The Good News
Read this article or watch this video!
Do you know the good news? Are you afraid of death? What happens after we take our last breath? Some say nothing, others say we start over in another form of life. While neither of those seem terrifying— they don’t bear much consequence— others say that there is a place called Hell. This option is much more terrifying to think about. What keeps people from Hell? Good works? Being a nice person? No. Have you ever heard of the 10 commandments? Thou shall not murder, thou shall not commit adultery— easy we can keep those, right? But what about lying? I don’t know about you but I’ve lied many times. I’ve told lies to make a story sound more interesting to my listeners, I’ve also told the police that pulled me over that I did not know I was speeding, I lied to my mom as a teenager. That makes me a liar. What about you? Have you told a lie before? What does that make you? Ever stolen something, even if it was something small? I know I’ve taken chocolates and other small candies that were not mine to take. That makes me a lying thief. What about you? Have you ever used God’s name in vain? That’s called blasphemy. Jesus said in Matthew 5 that if you have looked at a woman and lusted after her— you’ve committed adultery. Are you starting to feel as hopeless as I am? That’s only four out of ten commandments so far. So far you and I have broken 40% of God’s law and I am sure if we kept going we would find that we have surely broken more than this.
On Judgement day will you and I be judged as innocent or guilty? Guilty, obviously, right? Do you think God will let you into Heaven? Probably, because He is good and will likely overlook your sins, right? No, not right. Because God is good, He will not overlook your sins. He will want to justly punish crime, including the crime you have committed.
The Good news is that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died with the punishment that you deserve. You broke the law, and he paid the fine.
Turn away from sin and put your faith in Jesus. In doing so God will cancel the punishment that you deserve. God will give you a new heart and new desires.
2 Peter 1:10 says to continue to prove your salvation. Don’t only say a prayer but seek to know God and how you can grow in this faith journey by reading God’s word in the Bible.
When the punishment of hell is canceled by God that means you will, one day, live in Heaven eternally with God in perfect peace, joy, and innocence. This is great news! Now that you know it, share it with others!
