by Tom Sutcliff

Created on: August 01, 2008

No! If being good was the requirement for getting into heaven, how would you know if you were ever good enough? Christianity explicitly states that Christ is 'the way and the truth and the light and that no man comes to the Father but through me (Jesus Christ).'

We cannot be good enough nor do enough good works to earn our way into heaven. That is applying a human standard to a divine issue. The fact is that salvation can only be gained by accepting the free gift of salvation, by the bloodied cross and the empty tomb, given by Jesus Christ. While this does not mean that we will never sin again, it does mean that we are turning away from our past life of sin and accepting the sin debt that was paid in full on the cross.

I've heard atheists say that they are not going to hell because they don't believe in it. My response to them is that simply because you don't believe in something does not mean that it does not exist. One could decide that he or she does not believe in gravity since, like faith, it is something that you cannot see, feel, taste, hear or touch. Regardless of belief, if you break the law of gravity by jumping from a high building or a bridge, you'll quickly learn that the effect of disregarding the law of gravity can be anywhere from painful to fatal.

The same holds true of the afterlife. Regardless of what one believes now, once we leave this world we will know for certain where we will spend eternity. Once we've died, there is no turning back. The Biblical story of Lazarus in hell, trying to warn his earthly-living brothers on how to avoid eternal torment should make everyone understand how important it is to repent of your sins and accept the free gift of salvation offered by God's earthly incarnation, Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:27 30 "He answered, Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
" No, father Abraham,' he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

The famous French mathematician Blaise Paschal is known for his famous wager on this issue. It goes like this: If I believe in what it takes to get into heaven and I die and there is nothing, then I've lost nothing. However, if I die without believing in what is necessary for salvation and there is a hell, then I am doomed for eternity.

This is one wager you cannot afford to lose, so choose the free gift of salvation offered by Christ and know for certain that you won't be doomed to hell.

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