The bible is very clear about salvation or to become pious.
It's not about how good you are.
Many people think that they are pretty good and that they will come to heaven because they are good.
The bible really says, "For they have all been saved, and dare the glory of God" (Romans 3 verse 23)
The bible says, "It is written that no one is righteous, not even one" (Romans 3 verse 10)
I am not righteous, you are not righteous.
And if our prosperity was dependent on our goodness, then no one would come to heaven.
The bible even says in Revelation 21 verse 8,
"But in the dreadful, and the unbelievers, and the vile, and the murderers, and the swindlers, and the sorcerers, and the swindlers, and all the liars,
is their part in the pool that burns with fire and silver, which is the second death."
I have once lied, everyone has once lied, so we have all been saved.
And even much worse things have been done than lying.
Let's be honest, we all serve the hell.
But the Bible says, "But God has confirmed His love for us, that Christ died for us,
if we were still sinners."
Romans 5 verse 8.
Jesus Christ came here on earth because He loves us.
The Bible says that He was God, revealed in flesh.
God was, as it were, in human form.
He was without sin for a lifetime.
He did not punish the sins, but of course they struck Him together,
spat on Him and nailed Him to the cross.
The Bible says that while He hung on the cross,
He, who Himself carried our sins in His body, on the wood.
1 Peter 2 verse 24.
So, as far as every sin you have ever committed,
and every sin I have committed,
it is as if Jesus did it Himself.
He was punished for our sins.
When He was dead, they removed His body from the cross,
and placed it in the grave.
His soul went into hell for three days and three nights.
Acts 2 verse 31.
Three days later, He rose from the dead.
He showed the disciple in His hands.
The Bible is very clear that Jesus really died for everyone.
He says He died, and not only for us,
but also for the whole world.
1 John 2 verse 2.
But there is something we must do to be saved, to be blessed.
The Bible asks this question in Acts 16.
"My dear gentlemen, what must I do to be blessed?"
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be blessed, you and your house."
That's all.
He said, "Do not, be a member of a church, and you shall be blessed."
Or, "Be baptized, and you shall be blessed."
Or, "Live a good life, and you shall be blessed."
Or, "Be baptized, and you shall be blessed."
No!
He said, "Believe."
The most famous Bible verse is even written on the bottom of the cups
at the American restaurant chain, in an old burger.
It's very well known.
Everyone has heard it before.
John 3, verse 16.
"For so dearly has God created the world,
that He is the only born Son of God.
Take care, that those who believe in Him,
do not forsake, but have eternal life."
And eternal actually means eternal.
It means forever and forever.
"And Jesus said, 'And I give them eternal life,
and they shall not be lost in this eternity,
and no one shall push the same out of my hand.'"
John 10, verse 28.
The Bible says, in John 6, verse 47,
"For true, for true, I say to you,
who believes in me, has eternal life."
So, if you believe in Jesus Christ,
then the Bible says that you have eternal life.
You will live forever.
You will not lose your salvation, your blessing.
It is eternal and eternal.
As soon as you are saved, as soon as you believe in Him,
then you are saved forever and you can never lose your blessing,
no matter what happens.
If I would do one or the other horrible sin,
then God will punish me on earth for it.
If I kill someone today,
then God would make sure that I would be punished for it.
For example, with a prison sentence or worse, the death penalty.
No matter how the world decides to punish me for it,
and how much worse God will punish me for it,
I still can't go to heaven.
There is nothing I can do to go to heaven, because I am saved.
If I still go to heaven, then God would be a liar.
Because He promises that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
That's why there are examples in the Bible of people who have done terrible things,
and still ended up in heaven.
How is that possible? Because they were so good?
No, because they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their sins were forgiven.
There are other people who may have led a much better life than the world,
or people who have actually led a better life,
but if they don't believe in Christ,
then they end up in hell to save their sins.
Let me finish with this thought.
One thing I want to talk about today
is that a question was asked to Jesus by one of his disciples.
The question is, are there few who have been saved?
That's a good question, isn't it?
Have most people been saved or few?
Do you think most people will come to heaven?
What do you think the answer is?
Let's read what Jesus said about it.
In Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14, it is written,
"Go in through the narrow gate,
for wide is the gate, and wide is the way,
which leads through the ruin.
And many are there who enter through the same,
for the gate is narrow, and the way is narrow,
which leads through life.
And few are there who find themselves."
And then he said this in verses 21 to 23.
"Not an eagle who says to me,
'Ladies, ladies,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven.
But he does it to the wild man's fathers,
who are in heaven.
Many will that day say to me,
'Ladies, ladies,
have we not profited in your name,
and thrown out pigeons in your name,
and done many things in your name?'
And then I will openly say to them,
'I have never known you.
Get away from me,
you who work in injustice.'
First of all,
the majority of the world does not claim to believe in Jesus.
Hopefully you believe in Jesus.
But the majority of the world does not claim to believe in Jesus.
But God warns us that there will even be people
who do claim to believe in Jesus,
who even call Him Lord,
and many of them will say to Him,
'We have done all this good work.
Why are we not saved?'
And He answers, 'Go away from Me, I have never known you.'
This is because such people trust their work to enter heaven.
You cannot be blessed by work,
if you still trust your own deeds.
If you think you enter heaven because you died,
if you think you have to lead a good life,
if you have to follow the Ten Commandments,
if you have to go to church every week to pray in the sun,
then you trust your work.
And then Jesus will tell you to leave Him.
He never knew you.
You have to put all your trust in what He has done.
You have to put your trust in what Jesus did at the cross
when He was buried for you and was risen.
That is your card to enter heaven.
If you trust something else and you say,
"I am going to enter heaven because I am a good Christian
and I do all kinds of good deeds,"
then Jesus says, "Go away from me."
But be careful.
He also said, "I have never known you."
He did not say that He has ever known you,
because as soon as He knows you, He knows you forever.
I said that earlier as well.
Eternal life is eternal forever.
As soon as He knows you, then you are saved forever.
If you enter heaven,
then it is because He has never known you.
But as soon as He knows you, then He knows you forever.
Just like how my children will always be my children.
As soon as you are saved and with that you are reborn,
then you are forever His child.
Even if you are the black sheep of the family,
maybe you will be punished by God for your sins here on earth.
You can ruin your life,
but you can not ruin your prosperity.
Once prosperous, always prosperous, it is done.
So, until you have not yet called on the name of the Lord,
what are you still waiting for?
Because today you already have,
but tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Ask Jesus to save you.
If you have never prayed before,
close your eyes and simply ask Him.
As an example,
Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner.
I know that I deserve to be saved.
But I believe that you are God,
that you died,
are buried,
and are physically raised
to pay for my sins.
I trust only you.
Save me please.
And if you ask Him that,
And if you think so, then you have lived longer.