It may appear that many people in this world are very good and genuine from our point of view. However, God tells us in Romans 3:10-12, “As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (NASB). We also read in Isaiah 64:6, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (NASB). We read in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (NASB).

From God’s viewpoint, none of us are good before we trust Christ as our Savior. We all fall short of His perfect standard. However, there is good news! We read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (NASB). Further good news is that God’s offer of salvation is a free gift! We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

If we reject God’s offer of salvation from hell and from the wrath of God, then He will give us what we want. We read in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (NASB). We read in 1 John 5:12, “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

Please seriously consider this passage from 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed” (NASB).

We can see from these verses that if someone rejects the gospel and dies without knowing Christ, then that person will “pay the penalty of eternal destruction” in the lake of fire. We read in Revelation 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (NASB). God is a wonderful, loving God. However, He is also holy. Heaven is a holy place, and no one can get there except through repenting of their sins and trusting in Christ as their Savior. Do you know Him? If so, please share the gospel with others in your life. If not, trust Christ today. By God’s grace I trusted Christ 49 years ago and have never regretted it. Please consider the truth from God’s Word, respond to His loving invitation, and accept Christ as your Savior.  (DJ)  (650.5)