“How could a good God send a good person to hell?” The Bible corrects this misconception by stating, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3;23). So the question makes a false assumption that some people are good enough to go to heaven. There will be no sin in heaven and therefore no sinner who has not been forgiven by God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
Suppose someone committed only one sin per day. In fifty years that would be 18,250 sins. You stand before God when you die with a bag of 18,250 sins. Do you think He is going to allow all these sins to contaminate His perfect heaven? Of course not.
So a better question is, “Why would God allow me, a sinner, into heaven?” The answer is that the only way is to be totally forgiven through faith in the Good News about His Son Jesus Christ.
“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17 NLT). So the Good News is Christ-centered. Christ is the One Who died for our sins to provide forgiveness and Who rose from the dead to give us life eternally.
Faith comes from hearing. So which message are you listening to? A human-centered message says everyone can make it up as they go listening to whatever message they want to. But, of course, this is a lie. Satan deceitfully prowls around seeking whom he may devour with his message that is sweet as candy in the mouth but produces a gut-wrenching spiritual death in the end.
Faith comes from hearing the message or Good News about Jesus. This message is focused on Jesus. Jesus loved people so much he died for them. No one can save themselves, so everyone needs a Savior, Jesus. Thinking you can save yourself by believing in your own made-up beliefs is like pinching your ears and trying to pick yourself up off of the ground.
The bad news is you cannot save yourself. The Good News is that hearing the message about Christ and putting faith in His death and resurrection provides true salvation.
NEW TIMES THIS SUNDAY! Come worship in-person this Sunday at 9:00am (Traditional Worship) or 10:30am (Contemporary Worship). Bible Classes meet at the same hours. Learn more at www.BalboaBaptist.Church.