This page was exported from Shelburne Free Press [ https://shelburnefreepress.ca ]
Export date: Mon Nov 25 18:25:41 2024 / +0000 GMT

Christian Perspectives: is Jesus the only way to heaven?


Some people say, “I am basically a good person so I'll go to heaven. Okay, so I do some bad things but I do more good things; I am not a child molester or a murderer, I don't tell big whopping lies, just little white ones so I don't hurt people with the truth!”
What does God say in His Word (the bible)?
I believe that God doesn't look at ‘how big' the sin is; all sin separates us from God, even a ‘little white lie'. Everyone has sinned and no one in himself is good enough to get to heaven on their own (Romans 3:23).
Can we believe the bible? Without using big theological words, the bible was inspired by God through the Holy Spirit to man to write down the heart and thoughts of God. Obedience to His commands keeps us under His godly covering; not obeying leads to death and destruction. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through God's son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 6:23). So we can try our best to be obedient to God's commands but we fall short, yes even “good” people. We were born into a sinful world and it affects us. Don't believe me? Take children for instance, you do not have to teach them to disobey and do bad things; it is hard to teach them to ‘be good'. The first word, other than Mom or Dad, is NO! Rebellion is in our nature. We are born into a sinful world, but God has a plan! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God sent us His son to teach us the way to live and walk in right relationship with God the Father and people around us. Jesus died on the cross for our sins so we would not have to, and so we would not lose our relationship with God the Father who loves mankind with an everlasting love.
So you say, “I believe in God.” That's good, but so do satan and the demons; and they tremble. The key to everlasting life with God the Father is through Jesus Christ His son. Jesus is sinless (1 Peter 2:22), the eternal son of God became a man (John 1:1,14), and died to pay our penalty. God demonstrates His love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ died on the cross (John 19:31-42) taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21), and three days later He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving His victory over sin and death.
In His great mercy, God has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
By faith we must turn away from our sin and turn to Jesus for salvation (Acts 3:19). If we place our faith and trust in Him, that His death on the cross paid for our sins, we will be forgiven. If you just ask, you will receive this free gift: the promise of eternal life (John 3:16). Christianity is about relationship with Jesus. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
Jesus is the only way of salvation because He is the only one who can pay our sin penalty. We must trust in Jesus with all our heart and build relationship with Him. Jesus said it Himself, “the only way to the Father is through me” (John 14:6). Salvation is found in no one else, “for there is no other name in heaven given to man, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
I pray you will accept Jesus as your personal saviour and lifelong friend, and love Him as I love Him: with all my heart. God gives Jesus as a free gift, just receive it. No other religion teaches the depth or seriousness of sin and its consequences. No other religion offers infinite payment of sin that only Jesus Christ could provide. Religion is not really the right word: it is about a relationship with Jesus. Is He Lord of your life? “But I go to church so I must be saved.” Not really, not any more than living in a garage makes you a car! It is receiving Jesus in your heart that makes you a Christian, nothing else.
Rev. Gord Horsley
Abiding Place Ministries
Post date: 2015-04-01 19:00:39
Post date GMT: 2015-04-01 23:00:39
Post modified date: 2015-04-08 19:03:50
Post modified date GMT: 2015-04-08 23:03:50
Powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin. HTML saving format developed by gVectors Team www.gVectors.com