So you think you’re going to heaven, right?



Because you’re good enough? Or because God is so loving?

Ok, God, the one that determines who gets into heaven, has given us some guidelines, and they are in the Bible. In two places, there are some specifics - Exodus 20, where God spoke directly to Moses and Matthew 5, where Jesus, His only Son spoke to His followers. So, answer these questions:

1. If you are so good - have you ever told a lie - even a white lie for Christmas or birthdays? Exodus 20:16 says you are a liar - and Revelation 21:8 says all liars burn - go to Blue Letter Bible and read it there!

2. If you are so good - have you ever taken something from work that wasn’t yours - a pen, tablet, anything that was purchased for work and made it home, but never made it back? Have you ever taken extra packets of ketchup and sugar and put them in your pocket for later - knowing it wasn’t part of this meal? Then Exodus 20:25 says you are a thief.

3. If you are so good - have you ever looked at another person, and thought how ‘hot’ they were, and felt a little interest in them? Looked at the magazines in the grocery aisle to see the most gorgeous ones? Then, Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 that you have lusted, and says you are an adulterer (for singles, a fornicator), and Exodus 20:14

4. If you are so good, have you ever been angry with your brother? Called him a fool? Called anyone a fool? Matthew 5:21 and 22 equates that with murder, and in danger of hell fire.

So - how does your goodness stack up? If you said yes to all of the above questions, you are a lying, stealing, lustful murderer by God’s standard. He wrote the book, and He decides who comes to live with Him. Don’t you decide who comes into your house? We’ll talk about that later. Here’s a little bit of God’s standard:

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:17-20 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Here’s another place to see if you stand up:
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Here’s the real kicker: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This is explained in James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.
In other words, it’s impossible!

But here’s the promise: Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Here, I’ll make it even simpler:
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Who does God offer this to?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Now, there is the point about God being loving. Yes, God so loved the world. And, in 1st John 3 we can read:
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

But - back to the thought about who you let into your home - would you let a lying, murdering, stealing sex-offender into your house, to spend time and live with your precious children? No? Oh my, how unloving! Seriously - you wouldn’t - and neither would God.

But - He knew we couldn’t do it on our own - so He sent His son to save us, to pay the price, the penalty for our sin. Now, if we choose to, we can be His children, and He will help us to grow into the likeness of Christ - and we will live with Him forever.

How?
  1. Realize that you have done wrong things in your life, that you are what the Bible calls a sinner. Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God."
  2. Understand that the penalty of sin is death. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death,"
  3. Know that God loves you, John 3:16 says"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should no perish, but have everlasting life."
  4. Recognize that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of sin for you. Romans 5:8 says that "But God commandeth His love toward us,in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". And the rest of Romans 6:23 is "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." And John 3:17 says "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."
  5. Confess you are a sinner, agree with God's word. 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
  6. Ask Jesus to come into your heart, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with Me."
  7. Confess Jesus as your Lord; Romans 10:9 "if thou shalt comfess with thy mouth the Lord jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
  8. Find a full gospel church that will help you to grow in your new found life. And if you do make this confession, please e-mail me and let me know!

And, to help you out - go to The WildBerry Patch Project home page!
You can also join our new yahoo group: The WildBerry Patch

Thanks for reading - and, welcome to the real world!

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