Post by gues7 on May 29, 2007 10:00:32 GMT -5
Do you think that you’re a good person? Good enough to go to heaven?
Do you think that God sees you as good enough to enter heaven?
If so, then answer these questions honestly and carefully:
1. Have you ever told a lie? Even if it was a little “white lie.” Any time you’ve exaggerated the truth(example: You see a swarm of bees flying around and you say “There’s a billion bees in that swarm!” That would be exaggerating, because there isn’t a billion bees in the swarm. There may be a lot of bees, but there isn’t a billion. You should have said “That is a big swarm of bees!” or “That’s a lot of bees!” instead of saying there was a billion of them) is also a lie. Anytime you’ve stretched the truth to prove a point is a lie. If it isn’t 100% truth, it’s a lie.
2. Have you ever stolen anything? Regardless of the value of the item. Even if it was one 5 cent piece of bubble gum from the gas station.
3. Have you ever used God’s name as a curse word or to express disgust? Not only would this include “G-D!”, but also words like “God, I hate this day.” “Gosh, the boss is so harsh.” “Jesus Christ, that guy just cut in front of me!” “Jeez, what is that?” All of those are examples of using God’s name in vain.
4. Have you ever made a god in your mind to suit yourself? Have you ever had any idols? A god that tolerates ‘white’ lies or a fib here and there? A god that won’t punish anyone with the Lake of Fire? Any other god to suit yourself? If your God isn’t the God revealed in the Bible, than it’s a false god, an idol.
5. Have you ever seen something that someone else had and thought, “I wish I had something like that. I wish I could afford the stuff they get.” This is called coveting. And the Bible also says that covetousness is Idolatry, which is a violation of the 2nd commandment, so you’d also have to say yes to question number 4. In addition, wanting something to the point of being willing to go into debt, hurt someone, or commit some other kind of wrong is also covetousness. Wanting more and more and more of something is also covetousness. For example, if you just keep wanting more money, and no matter how much you get, you keep trying to make more of it.
6. Have you ever disobeyed your parents? Have you ever been rebellious towards them, or in any other way failed to honor your parents? Did you ever delay in obeying your parents? Delayed obedience is disobedience. Did you ever only do part of what your parents told you to do? Partial obedience is disobedience. Did you ever do something in secret that they wouldn’t want you to do? God knows all about it. You may have forgotten the sins of your youth, but God hasn’t.
7. Have you ever hated anyone? God sees hatred as murder. See 1st John 3:15.
8. Have you ever looked at another person with lust? God sees that as adultery. See Matthew 5:28.
If you have done any of these things, then by your admissions, according to God’s standards, you are not good enough to go to heaven. And these are just 8 of the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20 in the old testament of the Bible!
So, if on Judgement Day, God judges you based on the 10 commandments, do you think you’re going to be found innocent or guilty?
Well, you say, “I’ve done more good things than bad in my life”. That doesn’t matter. If you were in a trial of court for commiting a crime, would the Judge let you off just because you had done many good things before the trial? No. He would still punish you for commiting the crime. That’s because the law would require you to pay a penalty for the crime.
By the same token, God’s law still requires that a penalty be paid. Good works and all of that won’t satisfy that demand.
However, what if during that trial, what if someone you didn’t even know came into the court room and took the punishment for you so that you could be set free from the penalty of the crime?
That’s what Jesus Christ did for you when he was crucified 2000 or so years ago for your sins and for your transgression of God’s law. He took the punishment for you so that you wouldn’t have to be punished for your sins. All you have to do is accept God’s forgiveness by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!
So, before you go to bed tonight, why not get right with God today? You might not have another chance. You don’t know when your time on Earth is going to be up. And if you die in your sins without accepting God’s mercy, you’ll have to face the Judgement of God, and with your sins still in the books, there will be no hope on that great and terrible day. But you don’t have to die in your sins, and God doesn’t want you to, either. He is not willing that any perish, but rather, he wants all to come to repentance. So, why not get right with God now while you still have a chance?
If you want to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as the atonement for your sins, then sincerely pray this prayer:
“God, I admit that I am a sinner and that I have broken your law. I realize that I am lost without God and that I’m headed towards a terrible judgement. However, God, today I confess my sins to you and I want to be right with you. I know that I alone cannot pay the debt that I owe for my sins. I believe with all my heart that your son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay my sin debt for me, and I ask today that Jesus Christ be the Lord and Savior of my life, and I turn from my sins. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” If you just prayed that prayer, and sincerely meant it, then you are now adopted into the Family of God, on your way to the splendor of heaven. To start out your Christian life, I would suggest that you pray to God, read your bible every day, and get into a good Bible-teaching Church.
Here are some good resources to help you get stared on the Christian Life:
ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_4178_security.cfm
ag.org/top/Beliefs/topic_index.cfm#M
I'll read it through in more detail later, but certainly a big thanks for posting this, even if it is repeating what I've heard before maybe this time I'll think about it more 
certainly makes you think more then looking at a load of random letters and numbers linking to sites that really no one wants to see ;D