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Do you consider yourself to be a good person, enough so to enter Heaven? Have you ever told a lie (including half-truths, white lies, and little fibs)? What would you call someone who tells lies? If you're honest with yourself, you would call someone who tells lies a liar.
Have you ever stolen something (the value is irrelevant)? What about illegally downloading something from the Internet or copying software that you didn't purchase? What do you call someone who steals? (Hint: It's not a steeler, that's a football player.) Someone who steals even one thing in their lifetime would technically be a thief.
Have you ever used God's name as a swear word? "It's just a saying and I don't mean anything by it," is a common response to this question, but that response is a perfect description of the word vain (no value). Using God as a swear word or a vain expression is called blasphemy and is a very serious offense in the eyes of God. He gave you life and breath, and in exchange for that you use His name to express disgust.
I've just gone through 3 of God's 10 Commandments, the Law of God by which every person will be judged. How do you think you did? Let's see what the Word of God says...
Revelation 21:8 says, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Emphasis mine)
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (Emphasis mine)
Exodus 20:7 reads, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." (Emphasis mine)
Based on what God says in the Bible, if you have lied, stolen, or blasphemed, you are in big trouble on Judgment Day, when God will judge the world in righteousness (See Acts 17:31). Would you be innocent or guilty? Would you "inherit the kingdom of God" (Heaven) or be thrown into "the lake that burns with fire and sulfer" (Hell)? Does this concern you?
Many people think there's no hope for anyone to enter Heaven, because nobody is good enough to live up to that perfect standard. Your right and the Bible even says that in Romans 3:10-12. We all have disobeyed God's commands and deserve an eternity in Hell. Are you ready for some good news now?
God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world 2,000 years ago. Jesus was born of a virgin. Jesus was fully (100%) man, but also was fully (100%) God. Jesus kept all of God's Commandments. He was perfect in every way. Then, about 33 years into His life, Jesus was taken before the courts as a criminal and was falsely accused of crimes that He never committed. They wounded Him, crushed Him, oppressed Him, afflicted Him, and slaughtered Him. Jesus was nailed by His hands and feet to a wooden cross and died there. He was a sinless man who died a sinner's death. You're probably thinking, "Why is this good news?!"
Jesus Christ came to this world knowing and expecting that all that was going to take place. He came to take your place, to be your substitute. The wrath of God dwells upon those who have sinned against God. Instead of God pouring His wrath out on you for your sins (lying, stealing, blasphemy, etc.), God gave your punishment to His only Son. Why? Because God loves you so much that He didn't want you to be in Hell for all eternity. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
The great news is this: Three days after Jesus died on the cross to pay your fine with His blood, He physically rose from the grave! Jesus came back to life, which means that He has the power to defeat death and escape Hell. Jesus now offers you that same opportunity... to defeat death and escape Hell! What must a person do to receive this gift? Read what Jesus says in the Bible...
Mark 1:15 reads, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Emphasis mine)
Repent means to confess and forsake your sins (See Proverbs 28:13). This means to call out to God and tell Him about the sins you've committed, then to turn away from those sins, no longer wanting to do them. Belief in the gospel (good news) does not simply mean to think that what Jesus did for you is true. It means to put your faith and trust in what He did, like you would trust a parachute to keep you from falling to your death from an airplane. When you "repent and believe," God promises to give you a new heart with new desires. It should be such a radical change that you will feel like you've been born again (spiritually) and this is exactly how Jesus describes it in John 3.
If you have decided to do this, or you have questions, please feel free to contact us and we will help you in any way that we can. Once you have been born again, begin reading the Bible daily (start in John) and talk to God through prayer. Then obey what you read and please find a church to attend that follows the teachings of the Bible.