Wednesday, September 3, 2008

THE GOOD NEWS

I feel that every one needs to hear the truth once in their life. This is the truth. You don't have to agree with me, or take my word for it, just read it, think about it, check it out yourself and see what happens...

I think you might be surprised.

If we took a poll I think we would find that most everybody wants to go to heaven. If you ever have been to a memorial service or funeral, you know what I am talking about. It doesn't matter what their religious beliefs were, we always believe that now the deceased is someplace better. And who wouldn't want to be someplace better?

People tend to think that we live in a karma based life, where we can balance out the bad we do by the good we do, and if we are really good at heart, then in the end we will get to heaven. Our "little sins" can be erased by our "good deeds." I mean, I've basically been a nice guy all my life so I'm set, right?

Wrong.

You see, if we try to live by the law, then we must keep ALL of the law, and none of us can do that. Matter of fact, in James it tells us that if we break even one part of the law, it is like we have broken all of it. Therefore no one is perfect, despite what you may think, and "all have sinned" and "no one is righteous, not even one." That means you, me and everybody else on this planet. But to get to Heaven we must be perfect and righteous. so that presents a problem.

Not only that but the wages of sin is death, and despite our good works, or how many old ladies we have helped across the street, none of us are truly worthy of heaven. None of us. Based on our own righteousness, we are likened to "dirty rags" and all we truly deserve is death.

However, despite what we truly deserve, John 3:16 tell us, "For God so loved the world," (which includes everybody everywhere) "that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

That my friends is the GOOD NEWS!

Jesus Christ, the one and only son of God, came to earth and lived a PERFECT and SINLESS life. He came and bore the weight and responsibility of all our sins, took our death sentence, and sacrificed himself for us on the cross.

Romans 5:8 puts it this way, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," and then 3 days later he rose from the dead, and later ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, where he lives and breathes today.

It is really simple, Salvation is a FREE gift from God. Eternal life in Christ Jesus as Romans 6:23 puts it. You don't have to jump through any hoops to get it, you don't have to pay a monthly fee or get a credit check, and doesn't require you to get a haircut or even dress up. It just requires faith in Christ.

Jesus said, "no one comes to the father but through me." Acts chapter 4 says, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Only Jesus. Oprah has it wrong, Jesus is the only way.

Jesus says in Revelation, "Behold, I stand at the door an knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

It is that simple, you just have to open the door. You just have to believe that Christ is Lord, that he died for your sins and God raised him from the dead. You just need to repent and turn away from your sins, asking for forgiveness, and accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Then as it says in Romans 10:9, you shall be saved!

That's the Truth, the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

And that is just the beginning...