All people have sinned. The difference between those who will be saved and those who will be lost is not whether they have sinned or not, but whether they have accepted or rejected Jesus Christ, the Savior whom God gave to the world.
“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves, for it is a gift of God. And this is not of works, so that no one may glory.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Many people ask this question:
“Will people go to hell because of the sins they have committed?”
When we carefully read the Bible, we discover that all human beings have sinned.
“For all have sinned and all are in need of the glory of God.”(Romans 3:23)
If God were to judge people solely on the basis of their sins, no one would be saved.
We all deserved death and judgment.
“For the wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
But in His love, God sent Jesus Christ to bear the condemnation that our sins deserved.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Those who will go to heaven will not be there because they never sinned. They will be there because they believed in Jesus Christ and received the grace of God.
Likewise, those who will go to hell will not be there because they alone sinned, since all people have sinned.
They will remain under the condemnation of their sins because they rejected the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever is unbelieving toward the Son shall not see life; instead the wrath of God remains upon him.” (John 3:36)
Salvation does not depend on our works, but on the grace of God received through faith.
“But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith is not a work by which we save ourselves.
It is believing that Jesus accomplished what we could never accomplish, that He died for our sins, and that He rose again to give us new life.
That is why a Christian can say:
“I will not be saved because I was better than others. I will not be saved because of my works. I will be saved by the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ.”
When a person believes in Christ, God declares that person righteous.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
DOES THIS MEAN WE ARE FREE TO SIN?
No.
“So what shall we say? Should we remain in sin, so that grace may abound? Let it not be so! For how can we who have died to sin still live in sin?” (Romans 6:1-2)
The grace of God is not a license to sin. On the contrary, it transforms the human heart and teaches us to live a new life.
“For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men,
instructing us to reject impiety and worldly desires, so that we may live soberly and justly and piously in this age,” (Titus 2:11-12)
Good works are not the cause of salvation; they are the fruit of it.
We do not do good works in order to be saved; we do good works because we have been saved.
Today, do not put your trust in your own works.
Believe in Jesus Christ, receive the grace of God, and walk in the new life He offers you.
No one will be saved by their own works.
All who are saved will be saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and unable to save myself.
I believe that You died for my sins and rose again to give me eternal life.
Today, I receive You as my Lord and Savior.
Lead me in Your ways and help me to live according to Your will. Amen.
Apostle Dr. Jean-Claude SINDAYIGAYA