Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Are You a Sinner?

ARE YOU A SINNER?

Do you think you're a good person? Most of us think that we are pretty good people. We say "I haven't killed anyone or stolen anything..." did you know that the Bible says that even hating someone is as bad as killing them?

1 John 3:15 says "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. "

Have you ever told a lie?? Even a little white lie? It doesn't matter when, or how big, or the purpose of the lie -the Bible says that lying is a sin. It even says that liars shall have their part in the lake of fire. (Rev 21:8)

Have you lived in a sinful relationship? Sex before marriage is a sin. Have you committed this act? Maybe you haven't, but have you ever looked at someone and imagined it or lusted after them?

Matthew 5:28 says "That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

1Corinthians 7:2 "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."

We are all sinners.
The Bible says:
Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."

Ecclesiastes 7:20: "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. "

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"

Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

We are all sinners whether we would like to admit it or not.

THE GOOD NEWS...

"...his hand is stretched out still."

There is a blessed hope. God will forgive us of our sins no matter how horrible they may be.
Jesus Christ came to this world and experienced the most horrible pain and death in payment for our sins. He rose again on the third day to show that he was God. His blood was shed so that we might live.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

1Corinthians 15:3-4 "... Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:"


Imagine, He loved us so much that he sent His son to earth to die that horrible, agonizing death on the cross so that we might live!!!

SO HOW DO I GET TO HEAVEN?

We cannot go to heaven by 'living a good life' or by the good works we've done.

Isaiah 64:6 "...we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

Tit 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

THEN WHAT MUST I DO?
The Bible says that we must accept the gift he has given us. How do we do this? We must believe on Jesus Christ - his death, burial and resurrection; realize that we are sinners and confess our sins to Him; and ask Him to save us.

Read these verses:

Romans 10:9 says: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Act 16:31 "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..."

John 3:15-19 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18: 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.


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If what I have written is confusing, think of it this way.
You have been convicted of a crime - and the penalty for that crime is death. You are brought before the Judge (God), and you beg him to reconsider. But the Judge tells you that justice must be served, and the penalty for your crime (sin) must be payed. Suddenly, a man (Jesus) comes into the court room holding a gift in his hand. He offers the gift to you and says that he has already payed for your crime - all you have to do is accept it, and you will be allowed to live.

Why would you not want to accept it???

God, being perfect, hates sin. But His hand is outstretched to you and everyone. Will you come to Him and accept his gift?? He is waiting. He doesn't want ANYONE to go to Hell.


THE ALTERNATIVE
If you do not accept this wonderful gift He has offered to you, Hell is the only alternative.

We will ALL meet God when we die, and we do not know when that day will come. All the good works that you have done are not enough. You could die tonight. What will happen when you face God?

James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Mat 7:21 - 23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

What a horrible thing to hear. "I never knew you". I am so happy that I accepted Christ as my Savior. Now, I will never hear those words.

Many people joke about Hell, not realizing the seriousness of this horrible place.

Matthew 8:12 says that the pain and suffering will be so great that "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Mat 13:42 "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Mat 25:46 "And these (the unsaved) shall go away into everlasting punishment..."

Everlasting punishment. Eternal pain and suffering the likes of which no one has ever experienced on this earth. It is such a horrible, inescapable, eternal, agonizing, death. Imagine. Screaming out in agony. Being consumed by eternal flames that will never be quenched. Pain that will never go away. Being there for millions of years, and realizing that you will go through millions more, for it will never end. If only you had accepted the gift of eternal life.

Please, I ask you, come to Christ today. If you do, you will never have to experience this horrible place. It IS that simple.


IF YOU WERE TO DIE TODAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO????

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

If you've never heard it before, please take the time to listen to this sermon. It is amazing!