RUforgiven.org

Did you get a “180″ DVD?  If so, watch it! — only 33 minutes — 1 million YouTube hits in 3 weeks — you won’t be bored!  And it will make you think.  Don’t have a DVD?  See it online at http://www.180movie.com/.

Thanks for visiting RUforgiven.  We hope you’ll take a couple of minutes to read an important message – for the sake of your own immortal soul.

Eternity is real. The Bible makes that abundantly clear, over and over again. A person doesn’t live on planet Earth for 70 or 80 years or so, and then cease to exist at death. God made mankind in two parts – a material part, our physical bodies – and an immaterial part, our soul or spirit.

What happens when the body dies? It lies in wait, waiting for the resurrection on the last day. But the spirit of a person doesn’t die, and it doesn’t sleep. Jesus clearly taught that when a person dies, his soul either goes to heaven or to hell (Luke 16:19-31). The Bible is very clear that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

If heaven and hell are real, as Jesus taught over and over again, don’t you think it might be important to find out how to get to one and avoid the other? If life here on earth is for 80 years, and eternity is forever, which do you think is really more important?  Shouldn’t you be sure about your eternal destiny?

The Bible, my friend,tells us what we need to know! Would you take a few minutes (remembering that eternity lasts for more than a really really long time) to see what God’s Word has to say about how to set your path toward heaven and avoid the eternal flames of hell?

The problem:

You are a sinner (just like everyone else) – in fact, the Bible says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 6:23). Every single person (except Jesus Christ) has sinned, broken God’s Law, and should be condemned by God the perfectly righteous Judge. The correct verdict would be “guilty” for everyone – because we really are all guilty. And remember the standard is God’s perfect holiness, not your neighbor or your sibling or your boss. Sure, you’re better than some people, maybe even better than most people, but my friend, that isn’t the standard.

 

The solution:

Jesus Christ was sent by God, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to bear the penalty for sin, was buried, and then rose from the grave bodily in victory over death. The full penalty for our sin has been paid for by Christ – we must only believe (trust, have faith) in the work of Christ. (His work is good enough – ours isn’t.)

We are commanded to repent (admit our sin, to confess it, and to turn from it), to turn to Christ, and believe in the Lord Jesus and what He did on our behalf.  Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, which are gifts from God – not by our own works at all (Ephesians 2:8-10).  Genuine salvation does indeed result in increasingly living a life that is pleasing to Christ.

What about you???

Do you feel guilty?

Do you think you might be guilty, even if you don’t feel that way?

Would you be willing to try a quick test?

Have you ever broken any of God’s laws? Let’s take a look at just a few of them from the 10 Commandments.

How about #1 – have you ever put anything before God in your life? Loved something else more than God?  Yep? OK, guilty.

Let’s try #3 – have you ever taken God’s name in vain (used it wrongly, or as a curse), including the words “Jesus”, “Christ”, or the phrase “oh my God” (or even “OMG”)? That is called blasphemy, and it is a serious sin.

How about #5 – have you always honored (given respect to and obeyed) your parents? Not likely, because as kids, we’re pretty good at rebelling and mocking instead of honoring. God says that makes you guilty of sin against Him.

Let’s continue on…

Are you willing to look at #7? – now that one will get a lot of folks. This speaks of sex outside of marriage (both before marriage and with someone other than your spouse).  And not only that, Jesus said that anyone who merely looks in order to lust has committed adultery in the heart. OK, guilty there, too, one way or another. Really guilty.

Commandment #8 says we shouldn’t steal – that’s thievery – and most people have done that at some point. Dishonest financial gain takes many different forms. (Ever cheat on your taxes?) Remember, even if it was of small value, it’s still stealing.

Skip down to #10 – who hasn’t coveted (desired, wanted) his neighbor’s stuff – his bigger and nicer house, his newer car, his bigger salary, his attractive wife (or her handsome husband)… which is basically discontentment with what God has given you. OK, guilty there, too.

Even with that partial list, you probably recognize that you’re guilty of some (if not all) of them. Even if you’re only guilty of one of them (unlikely, but let’s pretend) – you’re still guilty. Consider what James 2:10 says: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.”

There you have it – you could do really well, and only sin “a little” (less than most people) – but you might just as well have broken every single commandment, because before God, you’re still guilty. You have sinned against God who is perfectly holy.

Which part of the Bible?

“But”, you say, “that is Old Testament”.  Well, yes it is.  But we must realize that the moral Law of God has not been rescinded.  However, we can also look at the New Testament, because God has reiterated and even expanded His commands.  Let’s look at just two of them.

In Matthew 22:36, someone asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And the response from the Lord was this:

And He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.  (Matthew 22:37-40)

Jesus summed up all the commandments in two statements.  So test yourself by them.  Remembering that biblical love is action, not a feeling… have you loved God above all other things, with your whole being?  Have you loved others as much as you love yourself?  An honest assessment would demand that each of us answer “No” to those questions.  Each of us has failed the ultimate New Testament test.  We haven’t done what Jesus said what is of utmost importantance.  We haven’t obeyed the greatest commandment, and we haven’t obeyed the second greatest commandment either.

According to both the Old and New Testaments, we are sinful, and we are guilty.

But there is hope, because the story doesn’t end there…

Now the really really good news…

You don’t have to pay the penalty for your sins yourself (which would be eternal hell)! Repent – admit and confess your sin to God and turn from it – and turn in faith to Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, bearing the wrath of God, and who rose again from the grave.

Call out to Him to save you, and to forgive you, and to give you a new heart set on Christ. Because of what Jesus did, you can indeed find complete forgiveness from God!  This is what it means to be “born again”.

Then be diligent to read your Bible, pray to God, and attend a solid, Bible-believing Bible-teaching church, where you can grow in your faith and serve God. If you’re in the Allen TX area, we invite you to visit Grace Bible Church – use the Contact Us link if you’d like help finding a good church. (More links are listed above for additional information.)

Eternity is real.  Are you ready??? Are you forgiven??? Have you turned from sin and received eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ? Or will you continue on the road to hell?

Please click the “What the Bible says” link at the top to see more of what the Bible says about these things.