SALVATION  II

Introduction      Most people will agree that "good" people get to go to Heaven and "bad" people will wind up in Hell.  But what defines "good" and "bad"?  How would you define good and bad?  Would you say that the Ten Commandments might be a good measure of these traits?  This account will provide the only perspective (and judgment) which God will consider valid in allowing any soul into Heaven when they die.

Personal Reasoning   First of all, most people judge themselves according to what  they consider their relative ranking to be compared to the people they know or have heard about.  Thus, they determine how "good" or how "bad" they are according to their own value system.  And, generally speaking, most people conclude, according to their line of reasoning, that they fall into the "good" category, and not into the "bad" category.  And thus, they conclude that surely, they will go to Heaven because God only accepts "good" people into Heaven, which they believe they are.  Another popular line of reasoning is that some people put their deeds on a balance, and conclude that God will let them into Heaven as long as their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.

God's Reasoning   According to God, SIN is the transgression of the LAW [The Ten Commandments; 1John 3:4].  Most people are familiar with some of the Ten Commandments, but probably cannot name all ten.  Anyway, we are very familiar with at least two of them, that we should not commit murder, and that we should not lie.  Now, most people might say that they have never committed murder, although they will admit that they have told a lie or two.  But in fact, according to God, everyone is guilty of having committed both of these familiar acts:

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  I John 3:15

For whosoever  shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  James 2:10

Therefore, if in our lifetime we have told even a single lie, according to God, we are guilty of breaking all Ten Commandments.  Transparently, then, the entire human race stands condemned as being guilty and deserving to be cast into Hell, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23.  Moreover, the Lord Jesus says

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:18

Thus, all of mankind is guilty before God.  In fact, God declares that “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” [Romans 3:23].  And God does not let us weasel out of this predicament, because He states that if we deny that we have sinned, the truth is not in us [1John 1:8].  Moreover, here is God's assessment of the "goodness" of mankind:

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: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Romans 3:10-12

It should be clear by now that God is not pleased with the goodness that mankind can generate on his own, and that there is certainly a problem here.  Also, it should be clear that if one is to go to Heaven, one must find out what God has to say about it.

Consequences of Sin     God tells us that the wages of SIN is death [Romans 6:23a].  We know that Adam and Eve were thrust out of the Garden of Eden because they disobeyed God, for God had told Adam that if he ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that he would surely die.  So, because of Adam's disobedience, God condemned all mankind to go through death - that of physical death.  Physical death everyone is aware of, and is known as the First Death.

However, there is an infinitely  more serious result for SIN than that of the First Death, and that is the Second Death.  This second death is a Spiritual Death, the separation from GOD forever, where a lost sinner is cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity [Revelation 20:11-15].  There is a reference here to the Book of Life, indicating that anyone whose name is in the Book of Life will not go through this horrible, terrifying and irrevocable Second Death.  See an extended explanation of the Second Death in The Nature of Man.

 At the present time, all lost sinners stand condemned by GOD [John 3:18].   Therefore, how can one get his/her name written in this blessed BOOK OF LIFE and thus escape this condemnation? 

Salvation   Salvation is having all our sins forgiven, our name recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life, escaping the SECOND DEATH, and gaining Heaven. Jesus said  that one  must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God [John 3:3].     But what must one do to be born again?

   That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be

   saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Romans 10:9,10 [see also

   verses 11-17]

Thus, one is saved by believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He lived a sinless life, was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, and resurrected after three days and three nights and is alive evermore.  Many people believe this to be true, but it is of none effect in their life because they never personalized it.  That is to say, they never committed their soul to Jesus alone and forsook all other expectations of help regarding the afterlife.  Believing in Jesus means that your total trust is in Him, and not in any priest, preacher, church, or any other religious entity.  It was Jesus that paid the price for your sin, and not anyone else.  Here are the scriptures:

   Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were

   healed. I Peter 2:24

   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 

Therefore, if you want to be born again [i.e., become a Christian ] and have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life, you must

  [1]  Acknowledge  that

   God exists  [ Hebrews 11:6 ]

   You are a sinner in need of a Savior  [ John 3:18 ]

   That Jesus died on the cross for your sins   [ I Peter 2:24 ]

[2] Repent [that is, confess your sin to God and God alone, not to any man, for no man can forgive you of your sins] and ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you.  God promises you that He will indeed save you if you believe and act upon these two things.  Salvation is a gift from God that cannot be purchased with money or by deeds of any kind.  These two things are an abomination to God, for it cheapens the very dear price that His Son paid on the cross.  Jesus paid for your sins with His own precious, innocent blood to redeem you from Hell - if you acknowledge any other means of salvation, no matter who offers it to you, it condemns you to Hell automatically.

What awaits the non-repentant lost sinner if he rejects God's free offer of salvation?  Revelation 20:11-15 tells us that he will be cast into the Lake of Fire, there to burn forever and ever without any hope of ever leaving that terrifying place.  But this lost sinner will have a personal companion with him all during this time, his own personal worm chewing on him forever.  The Lord Jesus stated this three times in the gospels. 

And the saddest part of all this is that at this Great White Throne Judgment, all your saved loved ones will be witnessing when your name is called out by Jesus and the recording Angel responds that your name has been blotted out of the Book of Life because you refused to accept Jesus' free gift of salvation.  All your loved ones will be weeping and crying because of your sentence, but it will be to no avail - God cannot go back on his Word that He will punish unbelievers in the Lake of Fire forever.  If you are under conviction by the Holy Spirit about your need of salvation, you must ask Jesus to save you right now, because God does not promise you that He will ever convict your heart again, and you will be lost forever.  Your eternal destiny is in the balance, please accept Jesus as your Savior right now. 

                                                                                             Questions/Comments?   Email:  comment@thechristianlight.org