Are you a good person? How would you answer this question if someone came right up on the street and asked you this? Let me take you through the good person test. Most people would probably say that they are a good person, but let’s see if this is your observation too. This test is based on the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie? Even if it was a little “white” lie? This comes from the ninth commandment in Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” If you have lied (and I am sure you have) then that makes you a liar. Next question: Have you ever taken anything that does not belong to you? Say a cookie off of someone else’s plate or a dollar bill out of your mom’s purse when she wasn’t looking. This violates commandment eight found in Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal.” If you did, then you are a thief. How about looking at someone (a man or woman) with a sexual thought or desire towards that person. This is a violation of commandment seven in Exodus 20:14 “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now some of you might say that adultery is just when you make out with someone while you are unmarried to that person. However, Jesus has a different idea of this sin in Mat. 5:27-28 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” This makes you an adulterer. As of right now, if you have honestly answered these questions then you would have said yes to all three questions and have confessed to yourself that you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart, and this is just three of the commandments!


Now there still remains the question of how you determine what is good. To the normal person this would probably entail of things like giving money to the poor, not lying to someone, helping someone with a project; you know the neighborly things that help you get along with others. In all religions there is an obligation to do good things so that you can make it to heaven or wherever your religion says you are headed. Buddhists, Muslims, Roman Catholics, Mormons, and every other religion base their whole salvation on what good deeds they can do, what strict moral codes they can follow, what words to say, and even how many people they can get to convert. However, according to Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Righteous is another word for good. The reason why no one is “good” is because everyone has sinned. That is what we call all of the bad things we do. If it is against God’s law and we do it, then it is sin. Romans 6:23 tells us what is our punishment “For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The punish-ment for sin is an eternity in hell.


What is hell? Well, let us look at this word. It is actually a place of torment and darkness. There is a lot of pain and agony awaiting everyone that enters and there is no way out. There is an eternal fire burning in that place and it scorches everyone there. In the New Testament book of Luke, chapter 16, there is a story of a rich man and a poor man who both die. The poor man goes to heaven and the rich man, to hell. The rich man cries to Abraham, who is in heaven with the poor man, and begs him to send the poor man down to him so he can drink a drop of water from his fingertip. Abraham tells the rich man that there is a huge distance between heaven and hell and that there is no way he can cross it. The rich man, now in fear for his family, asks Abraham to send the poor man to his brothers to tell them of the horrors, pain, and agony of hell and to repent of their sin. Abraham’s response is that this is not possible either, but his brothers do have the prophets and Moses to listen to. The rich man responded saying that his brothers would believe the poor man coming back from death more than they would believe the prophets. Abraham said to the poor wretch that if they don’t listen to Moses or the prophets then they will join him in hell for eternity. This is hell.



Today is the day of salvation. So far, have you been troubled by this essay? Then cheer up because there is a way to avoid eternal death. The way is through Jesus Christ. He came down to earth over 2,000 years ago and lived in Israel. He became known to the Jews as a “good teacher”, but he is actually God’s son. He healed the sick, lame, blind, def, and raised a dead man from the grave. But, all these things were just to bring attention to what he really came to do, and that is to forgive our sins. He died through crucifixion and was buried in a tomb. Three days later he arose from the grave and went to heaven to be with God his father. John 3:16-17 tells this story really well “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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” He did this for everyone who has ever lived and He will be returning someday to take his church away to heaven. The church is made up of all the people who have put their trust in what Jesus has done for their salvation and obeys what the bible says.


I am not writing this because I think I am above everyone, I am probably the worst of sinners. It is not because I want to judge you either. That is the job of the Holy Spirit through the word of God using his law. I am writing this to warn you of the trouble you are in with the wrath of God, and I am concerned for any of you who are reading this that you will spend your eternity in Hell. I don’t want that for you and neither does God. So you must act this very moment, drop to your knees and beg God for forgiveness of your sins against his law, repent or turn away from your sins and put your trust in Jesus for your salvation, and you will be saved.