yes.
refer to paragraph 1. haha.
But seriously, this is a question that many Christians get asked and that many non-Christians ask. I don't mind having this question asked of me, as long as you don't mind my answer, which is, yes. Now, this seems a bit exclusivist, doesn't it? That is because, it is....but it is for all to come. Now, do I hold this because I am arrogant or is it because I have a truth? It can only be arrogance if it isn't true, so this will and can only be answered if we seek truth and the answer is found. An argument of sincerity cannot be used-not even from the Christian standpoint because no matter how sincere you are, you can be sincerely wrong. So, it is either that this one is wrong...or all are wrong but this one.
The reason why I know that Christianity is the ONLY way, and not one of many is because of logic. Two premises that are mutually exclusive cannot both be true at the same time because logic states, "If two statements are in direct contradiction to each other given the same context, they cannot both be true" this is so cleverly called, The Law of Non-Contradiction! An example of this is, "Nick is a human" and "Nick is not a human." Both of these statements cannot be true because they are in direct contradiction of each other. So, if Christ said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (ESV) John 14:6, this would contradict that Christianity is one of the ways. So, the two statements "Christianity is one way, but not the only way" or "all paths lead to God" are in stark contrast to "No one comes to the Father except through me", thus because they are in direct contradiction of each other, since one is an all-inclusive way and the other states that there is only one way. Christianity actually contradicts all other religions because of its claims about the incarnation of Christ (God becoming man), the physical resurrection of Christ, and that salvation can ONLY come through Jesus. Now the question then goes from "Is Jesus the only way" to "Is Jesus a way at all?" Since it is that either one is wrong or all but one are wrong.
We must look at the life of Jesus, from the historically accurate documents of the Bible, specifically the New Testament that has the bibliographic account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. (If we look at the NT with an eye without impartiality simply because it is the bible but actually read the texts we see that it is a very historical text.) When we see that Christ lived, died on a cross, and rose again we see history at its finest, because it was the moment that God not only stepped out of heaven, but that He saved His creation from an eternal hell that humanity deserves since they chose to walk away from God, but whoever chooses to follow only Him, they will inherit "salvation" (meaning to be saved from the hell that we deserve). Only Christianity deals with the problem of man's flaws (which is universally accepted by anyone that believes that no one is perfect), and God's holiness. Other religions seek to save humans on works, but if we think about it...if we are flawed beings, all of our work is flawed due to its origin, before a flawless God. So these works have to be worthless and is a slap in the face to God's holiness nevertheless. It must be the sole act of a flawless being to have a flawless plan of a perfect salvation achieving it flawlessly...this is why it could have ONLY been Christ, whom was a flawless God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14 ).
This question specifically goes toward people like Oprah...and even some heretical (meaning non-orthodox) groups such as Pluralism who have rejected the belief that Jesus is the only way to God and are in favor of the idea that there are many ways to God, Inclusivism which states that some people can believe in God but do not have to believe in Jesus explicity (Romans 10:9-10), and Universalism which states that all people will go to heaven (even Christian Universalism which states that Jesus effectively saves each person...despite if they want to go to heaven or not). Remember, Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." in John 14:6. This statement can only be arrogant if untrue, but now that we have found out it HAS to be true...it thus goes from arrogance to graciousness because it is providing a way out for people to take...since everyone has sinned as Romans 3:23 says. This is why we need a perfect being, whom Christ is, to save us. So, no other human or human conceived idea can save us, since they are all flawed due to its very origination from flawed humans. So, we need to stop asking why aren't there many ways to God, but rather fall to our knees and thank God for even providing one way out, whom is Jesus Christ.
So, now that we have this question out of the way, we have one final question to ask..."how do we go through Christ then to get to heaven?" Romans 10:9-10 says, " if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." So, confess to God that you believe into Him, that Jesus rose from the dead, and believe it in your heart. 1 John 1:9 also says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So, admit you are a sinner, admit Jesus is God and rose from the dead and sits with the Father and is the judge of our soul, and then read the Gospels, which are historical accounts of the life of Jesus, and do the things that He did and don't do the things the Bible says that we shouldn't do...not just because they are rules, but because of your new found love for Jesus. Then finally, continue for all the days of your life (which becomes easier when you get a group of friends that are good Christians so they can help support you and encourage you)! because Jesus said those who endure to the end will be saved (Mark 13:13) and God is gracious to hold us til the end, Phil. 1:6, Jeremiah 32:40, Romans 8:31-39, Hebrews 7:25, 1 Peter 1:3-5.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Passion, Love, and God
So, i was just thinking one day, and i said to myself "it is the person who lives without passion that never actually lived at all." I really sat and thought of that for a moment, and then i posted it on my facebook as a status. I followed up with a comment that said, "...for if we are not passionate about anything, we strive for nothing, we don't move nor are moved by anything....but it is when we are filled with passion that our heart comes alive and is moved by whatever our passion is for. it is then we aren't only moved, but we move for our passion with not only all of our heart, but all of our mind, soul and strength as well...this is why Jesus said "Love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength" ...be passionate for God."
The reason why i really gave this a lot of thought is because I see so many people that just go through life, but never actually live. people seem like they are robots, lifeless being and they have no passion for anything. so, i guess my question to everyone is...what is the purpose of living if we do not live passionately? and whether if you have the same belief system as i do or not...the answer is no. there is no point to life if we are not actually living. but to have life is to presuppose someone designed it to live, that is why i have my belief system. so many great leaders of the world only became great because they were passionate, even the worst of leaders such as Adolf Hitler was a passionate man...but his passion was directed with wrong intentions and he had no motivation of love. love must be the motivation of all of our actions, and if we don't have love...we shouldn't do anything at all. Now, if we don't have love don't just sit around not doing anything...seek God who is love that He may change your heart as He did mine and many other people's throughout history up until present day and has a plan to bring change to hearts in the future. Now, with love comes risk...with risk comes either hurt or blessing. if we are able to let our passion drive us (with a bridled, disciplined passion) the idea of hurt never crosses our mind because it is not a live that is filled with passion that is fearless, because love drives out fear. this life filled with passion stares fear in the face challenging it to take it on and wrestle with it for the rest of your life...but fear is not a true competitor compared to the adventurous joy that you get with wrestling fear and accomplishing everything you set out to do. love causes us to push through the fear, for the righteous are as bold as lions because nothing holds them back and if though we feel as cowardly as mice, we need to take the step of faith and God will provide the strength and courage. all too often we want God to give us the courage and then we can do it...but we need to take a step of faith and trust God....then He will be our provider in whatever is needed for our mission.
So, let your life be filled with passion, driving all of your love. And love God who is the creator of passion and is the very personification of love. And love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength passionately.
The reason why i really gave this a lot of thought is because I see so many people that just go through life, but never actually live. people seem like they are robots, lifeless being and they have no passion for anything. so, i guess my question to everyone is...what is the purpose of living if we do not live passionately? and whether if you have the same belief system as i do or not...the answer is no. there is no point to life if we are not actually living. but to have life is to presuppose someone designed it to live, that is why i have my belief system. so many great leaders of the world only became great because they were passionate, even the worst of leaders such as Adolf Hitler was a passionate man...but his passion was directed with wrong intentions and he had no motivation of love. love must be the motivation of all of our actions, and if we don't have love...we shouldn't do anything at all. Now, if we don't have love don't just sit around not doing anything...seek God who is love that He may change your heart as He did mine and many other people's throughout history up until present day and has a plan to bring change to hearts in the future. Now, with love comes risk...with risk comes either hurt or blessing. if we are able to let our passion drive us (with a bridled, disciplined passion) the idea of hurt never crosses our mind because it is not a live that is filled with passion that is fearless, because love drives out fear. this life filled with passion stares fear in the face challenging it to take it on and wrestle with it for the rest of your life...but fear is not a true competitor compared to the adventurous joy that you get with wrestling fear and accomplishing everything you set out to do. love causes us to push through the fear, for the righteous are as bold as lions because nothing holds them back and if though we feel as cowardly as mice, we need to take the step of faith and God will provide the strength and courage. all too often we want God to give us the courage and then we can do it...but we need to take a step of faith and trust God....then He will be our provider in whatever is needed for our mission.
So, let your life be filled with passion, driving all of your love. And love God who is the creator of passion and is the very personification of love. And love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength passionately.
Friday, January 8, 2010
God's grace is perfect in the cross of Christ
John 3:16 (ESV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. " is a very popular verse, and very beautiful and reaches to the heart on so many levels, the question is...why do we have to believe in Jesus to get eternal life?
Remember that old pestering nature that causes us to do bad things and causes us to love things that aren't really Godly? yea, sin. something that all people have done Romans 3:23 and because God is just, justice must be carried and and we cannot escape it unless a sacrifice is put into place.
Now, in the Old Testament times, the covenant with God and the Israelites was to offer the blood of a bull, lamb, or goat and that was what the sacrifice was supposed to be on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Bible talks about a specific sacrifice right before the Israelites were taken out of Exodus 12:3 (ESV) "Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household." Notice, "every man shall take a lamb" and remember what John the Baptist said in John 1:29 (ESV) "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" So we see that Jesus was not only God who came in flesh, but He was the sacrifice that God offered. This sacrifice was to "atone" for our sins, which means to make something reconciled, to satisfy something (which would be to satisfy God's wrath because we are sinful creatures). Because the sacrifices that we supplied just was not enough, Hebrews 10:1-2 (ESV) "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? " So by this, we see that the old testament covenant had to be repeated over and over, just as God had commanded it, Exodus 12:14 (ESV) "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast."
The question is, if this tradition of Passover was supposed to continue "throughout your generations, as a status forever" why don't Christians continue to keep it? I think this is CLEARLY answered when looking clearly at the Hebrews 10:1-2 verses. Let us look specifically at, "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities" So, the Exodus 12 lamb was only foreshadowing Christ's coming, and now that Christ has come, He was the fulfillment for the foreshadow of the Exodus 12 lamb by John's declaration in John 1:29. And because this ordinance was and is still carried out, even now, just in a different way, lets look at Hebrews 10:10 (ESV) "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Christ is the sacrifice once and for all, so an eternal sacrifice that is everlasting, so the ordinance is still in effect just in a different fashion. And not only is He the sacrifice once and for all, but " For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." Hebrews 10:14 since bulls and goats aren't enough to cover our sins, which Hebrews 10:4 states and even says it is impossible. So, Christ is the ultimate sacrifice.
Finally, I want to say one more thing only emphasizing one verse. While Jesus was hanging on the cross He said outloud, "It is finished" in John 19:30 not meaning that His life was finished, but that the atonement was finished at that very moment almost 2000 years ago. Those who accept Jesus Christ the Bible says, 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." ANYONE, meaning each person that comes to Christ, they will become a new person because He has cleansed them from all of their sins, 1 John 1:9 (ESV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.". I have emphasized the justice of God so many times and our sin nature and how much we don't deserve it, we still don't....but God is gracious and merciful that even through the fact that we don't deserve it, He still offers. He still is merciful even though we don't deserve it, which only magnifies His mercy even more. Psalm 145:8-9 (ESV) "The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." God is slow to anger, because instead of His wrath, He offers mercy and salvation first. God is and abounds in love, everything that love is surrounds and proceeds from God because God is love. Jesus loves you so much that He came only to die on a Cross, for the sole purpose that He may be united with you and you are justified before God not by our own righteousness....but Christ's righteousness, which is suffient to wipe away sins.
Jesus said, "It is finished" on the cross, that nothing else could compare to His words, nothing we could do or say as Paul emphasized in Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) "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." it was a gift from God, now, you can do whatever you want with the gift, you can either accept it and follow Christ, or you can reject it and keep doing the same thing everyone else does and messes up their life with. Christ is the fulfillment of not only the atonement, but our heart and what all of humanity and history has longed for. If you accept Christ today as your Lord and Savior, talk with Him and just ask Him to forgive your sins and make a promise that you will follow Him all the days of your life, and truly stick to it....because it can be hard at times, but the joy that comes through it is oh so sweet! After that, I encourage you to get up with a good chuch (meaning one that follows the Bible and doesn't take Scripture out of context) and try to get involved as much as possible. I do love y'all, and this is why I am telling you about Jesus, because His love has changed me so much-if you read My Christmas Story as told by me you will see how Christ's love has changed me-and I want you to know His love for you that gracious and everlasting love that He has.
Remember that old pestering nature that causes us to do bad things and causes us to love things that aren't really Godly? yea, sin. something that all people have done Romans 3:23 and because God is just, justice must be carried and and we cannot escape it unless a sacrifice is put into place.
Now, in the Old Testament times, the covenant with God and the Israelites was to offer the blood of a bull, lamb, or goat and that was what the sacrifice was supposed to be on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Bible talks about a specific sacrifice right before the Israelites were taken out of Exodus 12:3 (ESV) "Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household." Notice, "every man shall take a lamb" and remember what John the Baptist said in John 1:29 (ESV) "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" So we see that Jesus was not only God who came in flesh, but He was the sacrifice that God offered. This sacrifice was to "atone" for our sins, which means to make something reconciled, to satisfy something (which would be to satisfy God's wrath because we are sinful creatures). Because the sacrifices that we supplied just was not enough, Hebrews 10:1-2 (ESV) "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? " So by this, we see that the old testament covenant had to be repeated over and over, just as God had commanded it, Exodus 12:14 (ESV) "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast."
The question is, if this tradition of Passover was supposed to continue "throughout your generations, as a status forever" why don't Christians continue to keep it? I think this is CLEARLY answered when looking clearly at the Hebrews 10:1-2 verses. Let us look specifically at, "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities" So, the Exodus 12 lamb was only foreshadowing Christ's coming, and now that Christ has come, He was the fulfillment for the foreshadow of the Exodus 12 lamb by John's declaration in John 1:29. And because this ordinance was and is still carried out, even now, just in a different way, lets look at Hebrews 10:10 (ESV) "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Christ is the sacrifice once and for all, so an eternal sacrifice that is everlasting, so the ordinance is still in effect just in a different fashion. And not only is He the sacrifice once and for all, but " For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." Hebrews 10:14 since bulls and goats aren't enough to cover our sins, which Hebrews 10:4 states and even says it is impossible. So, Christ is the ultimate sacrifice.
Finally, I want to say one more thing only emphasizing one verse. While Jesus was hanging on the cross He said outloud, "It is finished" in John 19:30 not meaning that His life was finished, but that the atonement was finished at that very moment almost 2000 years ago. Those who accept Jesus Christ the Bible says, 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." ANYONE, meaning each person that comes to Christ, they will become a new person because He has cleansed them from all of their sins, 1 John 1:9 (ESV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.". I have emphasized the justice of God so many times and our sin nature and how much we don't deserve it, we still don't....but God is gracious and merciful that even through the fact that we don't deserve it, He still offers. He still is merciful even though we don't deserve it, which only magnifies His mercy even more. Psalm 145:8-9 (ESV) "The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." God is slow to anger, because instead of His wrath, He offers mercy and salvation first. God is and abounds in love, everything that love is surrounds and proceeds from God because God is love. Jesus loves you so much that He came only to die on a Cross, for the sole purpose that He may be united with you and you are justified before God not by our own righteousness....but Christ's righteousness, which is suffient to wipe away sins.
Jesus said, "It is finished" on the cross, that nothing else could compare to His words, nothing we could do or say as Paul emphasized in Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) "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." it was a gift from God, now, you can do whatever you want with the gift, you can either accept it and follow Christ, or you can reject it and keep doing the same thing everyone else does and messes up their life with. Christ is the fulfillment of not only the atonement, but our heart and what all of humanity and history has longed for. If you accept Christ today as your Lord and Savior, talk with Him and just ask Him to forgive your sins and make a promise that you will follow Him all the days of your life, and truly stick to it....because it can be hard at times, but the joy that comes through it is oh so sweet! After that, I encourage you to get up with a good chuch (meaning one that follows the Bible and doesn't take Scripture out of context) and try to get involved as much as possible. I do love y'all, and this is why I am telling you about Jesus, because His love has changed me so much-if you read My Christmas Story as told by me you will see how Christ's love has changed me-and I want you to know His love for you that gracious and everlasting love that He has.
not everyone who says they are a Christian....is a Christian
This statement, with many others, becomes an excuse for people to do things they should not do, but claim "Oh, I am a Christian....I go to church" to help justify (at least in their own mind) that they are going to heaven. When we read Scripture, this is not so. When we read Scripture, people like this cannot even be called "Christian." Notice Matthew 7:21 (ESV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Now, as Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven" He is saying that not everyone who claims they are a Christian, are really Christians. Let us look in the preceding verses for the context of this verse. Matthew 7:15 (ESV) states "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." So we see that people are devious and deceitful, lying to others that they are "saved" but truly are not as the follow verse, Matthew 7:16 states, "You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" So, we know people by their "fruits" or their actions. True followers of Christ do the good things that Christ Himself did, and people who claim to be Christians can not do good things because they are apart from Christ, John 15:5 and cannot produce good fruits as stated in Matthew 7:17-18 (ESV) "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. "
Now, I want to look at this statement, "I go to church" real quick. This makes me wonder, does this make the people who live in Vietnam who cannot go to church due to religious persecution not Christians? Furthermore, does a building save you? The answer is clear from Scripture with a resounding NO! Acts 4:12 (ESV) CLEARLY states, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." So, who does salvation come from? A church building? No! But only comes from Christ. I like what Dr. Laurence J. Peter's famous statement, “Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car” says about this. We think we are Christians because we "go to church" but going to a building does nothing if you have no relationship with Christ.
Now, the statement, "I said I was a Christian" I believe Jesus clearly stated that it doesn't matter if you say you are, I could say I am an elephant but that doesn't mean I am. I using Dr. Laurence J. Peter's statement, “Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car” again affirms this, we could claim we are, but doesn't mean we are. The person that states that they are a Christian must understand what the term "Christian" means. It was a derogatory term that followers of Christ were called in the early church days that means "little Christs" synonomous to what we say today "little babies" because followers of Christ were imitating Jesus of Nazareth. So, "Christian" is not a term of acceptance or a means of promoting ourselves as a "good person" but it is just a factual statement of those who imitate the person of Jesus Christ. So, Jesus' statement is justified in Matthew 7:21 (ESV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." because those people who claim it but don't act like Christ are not Christians to begin with.
Finally, I want to emphasize what a Christian really is. Being a Christian means to have a personal relationship with Christ. Jesus says about people who claim to be Christians but are not, Jesus says on concerning the day of judgement, Matthew 7:23 (ESV) "... And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" Remember, lawlessness is sin (1 John 3:4) so He calls people who make these false claims sinners basically. Jesus does not say this out of spite, but as a warning that we must be genuine and genuinely follow Him, because of the fact that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Because the "will of the Father" is the only way to heaven as Jesus stated in verse 21 we must ask ourselves one final question, "what is the will of the Father?" Scripture makes this clear in John 6:40 (ESV) "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." So, we conclude, the will of the Father, and the way to heaven is to know Jesus Christ as His Son.
It is not a claim to salvation that gets us salvation, it is knowing Jesus. It is not going to church that gets us salvation, though someone teaching at a church can tell us what salvation is and be used by the Holy Spirit to draw you to make the choice to accept Christ as your Lord as Savior, the action of going to church does not get you saved, but it is knowing Jesus as the only Son of God.
Now, I want to look at this statement, "I go to church" real quick. This makes me wonder, does this make the people who live in Vietnam who cannot go to church due to religious persecution not Christians? Furthermore, does a building save you? The answer is clear from Scripture with a resounding NO! Acts 4:12 (ESV) CLEARLY states, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." So, who does salvation come from? A church building? No! But only comes from Christ. I like what Dr. Laurence J. Peter's famous statement, “Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car” says about this. We think we are Christians because we "go to church" but going to a building does nothing if you have no relationship with Christ.
Now, the statement, "I said I was a Christian" I believe Jesus clearly stated that it doesn't matter if you say you are, I could say I am an elephant but that doesn't mean I am. I using Dr. Laurence J. Peter's statement, “Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car” again affirms this, we could claim we are, but doesn't mean we are. The person that states that they are a Christian must understand what the term "Christian" means. It was a derogatory term that followers of Christ were called in the early church days that means "little Christs" synonomous to what we say today "little babies" because followers of Christ were imitating Jesus of Nazareth. So, "Christian" is not a term of acceptance or a means of promoting ourselves as a "good person" but it is just a factual statement of those who imitate the person of Jesus Christ. So, Jesus' statement is justified in Matthew 7:21 (ESV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." because those people who claim it but don't act like Christ are not Christians to begin with.
Finally, I want to emphasize what a Christian really is. Being a Christian means to have a personal relationship with Christ. Jesus says about people who claim to be Christians but are not, Jesus says on concerning the day of judgement, Matthew 7:23 (ESV) "... And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" Remember, lawlessness is sin (1 John 3:4) so He calls people who make these false claims sinners basically. Jesus does not say this out of spite, but as a warning that we must be genuine and genuinely follow Him, because of the fact that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Because the "will of the Father" is the only way to heaven as Jesus stated in verse 21 we must ask ourselves one final question, "what is the will of the Father?" Scripture makes this clear in John 6:40 (ESV) "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." So, we conclude, the will of the Father, and the way to heaven is to know Jesus Christ as His Son.
It is not a claim to salvation that gets us salvation, it is knowing Jesus. It is not going to church that gets us salvation, though someone teaching at a church can tell us what salvation is and be used by the Holy Spirit to draw you to make the choice to accept Christ as your Lord as Savior, the action of going to church does not get you saved, but it is knowing Jesus as the only Son of God.
Is God's grace a cover for your continuous choice of sin?
"Oh, I'll do whatever I want, God will forgive me!"
The simplest answer to this is Paul's statements in Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" This clearly answers it, if we are in Christ we have died to sin, and if we have died to sin....how is it that we live in it? Unless...we never died to begin with (a.k.a. we never were saved to begin with).
This is the mind of many who claim to be Christians. But just because it is a majority though, does it make it right? Not necessarily. The way something can be right is when it is put up to truth, so, let us put it up to Scripture since the word of God is truth as Jesus stated in John 17:17.
One verse that has really caught my eye recently is Hebrews 10:26 (ESV) which says, " For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins," If this verse seems a little harsh you are reading it correctly. This verse is saying exactly what you think it is, if someone sins deliberately with the mind "Oh, God will forgive me" actually...Christ's sacrifice is not sufficient for that, because by your action you are denying His sacrifice. God does not forgive every sin, and this is completely biblical, Isaiah 22:14 (ESV) states boldly, " The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: "Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die," says the Lord GOD of hosts." and this was because the people deliberately chose to sin before God.
Now, the Bible does make a difference between sins in ignorance/unintentional sins (since sin is a part of us it is completely understandable if you don't notice yourself sinning) and deliberate sins....
Unintentional/sins in ignorance:: Leviticus 4:2, Leviticus 4:13, Leviticus 4:22, Leviticus 4:27; Leviticus 5:15; Numbers 15:24, Numbers 15:27-29; Acts 3:17; Acts 17:30
Deliberate sins:: Exodus 21:14; Numbers 15:30; Deuteronomy 17:12; Psalms 19:13
So, by the truth of Scripture, we cannot use God's grace as a lisence to sin, as 1 Peter 2:16 (ESV) states "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. " If you read closely, you see that Peter makes a distinction here, "not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil" and the key word BUT which denotes distinction, "living as servants of God" so basically, Peter states that people who use their freedom as a cover up....are not servants of God in the first place. And finally, Jude even warns us about it, Jude 1:4 (ESV) " For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. " so the question you must ask yourself is, if the Bible warns Christians about people who do this, why do I do it?
Remember, God's grace is not something that helps you cloak and disguise your sins because God knows the truthfulness (or lack thereof) of your heart, grace was a gift that God gave to wipe away your sins. His grace is sufficient to wipe away each and every sin ever committed, but when we deliberately choose to sin, we therefore choose to reject God's grace, they do not work together. I warn you, do not keep doing this or God will release you from His blessing unto your own sins, Romans 1:28-29. Pray and seek God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit which the Father and the Son have sent together for you to be empowered, that you may be trained in the strength given to you to overcome your sins in ignorance and unintentional sins, and pray that you may have a powerful conviction (set moral system) to not deliberately, but to choose God's grace.
The simplest answer to this is Paul's statements in Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" This clearly answers it, if we are in Christ we have died to sin, and if we have died to sin....how is it that we live in it? Unless...we never died to begin with (a.k.a. we never were saved to begin with).
This is the mind of many who claim to be Christians. But just because it is a majority though, does it make it right? Not necessarily. The way something can be right is when it is put up to truth, so, let us put it up to Scripture since the word of God is truth as Jesus stated in John 17:17.
One verse that has really caught my eye recently is Hebrews 10:26 (ESV) which says, " For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins," If this verse seems a little harsh you are reading it correctly. This verse is saying exactly what you think it is, if someone sins deliberately with the mind "Oh, God will forgive me" actually...Christ's sacrifice is not sufficient for that, because by your action you are denying His sacrifice. God does not forgive every sin, and this is completely biblical, Isaiah 22:14 (ESV) states boldly, " The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: "Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die," says the Lord GOD of hosts." and this was because the people deliberately chose to sin before God.
Now, the Bible does make a difference between sins in ignorance/unintentional sins (since sin is a part of us it is completely understandable if you don't notice yourself sinning) and deliberate sins....
Unintentional/sins in ignorance:: Leviticus 4:2, Leviticus 4:13, Leviticus 4:22, Leviticus 4:27; Leviticus 5:15; Numbers 15:24, Numbers 15:27-29; Acts 3:17; Acts 17:30
Deliberate sins:: Exodus 21:14; Numbers 15:30; Deuteronomy 17:12; Psalms 19:13
So, by the truth of Scripture, we cannot use God's grace as a lisence to sin, as 1 Peter 2:16 (ESV) states "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. " If you read closely, you see that Peter makes a distinction here, "not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil" and the key word BUT which denotes distinction, "living as servants of God" so basically, Peter states that people who use their freedom as a cover up....are not servants of God in the first place. And finally, Jude even warns us about it, Jude 1:4 (ESV) " For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. " so the question you must ask yourself is, if the Bible warns Christians about people who do this, why do I do it?
Remember, God's grace is not something that helps you cloak and disguise your sins because God knows the truthfulness (or lack thereof) of your heart, grace was a gift that God gave to wipe away your sins. His grace is sufficient to wipe away each and every sin ever committed, but when we deliberately choose to sin, we therefore choose to reject God's grace, they do not work together. I warn you, do not keep doing this or God will release you from His blessing unto your own sins, Romans 1:28-29. Pray and seek God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit which the Father and the Son have sent together for you to be empowered, that you may be trained in the strength given to you to overcome your sins in ignorance and unintentional sins, and pray that you may have a powerful conviction (set moral system) to not deliberately, but to choose God's grace.
why being a good person does not get you into heaven
This is a statement that I hear many people make as an excuse for their loved one's, friends, and other men/women of renouned like Ghandi and other people. The flaw in this is that people fail to recognize the nature of sin. Which in short is a disease that prevents us to even do such good works as Jesus said in Mathew 7:18 (ESV) "A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." Also, when we look in Isaiah 64:6 (CEV) "We are unfit to worship you; each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag. We dry up like leaves; our sins are storm winds sweeping us away. " Our good deeds as stated here, are filthy rags. Sin is so ingrained within us that our natural motions are dirty, let us read Isaiah 57:20 (ESV) "The wicked are a restless sea tossing up mud." The natural motions of the sea churns and brings up dirt and mire, as like humanity is, since all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and thus become unfit to worship God since we are unclean and impure due to the nature of sin (read my note on the Nature of Sin for further clarity), this is why Isaiah states that it is "filthy rags."
Further, in Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) "You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about." So, since God's grace cannot be earned, but is a gift because of His love, mercy, and compassion since man cannot even produce good works by ourselves, but must be apart of Christ to do good deeds-Matthew 7:17-18 and John 15:5 (ESV) " I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." So, we can't do anything "good" unless we are in unison with Christ because He is pure and we are tainted.
So, in short, "because I was a good person" is not sufficient for us to get into heaven because we can't do anything "good" anyway because our natural motions are filthy and our own actions are "filthy rags." So, by this, we cannot earn salvation even if we tried because everything is worthless...and that is why salvation can only come by God's grace, which He gifts to all who call upon Him, John 6:40 (ESV) "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." but it must start with God as stated in a few verses later in John 6:44 (ESV) " No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
Do not say you, your family, or anyone else for that matter is a "good person" because unless they are in Christ, they cannot by very definition cannot be good, since all are tainted by sin (Romans 3:23), but we become good by Christ, which only states that it is only through Christ we can go to the Father as Jesus said in John 14:6.
Further, in Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) "You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about." So, since God's grace cannot be earned, but is a gift because of His love, mercy, and compassion since man cannot even produce good works by ourselves, but must be apart of Christ to do good deeds-Matthew 7:17-18 and John 15:5 (ESV) " I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." So, we can't do anything "good" unless we are in unison with Christ because He is pure and we are tainted.
So, in short, "because I was a good person" is not sufficient for us to get into heaven because we can't do anything "good" anyway because our natural motions are filthy and our own actions are "filthy rags." So, by this, we cannot earn salvation even if we tried because everything is worthless...and that is why salvation can only come by God's grace, which He gifts to all who call upon Him, John 6:40 (ESV) "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." but it must start with God as stated in a few verses later in John 6:44 (ESV) " No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
Do not say you, your family, or anyone else for that matter is a "good person" because unless they are in Christ, they cannot by very definition cannot be good, since all are tainted by sin (Romans 3:23), but we become good by Christ, which only states that it is only through Christ we can go to the Father as Jesus said in John 14:6.
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