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|  | Are you good enough to go to Heaven?
« Result #9 on Apr 14, 2007, 12:33am » | ![[Quote]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/quote.gif) |
Almost everyone thinks they are a good person...
But the question you should be asking is,
"Am I good enough to go to heaven?"
How would you know?
The way to find out is to ask yourself if you have obeyed the Ten Commandments.
Most people say, "Well, I've broken one or two, but nothing too serious, like murder, etc."
So let's go through them and see how you do.
1. "You shall have no other gods before me."
Have you always put God first in your life? Jesus said to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength-- so much, that your love for your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and even your own life is like hatred compared to your love and devotion for God. Have you ever failed to put Him first in your life?
2. "You shall not make for yourself any idol."
Who is God to you? Is he only a god of love and mercy who would never judge anyone and never cast anyone into Hell? If that's your god, then you're right. Your god couldn't cast anyone into Hell because he doesn't exist. He's a figment of your imagination. You've created a god in your own mind that you're more comfortable with. You may call it your "personal belief," but God calls it idolatry. It's the oldest sin in the Book, and the Bible warns that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.
3. "You shall not take the name of God in vain."
Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? If you have, you've taken the holy name of God-- who gave you your life, your family, and everything precious to you-- and used it as a filthy, four-letter word. Hitler's name wasn't even despised enough to be used as a curse word! If you have used God's holy name in that manner, you are a blasphemer and the Bible says "God will not hold him guiltless who takes the name of the Lord in vain."
4. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy."
God commands that we set aside one day in seven. Have you ever been guilty of breaking this Commandment?
5. "Honor your father and your mother."
Have you always honored your parents in a way that's pleasing in the sight of God? Ask Him to remind you of the sins of your youth. You may have forgotten them, but God hasn't.
6. "You shall not murder."
Jesus warned "Whoever is angry with his brother without cause, is in danger of judgment," (Matthew 5:22) and the Bible says, "He who hates his brother is a murderer," (1 John 3:15). God sees hatred in the heart to be as wicked as murder. We can violate His Law by attitude and intent.
7. "You shall not commit adultery."
Jesus warned," You have heard...'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Have you ever looked at another person with lust? The Bible says that adulterers and fornicators (those who have had sex before marriage) will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
8. "You shall not steal."
Have you ever stolen anything (even if it was something small)? The value of the thing stolen doesn't matter; petty theft is still theft. Have you ever taken anything that belonged to someone else (from the office, school, parents, etc.)? If you have, that makes you a thief.
9. "You shall not lie."
Have you ever told a lie? Then you are a liar. How many murders do you have to commit to be a murderer? Just one. If you have told even one lie, that makes you a liar. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). You may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does.
10. "You shall not covet."
This means we should never desire anything that belongs to another person. Not their house, nor their car, nor their money, nor their wife, nor their lifestyle, nor anything that belongs to our neighbor.
Who of us can say we are not guilty of breaking these Commandments?
This is what the Bible means when it says, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."
Can you see your predicament? You are guilty of sinning against God Himself, and, because you have a conscience, ("con"=with, "science"=knowledge) you have sinned "with knowledge."
Isn't it true that every time you lied, stole, or lusted, etc., you knew it was wrong?
Does the fact that you have sinned against God scare you? It should.
You have actually angered Him by your sin.
The Bible says His wrath abides on you, that you are an "enemy of God in your mind through wicked works."
Perhaps you think God is good and because of his goodness He will overlook your sins?
But if you knew of a human judge who turned a blind eye to the crimes of a guilty rapist... would you describe him as a "good" judge?
No.
That would be a "corrupt" judge.
God could never be a corrupt judge.
He will punish all the rapists, murderers, and thieves... But He won't stop there. He will also punish all liars, the lustful, adulterers, idolaters, and blasphemers.
The place of eternal punishment is Hell.
God does not want you to perish. He is rich in mercy and compassion, and has provided a way for you to be forgiven. He has invited you to come to Him for a full pardon and receive the free gift of Eternal Life. You cannot earn it, and you do not deserve it, but God is offering it to you as proof of His love for you.
Imagine you are standing in front of a judge, guilty of multiple serious crimes. All the evidence has been presented and there is no doubt about your guilt. Your apologies and good works cannot erase your crimes; therefore you must be punished. The fine for your crime is $250,000 or imprisonment, but you don抰 have two pennies to rub together. The judge is about to pass sentence when someone you don't even know steps in and pays your fine for you! The court accepts the money and declares that you are free to go. The law has been satisfied, your debt has been paid in full, and the stranger抯 sacrifice was a demonstration of his love for you. That抯 what God did for you 2000 years ago.
The Bible says that the God of the Universe became a man (Jesus Christ), and suffered and died on the cross for your sins and mine so that we could be set free. It's as simple as this梬e broke the Law, and Jesus paid our fine.
"God demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us." (Galatians 3:13)
Do you see God抯 great love for you? Do you see your need for His forgiveness? Do what He commands and 揜epent卼hat your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord. (Acts 3:19) You must turn away from sin and turn to God. Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin, and surrender your life to the One who can save you. Jesus died to set you free, and then he rose from death to be your Lord. Jesus said, 揑 am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and you抣l pass from death to life.
If you are not sure how to pray, read and make it your prayer.
What does it mean to "put your faith in Jesus Christ?" It means to personally trust in Jesus the same way you抎 trust in a parachute if you had to jump 25,000 feet out of an airplane. You wouldn抰 just "believe" in the parachute; you would put it on! In the same way, the Bible says, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ..." and you will be saved. There are millions of people who "believe" Jesus exists . . . but they have not put on the Savior梩here抯 a BIG difference. And the difference will be obvious when you 搄ump through the door of death.
Today, with all your heart梩urn away from sin, and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Please don抰 put it off till later. You may die today and then it will be too late. You may not yet have all the answers to your questions, but better to put on the parachute first and then ask questions, then to pass through the door unprepared, grasping for the parachute when it抯 too late. You can pray something like this"Dear God, today I turn from all my sins (name them), and I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me, and grant me your gift of everlasting life. Amen." There is nothing magic about these words梚t is the attitude of your heart that God cares about.
God will transform you from the inside out. You will think and feel differently as you learn to trust and obey Him. God will give you new strength to live right and love Him above all else. Read your Bible daily and obey His Word. You can trust God桯e loves you and will always be faithful. To help you get started, read 10 Principles for New and Growing Christians Here抯 where you can read it: http://www.livingwaters.com/articles_growth.shtml
Another good resource is http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
If you've decided to reject the gift of forgiveness and you die in your sins, there is no hope for you. There is no purgatory. The wrath of God abides on you and you will spend eternity in Hell.
What is Hell Like?
The Bible Describes Hell
There are three words translated 揌ell in Scripture:
Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28; and James 3:6)
Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27)
Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10)
There are those who accept that Hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated梩o cease conscious existence. They can抰 conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal. If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being 損unished merely with eternal sleep. His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn抰 even know that he is being punished.
However, Scripture paints a different story. The rich man who found himself in Hell (Luke 16:19-31) was conscious. He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse. He wasn抰 asleep in the grave; he was in a place of 搕orment. If Hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus statements about Hell make no sense. He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to 揼o into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:43-48).
The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:
揝hame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2)
揈verlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46)
揥eeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 24:51)
揊ire unquenchable (Luke 3:17)
揑ndignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish (Romans 2:8,9)
揈verlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
揈ternal fire...the blackness of darkness for ever (Jude 7,13)
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: 揌e shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."
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