Most people have some concept of what will happen when they die. Many see themselves going to a place where some type of benevolent God will judge them based on how good a person they were. They’re hoping God has noticed the things they did right, the things they did for others, and most importantly the things that differentiated them from “bad people.”
The bad part about good
The trouble with this kind of thinking is that it’s based on each person’s opinion. If what God has said in His word were brought up, it would argued that there are lots of different viewpoints. But which one is right? They can’t all be right.
If being “good” is the qualifier of what happens on the other side of this life, then who or what defines “good”? Is it words, acts, gifts, attitudes, or all the above? And how much, how often, and how consistently does it have to be to be done to qualify?
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4–5, NKJV)
The simple, yet absolute truth is that we do not, and cannot “earn” something from God. If we could, it would not be a gift, but wages.
Headline News
I was reading about television entrepreneur Ted Turner, who was lashing out at Christianity. “Christianity is a religion of losers,” Turner told the Dallas Morning News. Referring to Christ’s death on the cross, Turner said, “I don’t want anybody to die for me. If I’ve had a few drinks and a few girlfriends, and that’s gonna put me in hell, then so be it.”
He’s actually right…but only partly.
For the truth about God is known to people instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. (Romans 1:19-22, NLT)
“I’ve tried to be a good person”
No one who is in hell will ever be able to say to God, “You put me here,” and no one who is in heaven will ever be able to say, “I put myself here.”
Although Ted Turner is somewhat right about people choosing their eternal destiny, he’s completely wrong about Christianity being a religion of losers. Whether or not Mr. Turner, or anyone else, doesn’t want someone to die for them, it’s already happened. Jesus Christ of Nazareth died on a cross at place called Calvary. He died so that anyone who would receive Him as Lord will not go to hell, but to heaven.
That’s good news for bad people!
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