Who Needs Jesus, I’m A Good Person

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Back in the early 1980’s when I was starting a new church, I went to hundreds of houses to invite people to our church. Part of my approach was to first ask people if I could ask a personal spiritual question. If they said “yes” then I would ask, “If you were to die today and stand before the Lord who said ‘Why should I allow you into my heaven?’ How would you respond?”

CC Image courtesy of Janet Hudson on Flickr

Do you know what the majority of people said, no matter their background, church affiliation or lack of it?

By far, the number one answer was “Because I have been a good person.” Some variations were answers like, “I’ve kept the 10 commandments” or “I never deliberately hurt anyone” or “My good outweighs my bad.”

So what’s the problem with these answers? Well, they are the exact opposite of the message of Jesus in the Bible!

If people would listen, I would gently point out to them that the Bible says things like,

“We are all dirty with sin. Even our good works are not pure. They are like bloodstained rags.” (Isaiah 64:6 ERV)

AND

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

Sadly, many don’t want to hear the message of these verses. Why? Probably both because of pride and the fact that salvation works the exact opposite of our human economy which is built on earning instead of being given.

Who needs Jesus?

Being good enough for heaven reminds me of the story of the father who wanted to teach his children the value of purity. He baked a batch of delicious looking fudge nut brownies. The house smelled wonderful when his children came home. He displayed them beautifully on a plate and brought them out for dessert after dinner.

But before allowing the kids to serve themselves, he made an announcement; “While these brownies look wonderful, probably taste wonderful, you might enjoy them and go out after dinner never thinking anything is wrong. However, I want you to know that while these brownies are probably 99% pure, as I was making them I added a little bit of dog poop in the mix.”

Do you think any of the children would eat the brownies?

Of course this is an odd story, however, in a similar way, we might think we are so good we deserve to be in heaven, and maybe we are 99% pure. But the problem is that for heaven to be a place of perfection, it has to be 100% pure.

What do we need for heaven? We need a purifier—a way to become 100% pure.

What do we need for heaven? We need a purifier—a way to become 100% pure | CLICK TO TWEET

Jesus is that purifier!

Being the God-man Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all who call upon His name for salvation.

Why the crucifixion? Because Jesus did what we could not do for ourselves.

Why the crucifixion? Because Jesus did what we could not do for ourselves. | CLICK TO TWEET

This is why Scripture says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” (Titus 3:5 KJV)

AND

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

This is the “crucial” difference between Christianity and all other religions. Other religions are “DO” — do this, offer that, serve here, give this. True Christianity is “DONE” — Jesus paid the price on the cross for us!

That is what His life was all about: God the Son dying on the cross for our sins in our place and then rising again 3 days later to overcome death and sin in the process.

If there was some other way by which we could be “good enough,” then why would He have allowed Himself to endure the horror of crucifixion?

Who needs Jesus? We ALL do! There is no other way to enter heaven. As Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but by me.” (John 14:6)

We receive this gift through calling on the Lord Jesus in faith. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

For more help calling on the name of the Lord please see my SALVATION page.

Finally, sometimes people wonder, “If salvation is that simple, then why not just mumble a prayer for salvation and go on living life as usual?”

The answer is that while we are not saved by what we do, if we truly make the choice to follow Christ, our lives will bear the fruit of that choice. We serve Christ, not to be saved, but because we are saved.

Here are some of my articles on the resurrection that you might find helpful:

• The 3 Best Explanations Why Jesus’ Resurrection Never Happened

• Four Powerful Proofs Jesus Lives

• Ten Reasons Why the Resurrection Matters

• Facing Death Fearlessly

The 3 Best Explanations Why Jesus’ Resurrection Never Happened

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In college I had a professor for a class who really bugged me. I studied hard (I thought) for the midterm, and did poorly. So I decided to blow-off the final and just take a low grade for the class. The problem was I studied so little, I completely flunked the final and it brought my grade for the class to failing. And it was a required class.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, perhaps the site of Jesus’ resurrection, CC Image courtesy of Isreltourism on Flickr

This was one of the most embarrassing episodes of my life. Without a passing grade for that class I couldn’t graduate and there was only one semester left.

Thankfully a guidance counselor was able to help me get a correspondence course that could replace the failing grade. I worked overtime my last semester to complete that course so I could graduate on time.

It was a colossal miscalculation—I completely underestimated the importance of doing my due-diligence by studying for that final exam. Lesson learned!

Here’s the point: All of us have a final, final exam.

One day we will give an account to God for how we have responded to the light of the Gospel. | CLICK TO TWEET

Many people are blowing off preparing for that final, final exam. They are thinking like I did, “It’s too difficult, complex, scary, etc. This Jesus thing must have some other explanation. I don’t believe I will have to give an account for what I did with Jesus.”

This thinking is very mistaken, just as I was mistaken about that final exam.

The central event of Christianity is not the birth of Christ, it is the resurrection of Jesus. (See 1 Corinthians 15:17) Don’t blow off understanding the resurrection!

One way of understanding is to know what else might have happened.

There are several counterfeit theories to explain away the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Confident belief is the result of comparison with Biblical truth and the historical record.

What Could Have Happened? Here are the 3 best explanations why Jesus’ resurrection never happened, and why each is entirely inadequate: 

01. The Swoon Theory

This theory is that Jesus did not actually die, but rather He swooned or fainted from exhaustion, loss of blood and pain. Later He revived in the coolness of the stone tomb. Thus, there was no resurrection from the dead.

This is perhaps the most popular theory to try to explain why the resurrection never happened.

Why must this theory be false? Here are 4 reasons:

a. Crucifixion was a very effective method of execution.

The portrayal of crucifixion in “The Passion of the Christ” movie is an accurate depiction of how tortuous, grotesque and efficient it was for killing.

Roman soldiers were expert killers.

They even thrust a spear in Jesus’ side to confirm His death: “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” (John 19:34)

b. If Jesus had not actually been dead, why would His followers have prepared and buried His body?

“So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (John 19:40 GW)

c. Roman guards were stationed at the tomb and would have witnessed and reported Jesus’ exit.

To escape the tomb, Jesus would have had to:

• unwrap his mummy-like grave clothes.

• roll aside a stone weighing one and a half to two tons

• fight off armed Roman guards and flee

Doing any one of these things would have been a miracle almost as great as the resurrection!

d. Would the disciples have been changed so dramatically if they had seen their Savior half dead, bloodied, severely marred and badly in need of medical treatment?

History records that all 11 remaining disciples died for the belief in the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus and salvation through His name. If Jesus has not been raised, they would have known if it were a fabrication and certainly wouldn’t have allowed themselves to be tortured and killed for a lie.

People die for causes they believe deeply, but not for lies they know to be untrue | CLICK TO TWEET

02. The Stolen Body Theory

This theory goes all the way back to the Scriptures which record in Matthew 28:11 that, “While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.”’”

3 reasons this theory must be false:

a. The guards could not witness a body theft while sleeping.

This would be like testifying in court about witnessing a burglary that occurred while you slept. It’s not very credible to be an eyewitness when your eyes are closed!

b. The disciple’s eyewitness of Jesus’ resurrection, central to their faith and hope for eternal life, emboldened them from cowardly to courageous.

They knew they had seen Him thus they were willing to sacrifice all. If the resurrection was a hoax, wouldn’t they have recanted their eyewitness accounts to save their necks?

c. Lying diametrically opposed the ethical message of truth, honesty and sacrificial love of Christ and His disciples.

Could they then promote a faith based on lies resulting in suffering, torture and deaths of thousands in their own lifetimes?

03. The Wrong Tomb Theory

This theory suggests that the women went to the wrong tomb and were simply confused. Being distraught, grief-stricken and the early dawn light caused them to get the address wrong. The tomb was empty, because they were at the wrong one.

Why this theory is false: If the women got it wrong then so did…

• Peter and John

• the Jews

• the Jewish Sanhedrin

• the Romans

• Joseph of Arimethea (tomb owner)

• even the angel!

To think all these went to the wrong tomb is absurd.

Here’s the bottom line:

The only reasonable explanation is the truth–Christ did rise from the dead. | CLICK TO TWEET

It was a supernatural act of God by which He overcame death and sin for all those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. Please click HERE to find out how to receive eternal life through Christ.

For more on the resurrection see my articles:

• Four Powerful Proofs Jesus Lives

• Ten Reasons Why the Resurrection Matters

• What if Jesus had never been Born?

• Six Reasons all Roads DON’T Lead to Heaven

The Best Quick Biblical Answer To Suffering

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When my mother died suddenly from a heart attack in January of 1995 at just 69 years of age, I was devastated. It was so terribly sudden and unexpected. I had anticipated many more years of family gatherings and togetherness. In a flash she was gone. Our family was never the same again.

CC Image courtesy of Jim Voorthies on Flickr

For at least a year I couldn’t think about her without tearing up. But as devastated as I was, my dad was 10 times more! His beloved life partner was suddenly torn from him and there was no going back. My stoic father who hardly ever showed much emotion now openly wept before our family.

Our loss is probably minimal compared to some losses others experience. Crippling illnesses, betrayals, divorces, abuses, financial disasters, torture, beheadings—the list goes on. So much suffering. If I think about it too much, I start to get depressed. Even my favorite movies are “feel good” movies. Why? Because it hurts too much to see people suffer.

Recently a friend asked me to write on “the best quick answer to the problem of evil and suffering.” So after prayerful consideration, this is my best shot.

First, it is important to recognize that what a suffering person really wants is for their pain to end. Unfortunately, I can’t stop anyone’s pain. However, I believe it can be helpful to understand why suffering exists.

The biblical answer to why pain and suffering exists might not be totally satisfying, and for that reason it is wise to keep in mind the inadequacy of other views of suffering and evil. For an explanation please read my article on Four Desperately Hopeless Yet Common Approaches to Suffering and Death.

While some answers are unsatisfying, God’s answer is comparatively quite satisfying. It can also be easy to remember as

3 biblical trees that give a quick answer to suffering:

01. The Tree in the Garden

People ask, “Why doesn’t God create a world without suffering?” The answer is, “He already did!” That was exactly how the world began in the Garden of Eden. It was paradise—the way we think the world should be.

There was only one prohibition in that paradise: people were not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’” (Genesis 2:16-17)

Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s ONE prohibition and thereby sinned against Him. Thus, evil and the resultant suffering entered the world.

They were just the first. From Adam and Eve onward all people have a problem with rebelliousness and the resulting suffering and death.

02. The Tree of Calvary

After Eden there were multiple problems for the human race: not only suffering and death, but also the original cause, sin. To eliminate suffering and death, there would have to be a solution to the sin issue.

Any paradise with sin will no longer be a paradise. | CLICK TO TWEET

While people are unable to solve this problem, God can. And He had a solution. He would overcome sin and death by taking it upon Himself to become a human being, suffering as we do, enduring the incredible burden of bearing all sin on our behalf, and dying for the sins of all who have ever lived.

But while “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a) Jesus, being the God-man, could both bear our sins on the cross AND overcome death by rising from the dead. “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)

What wonderfully liberating Good News (Gospel).

And this is what He did through the Tree of Calvary, the cross! The cross of Calvary is the ultimate answer to suffering. Christ suffered to end suffering for us.

03. The Tree of Life

There is a third tree that many forget about. It is found in the paradise to come.

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” (Revelation 22:13-14 ESV)

Everyone longs for paradise where there is no evil and suffering. It is coming! And it will be eternal paradise.

It is ironic that the same devil who deceived Adam and Eve into eating from the tree in Eden, is still deceiving people into rejecting the Way to the next paradise, heaven.

How is the devil deceiving people today?

• Some think they don’t need forgiveness (see Romans 3:23)

• Some think paradise will be eternal boredom (see Revelation 21-22)

• Some love rebelliousness (see John 3:16-19)

• Many try to earn forgiveness by their own goodness which is impossible (see Titus 3:5)

Scripture tells us why it seems to be taking so long to usher in this new paradise often called heaven. 2 Peter 3:9 says: “The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” (CEV)

Why is God waiting? He is waiting for you who have not received the gift of salvation.

Please click this link to receive the gift of eternal life today.

I abhor pain and suffering. And I find other answers to suffering totally inadequate. But God’s answer is logical, adequate and motivating toward receiving and sharing the Good News: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14 KJV)

For more help on this topic of suffering see my articles:

• What if God Eliminated all Suffering?

• My Classmate Bart Ehrman’s Hopeless Response to Suffering and Death

• 6 Solutions When You Suffer for Doing Good

• What Does God Owe Me? 

• Ten Ways to Survive and Thrive in a Disaster