Many people think that all roads lead to Heaven and that all religions teach basically the same thing. Nothing could be further from the truth of God’s Word.

God requires perfection. Jesus said: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mat. 5:48) Anything short of perfection is missing God’s mark and is called “sin” or in some cases a “transgression.”

God’s Law is encapsulated in “The Ten Commandments”* (see Exodus Chapter 20 in the Bible). They include instructions from the God of the Bible to…

• have no other gods before me (the Lord)…
• not make for yourself an idol…
• not misuse the name of the Lord your God…
• Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…
• Honor your father and your mother…
• not murder…
• not commit adultery…
• not steal…
• not give false testimony…
• not covet … anything that belongs to your neighbor. 

The penalty for disobeying God is spiritual death or eternal separation from God. In the Book of Romans Paul writes: “…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)

Of course we will all die physically at our appointed time but when we die we will be held to account for our life here on earth. God tells us in the Bible that “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...” (Hebrews 9:27)

Those who are found guilty of breaking God’s Law will deserve to spend eternity in torment in a literal place referred to in the Bible as Hell, Hades or the lake of fire. The Bible states: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” (Rev. 20:15) Hell is not a party place. Jesus describes Hell as a place “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:48)

To sum things up, if you have ever not told the truth or taken something that was not yours or even desired to have something that was someone else’s property … ever … then you are guilty before God and will spend eternity (that’s a very long time) in torment separated from Him. That’s the bad news.

The Good News is that Jesus paid the penalty that you owe. He died in your place on the cross and rose again to prepare a place in heaven for you. You have the opportunity to be forgiven and to be declared “not guilty” if, and only if, you
choose to trust in Jesus Christ alone for God’s free gift of eternal life.

You need Jesus! We all do!!!

*Footnote: Although “not under law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14), Christians are to lead holy and obedient lives. The command regarding keeping the Sabbath day is the only one of the 10 Commandments not specifically applied to believers in the New Testament. The Bible tells us: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike…” (Romans 14:5) But we are still need to set aside time for rest and the worship of God.