In response to a comment left about my post on Chick tracts, I started a 3 part series on Hell. You can read part 1 here, and you can read part 2 here. This will be the 3rd and final post.
I've enjoyed doing the research for these posts because I've delved deeply into my Bible and it made me examine my beliefs which confirmed to me that what I believe is true. But I must say I have not enjoyed the subject matter at all! I wish I NEVER had to talk about hell and I wish it wasn't a real place. I'm just like anyone else in that I don't enjoy offending people or making people uncomfortable or angry. I want you to know that I'm not arguing just to argue......or to 'be right' or to try and 'win'......no, in fact I wish I were wrong.....I would gladly be wrong, but unfortunately.......I'm not.
What I want to focus on now is the often used arguements "But I'm a good person!" or "I've done more bad than good, so God will let me into heaven because of that."
Let's examine how 'good' we really are by taking a look at the Ten Commandments....they're found in Exodus 20:
1) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
4) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5) Honour thy father and thy mother.
6) Thou shalt not kill. (Jesus said Matthew 5:21-22 that being angry w/o cause incurs the same penalty as if you killed them. In other words, you are guilty of murder just for being angry without a just reason)
7) Thou shalt not commit adultry. (In Matthew 5:28, Jesus explains that even lusting after someone is committing adultry in your heart)
8) Thou shalt not steal.
9) Thou shalt not bear false witness.
10) Thou shalt not covet.
The Bible says in Galatians 3:24 that the law is our 'schoolmaster'. It's what shows or 'schools' us about how we can't measure up to a Holy and Righteous God. (Thankfully Galatians 3:13 says that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:....")
When I look at the 10 Commandments I see that I'm guilty of most of them. No, I haven't killed anyone but I have been angry or hated someone. I would venture to say that most of you who are reading this could find at least ONE of the commandments that you've broken.....and maybe you can even try and rationalize it by saying 'it isn't so bad.' But God thinks differently.
The Bible says in James 2:10 "For whosover shall keep the whole law(which is impossible), and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Breaking even ONE of the commandments makes you guilty of breaking ALL of them.
Commandment #1 talks about not putting anything before God. --If you've done that, what does that make you? The answer is AN IDOLITOR.
Commandment #7 talks about not committing adultry(but as I've shown you, Jesus said even looking with lust at someone who's not your spouse makes you guilty of adultry). --If you've done this, what does that make you? The answer is AN ADULTERER.
Commandment #8 talks about not stealing. --If you've stolen anything(even as a child), what does that make you? The answer is A THIEF.
Commandment #9 talks about not lying. --If you've told a lie(yes even a little 'white lie'), what does that make you? The answer is A LIAR.
By your own admission (if you're completely honest with yourself), you're an idol worshipping, adulterer at heart, thieving, liar.
I think the 10 commandments pretty much blows the 'I'm a good person' argument out of the water.....because remember even if you've only broken ONE of them, you're guilty of breaking them all. And let's be honest, I don't know ANYONE who's NEVER told a lie, do you?
***Now, lest you get upset and think that I'm judging you, remember, I didn't make the 10 commandments, God did. And I didn't write the Bible, God did.......and I failed this test just as miserably as you did.......I've broken most of the commandments, so I have no lofty ideals about being better than anyone because I know that I am NOT better than ANYONE! Like Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15, I know that I am one of the 'chief' sinners. I also believe Galatians 6:14 pertains to me "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,....."
I hope that you are now concerned and see that compared to God's standard, NOONE is 'good enough'. Just in case you aren't convinced, here are a few more verses:
**"But we are ALL as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6)
**"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" (Romans 3:10)
**"For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
I think these verses make it very clear that NOONE is 'good enough' to make it to heaven without the blood of Jesus to cover their sin.
But what about the argument that 'God will weigh our good and bad deeds and if the good outweighs the bad then He'll let you into heaven'.?
I think all of the above examples show that because of the Holiness, and Righteousness of God that He cannot allow sin into His presence.....not even one, small sin. And Galatians 2:16 says:
**"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law, no flesh be justified."
**"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" (Titus 3:5)
**"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)
Let me ask you another question? If being a 'good person' could save us, then why did Jesus need to die?
**".....for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21)
I mean, why would Jesus Christ need to leave the glory of heaven and come to earth to die a painful and humiliating death if being a 'good person' could get us to heaven?
The answer is simple. Good works will not and cannot justify us to God. We cannot be good enough!
Let's consider something for a moment......God is a JUST and FAIR God. And because He's Just, He demands justice. On earth, when we look for justice, we go to a courtroom and have a trial. Let's pretend and say that we're in a courtroom and the defendent is guilty of (whatever you want to imagine). The Judge has no choice but to put the defendent in jail in the interest of justice. But what if the Judge said 'Well the defendent is a 'good person', so even though they've committed this crime, I'll just let is slide and they can go free.' Would that be just and fair? Would justice have been served? NO!!! It doesn't matter how 'good' or 'nice' the defendent is, if they've committed a crime, there must be a penalty.
It's the same for us, we're guilty and deserve to be punished but instead, God (The Divine Judge) made a way for us to have our debt or penalty for our crime, paid for. He did it by sending Jesus to die on the cross. Jesus's death on the cross satisfied the justice demanded by God.
I'd like to end this by saying that God DOES LOVE YOU!!! He gave His only Begotten Son for you.....knowing that many would reject His gift. God said in 2 Peter 3:9 that He is "not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentence."
**"For WHOSOEVER shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
God made a way for ANY and ALL and WHOSOEVER.....that's all-inclusive. But it is done HIS way, on HIS terms.
I've really enjoyed writing these posts and I thank everyone for your wonderful comments (yes even those who disagree). Without you all, blogging would be very boring.
**Writing these posts took a long time but I will try and get to the prophecy post that anonymous asked for sometime tomorrow......I'm not promising but I'll do my best! (o:
