatures, we owe Him glory and thanksgiving.  God has a right to expect that we as a race and as individuals recognize His lordship, give Him thanks, and live in grateful obedience to Him.  But in our pride, we have refused to glorify God as God.  Instead, we have become preoccupied with ourselves and our own happiness.  We have chosen to love ourselves rather than God -- to glorify ourselves rather than the Lord.  This is why "the wrath of God" (Rom. 1:18) rests upon the human race.  This divine wrath is a terrible reality.  It is God's revulsion against the things that contradict His holy being.  It is God's reaction to those who choose evil while rejecting His love.

Some accuse God of vindictiveness but we would be wise to withhold our criticism and respond as quickly as we can to God's invitation to escape the eternal fires.  It was Christ Himself who urged us:

Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:13-14). 

Proportionately, this is still true.  While religion is common all over the world, how many people do you know who actually and consistently love God and express their gratitude to Him?  If you think carefully and honestly, you will have to admit that no one does.  But Christians freely admit this and have placed their trust for salvation in Jesus Christ believing that He paid for their sins when He died on the cross.  When people refuse to believe on Him, they are choosing to stand on their own merits.  To be placed on the road to heaven, we must acknowledge our sin, admit that we can't save ourselves, and place our trust in Jesus Christ.  John 3:16 states

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

If you haven't chosen to believe on Jesus Christ, you are choosing the path to hell.  Don't listen to the behaviourists who suggest that you have no real choices of your own.

Reject the post modern thinking that says there is no established truth.  Accept the teaching of the bible.  If you reject Christ, you will have no right to blame anyone but yourself when you someday find yourself in hell.  You will have to admit that you made the wrong choice.  You won't be able to blame God.

What Happened to the Subject of Hell?

Countless people among us seem obsessed with the subject of hell.  Even irreligious individuals talk of "going to hell and back" for something they love.  They speak of certainties as being  "sure as hell," or impossibilities as occurring "when hell freezes over."  And bad experiences are said to "hurt like hell."  Many otherwise polite people regularly inject colour, emotion, and profanity into their conversation by adding a casual or angry reference to hell to almost any combination of words.

Yet ironically, the more hell shows up in casual conversation, the less it is actually thought about -- even in religious circles.  The more such a word is used in an aggressive, profane way, the less threatening it seems to the user.  Accordingly, the subject of hell has become as prevalent in street talk as it is absent in Sunday sermons.

It wasn't always that way.  Historically, most religions have held openly to the idea of an after-death judgment followed by punishment for evildoers.

Our present reluctance to think seriously about the reality of future punishment may stem in part from an inadequate concept of God.  We have forgotten that He is a God to be feared.  The Russian theologian Berdyaev said, "It is remarkable how little people think about hell or trouble about it.  This is the most striking evidence of human frivolity."  (The Destiny of Man, Scribner, p. 33).  What he wrote more than 70 years ago is even more true today than when he penned it.

We do not do people a favour when we remain silent about the subject of hell.  Jesus, the prime example of God's love, spoke of hell repeatedly.  He said that some would rise from death to "the resurrection of condemnation" (Jn. 3:29).  He declared that those who go to hell enter the horrible place where "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" (Mk 9:44, 46, 48).  He also depicted it as a place of "outer darkness," where there "will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 8:12; 12:13; 25:30).

Bertrand Russell said he decided to become an atheist when he read the words of Jesus about hell.  But did he act wisely?  At least he was consistent.  He realized that hell deserves to be taken seriously.  He knew that it doesn't make sense to say you believe in Christ while rejecting what He and His book say about an eternal "lake of fire."

- from "Portraits of Eternity" by Herb Vander Lugt

Are You Hell-Bound?

13 Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that find it:

14 Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7: 13-14

According to these verses, Hell is going to be heavily populated and Heaven is going to be very lightly populated.  If you think about it and look around you, you will understand that this is true.  For example, on the street where I used to live, three of the twenty-six homes went to our church.  Only a couple of households went to other churches. 20% of the people on our block entered a church door from one year's end to the next.  That is a lot of darkness.  The Bible says that men prefer darkness rather than light as evidenced by the few church goers on our street. 

I have become aware lately, based on the aforementioned discussion, that no matter where you go in the world today this is the case.  The majority of the world is living in darkness and is bound for Hell.  The purpose of this blog is not to judge people in any way, shape or form, although a certain amount of this is necessary because you have to look at people's belief systems in order to determine if they are going to Hell because not all roads lead to Heaven.

So what I thought I would do is state unequivocally, the obvious groups of people who we know for a fact are going to Hell.  This is based on the Scripture that states "ye must be born again" in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3.  If you are a person who is not born again or does not believe in being born again, you are Hell-bound -- plain and simple!  The Bible states numerous times in the New Testament that you must be born again or you will not see the Kingdom of God.  The Bible also calls it being saved or being redeemed or being forgiven of our sins.  The Bible also speaks more about Hell than it does about Heaven.  If you do not believe in Hell, you have a serious problem.  Just because you don't believe in Hell doesn't mean that you are not going there.  If you think about it, when all is said and done, God gets the last word doesn't He?

What things are evidence that you might not be born again?  I would say that church attendance is a good indicator of whether you are born again or not.  But then, we have to take into account how many churches today don't believe that you must be born again. It's a well-known fact that the Catholic church does not teach or believe that you must be born again.  All you do in the Catholic church to go to Heaven is go to confession.  From here we get into the area of false teaching which pervades many of our churches today.  

Do you think that God is going to allow gays and lesbians into Heaven?  The Bible is very specific on these two lifestyles.  Don't forget -- it's His Heaven.

Do you think God will welcome people into heaven who have allowed drugs and alcohol to consume their lives?

Do you think God is going to allow people who fellowship regularly with demons into heaven?  Churches who practice "gibberish" and call it "speaking in tongues" are inviting demons into their midst.  Gibberish is the vehicle demons use to take over your mind.  I don't think God will welcome the demon-possessed into heaven, do you?  The demon possessed are hell bound!

What is the likelihood that people who use the Lord's name as a curse word are born-again Christians and on their way to heaven?

How many radical Islamic terrorists do you think you will see in Heaven when you get there?

How many hardened criminals in prisons around the world do you expect to see in Heaven?  Not to mention that there are some prison ministries at work who are trying to change this fact.

Then there are all the God-haters and atheists who seem to pervade our society everywhere these days.  Heaven is not in their future; it's pretty safe to say.

Then there are all the people who live in remote areas around the world where there are no churches and no spiritual influence whatsoever,

The good people in this world are a very unique group.  They've never killed anyone or committed any crime.  They think they are good enough to go to Heaven just as they are.  The Bible teaches otherwise which means there are going to be a throng of very good people in hell because they are not born-again as the Scriptures demands.

Another very large group who are Hell-bound are all those people who's parents never took them to Sunday School when they were little and to this day, have not entered a church door except for weddings and funerals and who actually do not have any kind of belief system at all.  They just believe that when you die -- that's all there is.  They have no concept of eternity or the fact that we have an eternal soul that is going to spend eternity in one of two places.

Let's take for example, another group of people who are likely Hell-bound -- sports lovers.  In recent years all kinds of sporting events for families around the world are held on Sundays, thus preventing them from attending church.  Church attendance does not save you but if you are not in church how can you learn about being born again.  To most of these people, sports is their god.  

Another large group who are likely Hell-bound are people who have tatoos.  Not to say that some Christians don't have a few and it doesn't determine whether or not you are born again.  Having tatoos is not something associated with being a Christian and if you look around your local Baptist church, you will be hard-pressed to find any tatoos.  So it's fair to say that the majority of the tatooed group are Hell-bound.  Most members of motorcycle gangs are likely Hell-bound.  

Multi-millions of people are members of cults around the world and doomed to go to Hell.  Among these groups are:  Muslims, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Buddists, Hindus, Hari-Krisnas, Jehovah Witnesses, etc. This must include billions and billions of people worldwide.  All of these false relgions have one thing in common.  You have to do something to earn your way to Heaven.  Born-again Christians depend solely on the work that was accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary.  The Bible says it is not of works lest any man should boast and that makes true Christianity unique among all the world religions and cults.

This idea is further brought home when you are out in public in various places.  For instance, how many born-again Christians are attending rock concerts?  How many born-again Christians are in the restaurant or at the mall at the same time you are?  It's the same in these places as it is on the street where you live, the place where you work -- there is a general feeling of darkness around you wherever you go except for one place.  That place for me is the Baptist church.  When I walk into the Baptist church I feel like I have entered the land of light and truth.  That's because the Holy Spirit is there.  It's a wonderful feeling to know that there is at least one place where the Light continues to shine brightly.  When you enter that Light, you will be pointed to Jesus Christ and His saving grace which will change your life eternally.  Being Hell-bound is a choice which only you can do something about.