God, Love, & Heaven
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
I’ve heard it said that the way we get to heaven is if your good deeds out weigh your bad deeds you get into heaven.
Christians do not believe this. We do not believe you can live a life good enough to enter heaven. C. S. Lewis said,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” C.S. Lewis.
The day Jesus was crucified we see what is necessary to get to heaven. Luke’s gospel records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'"
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.
The thief that got into Paradise (Heaven) confessed his belief that Jesus was who he said he was. Then he confessed to Jesus that he was a sinner.
Christians believe getting into heaven requires two things. One, an act of faith, the writer of Hebrews telling us,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
The other is confession of our sins to God. The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
This in a nutshell is what Christians believe. The question thus becomes do you believe this?
Please think about it.
"Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
The above scripture defines God’s love and the fact is God loves us. In sending Jesus Christ into the world to die for our sins God proved that. Jesus speaking of himself said,"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
I’ve heard it said that the way we get to heaven is if your good deeds out weigh your bad deeds you get into heaven.
Christians do not believe this. We do not believe you can live a life good enough to enter heaven. C. S. Lewis said,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” C.S. Lewis.
The day Jesus was crucified we see what is necessary to get to heaven. Luke’s gospel records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'"
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.
The thief that got into Paradise (Heaven) confessed his belief that Jesus was who he said he was. Then he confessed to Jesus that he was a sinner.
Christians believe getting into heaven requires two things. One, an act of faith, the writer of Hebrews telling us,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
The other is confession of our sins to God. The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
This in a nutshell is what Christians believe. The question thus becomes do you believe this?
Please think about it.
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