WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?
For more reading about Heaven, click here
Answers to Bible Questions
Scriptures are from the KJV of the Bible
(Q) WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE??
(A) When we try to talk to people about God and Salvation; most will have an excuse of some kind why they are not ready for that discussion yet. What about you? What’s your excuse?
It’s puzzling to me why anyone would put off their salvation. God is offering salvation as a free gift to anyone on this planet just by trusting or believing by faith what Christ Jesus accomplished for all of mankind at Calvary some 2000 years ago. Make no mistake, God has provided the one and only means to Eternal Life through Christ our Lord and Saviour. We are all sinners and deserve eternal separation from God in the eternal lake of fire. You cannot pay for your own sins; only Christ could do that. It took Christ’s death, burial and resurrection to pay for all sin. Christ’s precious Holy blood was shed for the forgiveness of all sin, past, present and future. There are no works required on our part, just Faith in Christ and what He did for us. All God is asking is for us to trust Him. Is that so hard to do? Again make no mistake about it, God will not, and cannot allow anyone still in their sins at the time of their death to enter His Heaven. That’s why Christ Jesus came into our world as a human being. He took our sins at Calvary and paid the price for our sins, so we by faith in Him could receive forgiveness and the free gift of Eternal Life with God. God will not ever compromise on this issue. It cost God the Father the life of His Son Christ Jesus.
So again, WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?? Could it be one of the following reasons?
1. “I’m not ready.” Why are you not ready? What is holding you back? Now is the day of salvation. 11 Corinthians 6: 2: 2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
2. “I have to think about it.” “Why?” It’s disarming, isn’t it? Because often times the first objection is just a reflex defense.
3. “I’ve always believed in God.” “That isn’t going to help you any. The demons believe in God and shudder” James 2: 19: 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
4. “My friends will think I’m crazy.” “That’s probably true, but the issue now is: Are you
ready to invite Jesus into your life?”
5. “Other religions tell me that I need to work my way into heaven.” There are only two types of religions in the world. One says that Jesus might be a prophet, a teacher, or a good guy, but that He is not God. It also believes that you can work your way to heaven-by a terrorist act, eating the right food, performing religious rites, or living a good life.
Christianity, however, makes two opposite claims: (1) Jesus is God, and (2) God had to come to man; man couldn’t go to God and could do nothing to work his way to Heaven. Ephesians 2: 8-9: 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
So we have opposing views that can’t both be right. The important questions are: Which one is true? And how do we know? Start by examining the claims of Christ. He is either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. Christ either lied about being God, or He was demented, or He is all He claimed to be. There is no evidence that Jesus lied. He certainly didn’t have any of the symptoms of a lunatic. So it leaves only one conclusion: He is who He claimed to be.
6. “How could God send anyone to hell?” Do you realize that God doesn’t simply look around and say, “I’ll send that one and that one to hell”? God sent His Son into the world to save the whole world, not some of it. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Rom. 10:13: 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Anyway God does not send anyone to hell. You send yourself to hell by not believing in God, and not believing what Christ did for you at Calvary.
7. “Not today.” “If you were to die right now, having not accepted Christ, where would you go?” If you realizes that you would go to hell, you should not resist much longer. .
8. “There’s error in the Bible.” Could you show me one?” Or will you say, “Well,
I haven’t read it yet for myself. So get busy, start reading and believe what you read! 2 Timothy 3: 16: 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
9. ‘Aren’t there many translations of the Bible?” The answer is absolutely yes. There are many translations, but basically they all say the same thing. When somebody asks that question, it’s usually a defense mechanism. I use the KJV of the Bible because it presents a better translation of the Hebrew and Greek language, but no translation is perfect. Only the original Hebrew and Greek writings that were inspired by God were perfect. There were no mistakes, or contradictions in the original God inspired writings. Translations are not perfect. This is why you should have a good Dictionary of Bible Words with the original meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words that were translated into English.
10. “How do you know the Bible is true?” For one thing, archaeological data proves it. There are over 14,000 New Testament manuscript copies in existence today. And when scholars compare them, they can’t find more than a paragraph’s worth of difference-and most of those are misspellings or alternate spellings. None of them affect basic doctrinal issues. All the evidence points to the conclusion that we have an accurate text. The first manuscript fragment of the gospel of John is dated only about 40 years from the time it was written.
Even though we know the Bible is 100 percent true, we need to realize that we can’t force people to accept it as true. If they don’t want to accept it, they won’t, no matter how much evidence we give them. Every time we offer evidence, they will ask for more-because they don’t want to believe.
When a leading lawyer at Harvard University decided to hold a mock trial to see if there was enough evidence to prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ, do you know what he concluded? He said that beyond a shadow of a doubt, the preponderance of evidence exists to show that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. But he said, “I choose not to believe it.”
You can’t make anybody believe anything. You could try to convince me that Abraham Lincoln lived, but if I didn’t want to believe it I wouldn’t.
The question I ask people who say they won’t believe the Bible is this: “What would it take to prove to you that it is God’s Word?” Most of the time they don’t even know. It is a practiced defense they are giving you.
So who is Christ Jesus and why is He so important to our salvation? Colossians 1: 14-28: 14In whom (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Don’t you get it? God loves all people and He is not willing that any should perish, but YOU need to make your own free will choice to put your life in the hands of the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind.
You need to make a choice now before you die! Once you die your eternal destiny has been sealed, and cannot ever change. Think about it! Is any excuse you think you have worth loosing Eternal Life with God in Heaven? Excuses don’t count with God!
The bottom line is that you are going to live for eternity; believe it or not, but where will you spend that eternity? You have only two choices; Heaven or Hell! Choose wisely! Quit making excuses!
Acknowledge that Christ Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, NOW, while you still have time!
What’s your Excuse now?
Maranatha ( Lord Come )
John