As you read the following scene, try to guess:
What's wrong with this picture?

'DAD!'   Six year old Bobby Jones ran home so fast he didn't even notice the ice cream truck parked across the street from his house.   Bursting through the door, he stopped at the foot of the staircase.   'DAD. . . DAD. . . DAD!'    "All right already, I'm coming."   Mr. Jones came down the stairs carrying the sports section.    'Dad, hurry!'    "Calm down, where's the fire?"    'In Hell,' Bobby screamed.    Mr. Jones came to a stop three steps short of the landing and frowned.   'Son, you better have a good reason for using that word.'    'Timmy Johnson used it first.   He said I was going there.'    Bobby's father escorted him to the living room couch.   'Okay, from the beginning, what happened?'    'Me and Timmy were playing and he wanted to use my glove and I said no and he said I was mean and I was going to Hell and burn forever.'    'Hmm,' Mr. Jones paused as he thought about what to say.   "Bobby, I wouldn't worry about it.   You would have to do a lot worse than not lending your glove."    'Like what?'    'Well. . . I imagine if you went around killing people. . . .'    'How many?'    "I don't know, a lot.   Take, Hitler for example. . ."    "Who's that?"    'Never mind.   The point is, only really bad people are going there.'    'You mean most people are going to be with Jesus?'    "Yes.   That's right."   Mr. Jones was relieved at how smooth it was going.    'Dad, is Jesus mad at Timmy?'    'Well. . .I guess so.   I mean. . .'    'Good.   I would rather believe Jesus than stupid old Timmy.'   Bobby said, leaning forward to give his dad a hug.

Turn the page to see if you guessed the right answer.

The Problem with this picture is that it contains
two misconceptions.

The First one is expressed by Mr. Jones when he, referring to Hell, told his son:

'Only really bad people are going there.'

   But just how bad does a person have to be to deserve Hell?   The answer is: not bad at all!   Something as simple as lying or acting selfish is enough to get a person in Hell.   God views His law, including the Ten Commandments, as one complete set.   That means, if you break one law, it's like breaking them all.   That's why the Bible says: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and YET OFFEND IN ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.   For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.   Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become A TRANSGRESSOR OF THE LAW."   James 2:10-11
   Therefore, since no one can go an entire lifetime without violating, at least one law, the Bible says that: "...What things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.   Therefore by THE DEEDS OF THE LAW there SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED in his [God's] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."   Romans 3:19- 20

   In fact, the Bible says no one is good enough to earn Heaven no matter how hard they try.   "As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, no, not one."   Rom. 3:10
"THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE."   Rom. 3:12
"For ALL HAVE SINNED, and COME SHORT of the glory of God."   Rom. 3:23
"For there is NOT a just man upon earth, THAT DOETH GOOD, AND SINNETH NOT."   Ecclesiastes 7:20

   Every one of us is a condemned sinner and a heartbeat away from Hell.   And only God's mercy has provided the only means of forgiveness.   That forgiveness comes through the death and shed blood of Jesus Christ.   The Bible teaches that: "For what the law could not do, in that IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH [i.e. We can't keep the law.], God sending HIS OWN SON in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."   Rom. 8:3

   Jesus suffered the punishment that we deserve and paid the penalty for our sins.   The Bible says "God commendeth [PROVED] his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.   Much more then, being now JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be SAVED FROM WRATH THROUGH HIM.   For if, when we were enemies, we were RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON, much more, being reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE."   Rom. 5:8

   Therefore, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God hath raised him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. ... For WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED."   Rom. 10:9-13

The Second misconception is demonstrated when Bobby asks if most people are going to Heaven and his father answers:

"Yes.   That's right."

   But, in light of all the Bible verses we have read so far, the exact opposite is true.
Most people are NOT going to Heaven.   Since everyone is a born sinner, on the road to Hell, only those who have repented and are trusting in Christ to save them are going to Heaven.   The Bible says: "He that believeth on him is not condemned: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."   John 3:18
   Tragically, since most people refuse to repent, Jesus taught that most will end down in Hell.
He said: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction [HELL], and MANY there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it."   Matthew 7:13-14

   This second misconception has lulled many into a false sense of assurance.   They mistakenly assume that if the majority of people are going to Heaven, then they too are going since they see themselves as no worse than most.   But, to that line of reasoning, Jesus warned:

"I tell you, Nay: but, EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish."   Luke 13:3

---

IF You were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven?   The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).

BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.
And Jesus, referring to sinners, said that He:
"shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity [sinners]; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   Matthew 13:41-42

SECONDLY, you must realize that there is NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   Ephesians 2:8-9   Baptism, good deeds, church membership, self- righteousness are all examples of good works that cannot save you, because: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he [Christ] saved us," Titus 3:5.

THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   (John 14:6)   THAT'S WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   (Romans 5:8-9)   THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner and can't save yourself.   And call upon Christ, and Him alone, to save you.
"if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."   Romans 10:9

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