It seems to me that a lot of people think that they are basically good. And God (if they even believe there is a God) He will joyfully welcome them into his eternal Kingdom because they're good people. Nothing could be further from the truth. Scripture teaches something quite differently than how people view themselves. Scripture's view of how God views the human race. Says this: There is no one righteous, no not one. No one who understands or seeks after God....All the human race are DEAD in trespasses and sins, following the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air. The spirit that works in the son of disobedience.....No one does Good. No not One.....and are by nature children of God's Wrath. All of us are brought forth in iniquity (wickedness) and in sin our mothers conceived us. That tells us all human being are born with a sinful adamic nature. A nature inclined to sin. That is we are born with the propensity to disobey God and do what seems right in our own fallen hearts. To do what is wrong in the sight of a holy and righteous God.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Jesus speaks about hell more than anyone in Scripture: "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:5)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
The people said to Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)
Jesus said to the people,"Repent and believe the Gospel!" Many in Jesus’ audience (Jews) thought they were already righteous and would gain entrance to the kingdom of God because of their connection to Abraham and Moses and because they were keeping the laws God had given to Israel through Moses. Yet they couldn't keep Gods law. Thus the sacrifical system was inaugurated to atone for sin. There are those who say they are a Christian, said a sinners prayer, and yet their lives continued as before their proclamation of faith. Scripture says these things should not be. Living in sin as if they were never born from above. Born again. Regenerated by God's grace through faith and not of themselves. Salvation is a gift from God. Not of works. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (note: the heart is not just emotions. In Bibical usage it is the hub of the wheel of human existence and life. (intellectual, emotional, volitional)
Sadly the majority of the human race chooses to walk the broad road to destruction. The Apostle John warns the people: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh (cravings of sinful man) the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (boasting of what we have and do)—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17)
To be born again is to be brought from the darkness (of this present evil age) to life (everlasting in eternity). The worlds ways are on a road that leads to eternal separation from God in what the Bible calls a Lake of Fire. To the terrors of the afterlife where there is a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Accordintg to Jesus, who spoke more about the future of the wicked than anyone else in scripture “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 21:8) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'” Matthew 25:41 “They (the rebellious, unredeemed) will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.” 2 Thessalonians 1:9
It's not an I'm okay you're okay theology. Jesus himself says repent and believe the gospel. Walk worthy of the calling you have received no longer live as the world lives hungering for the lust of the flesh and the mind; serving the god of this age (satan) who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The world today does not fear God. They believe they're not so bad. The majority do not believe in the God of scripture: Their Destiny is destruction: their glory is in their shame. They set their mind on earthly things.
Many feel God will be okay with their sin (their wickedness) and would be honored to have them in his presence. Simply because they think they're good people. God says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Jesus said to the people, "you being evil, know how to give gifts to your children." He told them "they are evil." Scripture says the wicked (evil) shall be turned into hell. They will be absent from the presence of God and the glory of his power. God will say depart from me you who practice wickedness into the hell prepared for the devil and his angels.That is his messengers. The message of the world eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. But that consciousness which leaves our body still exists after our physical death and will spend eternity in one of two places. Either heaven in the presence of God and the glory of his power. Or hell, the Lake of Fire and eternal torment. For our God is a consuming fire to the unrighteous, the unredeemed who take a lax view of their disobedience to the words of God.
Over two thousand years ago God sent forth his son born of a woman, a virgin, born under the law to fulfill the law and the prophets. Jesus told the people, You must be perfect, as the Father in heaven is perfect." That's right. People must be perfect to inhabit the kingdom of God. No mere mortal, fallen, perverse and sin prone human being can be perfect. But in His mercy, God so loved the world that he sent a child to be born, a son given--Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Prophesized and born to pay the penalty price for the sin of all mankind. All those he has chosen before the foundation of the world. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our inequities. The chastisement (punishment) for our peace was laid upon him and by his stripes we are healed. Words from Isaiah 53 over 700 years before the birth of Jesus Chris. God's plan was laid out beautifully and is declared to us today.
The Apostle John added in his first epsitle "For this is love not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation (an atoning sacrifice) for our sins. The blood of our perfect savior was poured out from his wounds perpetrated on the cross. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (The Old Testament sacrifices revealed that.) Jesus became the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) God the Son, the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. That Word became flesh and dwelt Among Us. He proclaimed to the people while in His flesh "before Abraham was I Am." The Jews understood exactly what he was saying and they picked up stones to stone him. For Blasphemy. Saying, "you a mere man make yourself out to be God.
Yet they were the ones who blasphemed God by denying God the Father's One and Only Son who always did the Father's will. He sent Jesus as a love offering to save the unrighteous. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, in a body of flesh, blood and bones. Matthew tells us in chapter 1:22-23 "So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated,"God with us." The Word who was in the beginning with God and was God became flesh. That he might suffer and die as our redeemer on that cross. God's gift to a lost and dying world. A world steeped in unbelief, unbridled passions and lusts, and damning abominations that corrupt the flesh, minds and souls of all mankind. The Apostle John sums it up this way" In this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
The Great I Am of the Holy Scriptures, The voice who spoke to the prophet Moses, gave the people God's law, guided Israel through the wilderness, and led them to the promised land. The God who promised a child born of a virgin, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father**, Prince of Peace. The person of His Son from eternity became man that humanity may experiene God's grace and be brought from Darkness to Light from Death To Life. And recieve a citizenship in heaven by grace through faith and not of ourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any person should boast. For Jesus Christ himself said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me. It is not what you do but who you know. Or rather who knows you that's secures where you will spend eternity. Which is it? Heaven or Hell. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord. And believe in yout heart that God raised Him from the dead.....Repent and believe the gospel....and you will be saved. From the wrath of God to come.
(**NOTE: Everlasting Father...not that Jesus and God the Father are the same person. Jesus is one with the Father. Everlasting Father suggests a perpetual, unending fatherhood, symbolizing care, protection, and eternal governance. The Hebrew phrase can be understood as "Father of Eternity," emphasizing His enduring presence and leadership.)
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