Subject: You Must Read This!

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 15:18:05 -0700 (PDT)

Does God Love You?

Q. What kind of a question is that? Anyone who can read sees signs, tracts, 
booklets and bumper stickers saying, "God Loves You." Isn't that true?
A. It's true that God offers His love to the whole world, as we read in one of the most 
quoted verses in the Bible:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in Him shall not perish, but have ever lasting life." John 3:16 
However, God's love is qualified, as we read in the Bible:
"The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord; but He loveth him that 
followeth after righteousness." Proverb 15:9
"For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall 
perish." Psalms 1:6 
Q. But I am not wicked. I am a decent moral person. Surely the good I have done 
in my life far outweighs whatever bad I have done. How can these verses apply 
to me?
A. By God's standards of righteousness even the most moral person is looked upon by 
God as a desperate sinner on his way to Hell. The Bible teaches that no one good 
enough in himself to go to Heaven. On the contrary we are all sinners and are guilty 
before God.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that 
understand, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:10,11.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know 
it?" Jeremiah 17:9 
Q. If I am such a wicked person in God's sight what will God do to me?
A. The Bible teaches that at the end of the world all the wicked will come under eternal 
punishment in a place called Hell.
"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall 
consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundation of the 
mountain. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. 
They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat and with bitter 
destruction." Deuteronomy 32:22-24 
Q. Oh, come on now! Hell isn't real, is it? Surely things aren't that bad.
A. Indeed, Hell is very real, and "things are that bad" for the individual who does not know 
the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. The Bible makes many references to Hell, indicating it 
is both eternal, and consists of perpetual suffering.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of 
fire." Revelation 20:15
"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the 
wicked from among the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. Matthew 
13:49-50
"... when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in 
flaming fire taking vengence on them that know not God, and that obey not the 
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting 
destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." II 
Thessalonians 1:7-9 
Q. That's terrible! Why would God create a Hell?
A. Hell is terrible, and it exists because God created man to be accountable to God for 
his actions. His perfect justice demands payment for sin.
"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23
"For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that everyone may 
receive the things done in his body, whether it be good or bad." II Corinthians 
5:10
"But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give 
account thereof in the day of judgement." Matthew 12:36 
Q. Does that mean that at the end of the world everyone will be brought to life 
again to be judged and then be sent to Hell?
A. Indeed this is so - that is, unless we can find someone to be our substitute in bearing 
the punishment of eternal damnation for our sins. That someone is God Himself, Who 
came to earth to bear the wrath of God for all who believe in Him.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; 
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53.6
"...He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities..." 
Isaiah 53.5
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died 
for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose 
again the third day according to the scriptures." I Corinthians 15:3,4
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made 
the righteousness of God in him." II Corinthians 5:21 
Q. Are you saying that, if I trust in Christ as my substitute who was already 
punished for my sins, then I will not have to worry about Hell anymore?
A. Yes, this is so! If I have believed in Christ as my Savior, then it is as if I have already 
stood before the judgement throne of God. Christ as my substitute has already paid for 
my sins.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that 
sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is 
passed from death into life." John 5:24 
Q. But what does it mean to believe on Him? If I agree with all that the Bible says 
about Christ as Savior, then am I saved from going to Hell?
A. Believing on Christ means a whole lot more than agreeing in our minds with truths of 
the Bible. It means that we hang our whole lives on Him. It means that we entrust every 
part of our lives to the truths of the Bible. It means that we turn away from our sins and 
serve Christ as our Lord.
"No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, 
or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and 
mammon." Matthew 6:24
"Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out..." Acts 
3:19 
Q. Are you saying that there is no other way to escape Hell except through 
Jesus? What about all the other religions? Will their followers also go to Hell?
A. Yes, indeed. We cannot escape the fact that God holds us accountable for our sins. 
God demands that we pay for our sins. Other religions cannot provide a substitute for the 
sins of their followers. Christ is the only one who is available to bear our guilt.
"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven 
given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, 
but by me." John 14:6
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 
Q. Now I am desperate. I don't want to go to Hell. What can I do?
A. You must remember that God is the only one who can help you. You must throw 
yourself altogether on the mercies of God. As you see your hopeless condition as a 
sinner, cry out to God that He will save you.
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto 
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner." 
Luke 18:13
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." Acts 16:30, 31
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 
10:13 
Q. But how can I believe on Christ if I know so little about Him?
A. Wonderfully God not only saved us through the Lord Jesus, but also gives us the faith 
to believe on Him. You can pray to God that He will give you faith in Jesus Christ as Your 
Savior.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift 
of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8 
God works particularly through the Bible to give us that faith. So, if you really mean 
business with God about your salvaiton, you should use every opportunity to hear and 
study the Bible, which is the only Word of God.
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 
10:17 
Q. Does this mean that I have to surrender everything to God?
A. Yes. God wants us to come to Him in total humility, acknowledging our sinfulness and 
our helplessness, trusting totally in Him.
"Saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a 
contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Isaiah 66:2b 
Because we are sinners we love our sins. Therefore we must begin to pray to God for an 
intense hatred for our sins. And if we sincerely desire salvation, we will also begin to turn 
from our sins as God strengthens us. We know that it is our sins that are sending us to 
Hell.
"Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in 
turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Acts 3:26 
Q. I don't know if I am ready to do that. I need some time to think about it.
A. You might not have much time. For one thing, you might not live to see tomorrow. 
What God said to the man who trusted in the things of this world, He could say to you, 
"Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." Luke 12:20
Also, the Bible says that the end of the world is coming soon.
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice 
of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day 
of wrath. Zephaniah 1:1415a 
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. James 
5:8
Q. Is the day of wrath and judgment really near? Can we know how close to the 
end of the world we might be?
A. Yes! It is near. God gives much information in the Bible which tells us that we are very 
near the end of the world.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. . . . 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 24:12, 14
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and 
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 
24:24
Q. Besides being the time for Judgment Day, what else will happen at the end of 
the world?
A. Those who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior will be transformed into their glorious 
eternal bodies and will be with Christ forevermore.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then 
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the 
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I 
Thessalonians 4:1617
Also, God will destroy the entire universe by fire and create new heavens and a new earth 
where Christ will reign with His believers forevermore.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall 
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth 
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up . . . Nevertheless we, according to 
his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. II 
Peter 3:10, 13
Q. Why does God give us this warning?
A. Just as God warned ancient Nineveh that He was going to destroy that great city and 
He gave them forty days warning, the Bible also warns us that the end is very near.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty 
days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. Jonah 3:4
Q. What did the people of Nineveh do?
A. From the king on down, they humbled themselves before God, repented of their sins, 
and cried to God for mercy.
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let 
them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who 
can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish 
not? Jonah 3:89
Q. Did God hear their prayers?
A. Yes. God saved a great many people of Nineveh.
Q. Can I still cry to God for mercy so that I will not come into judgment?
A. Yes. There is still time to become saved even though that time has become very short.
Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be 
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. Hebrews 2:3
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. 
Selah. Psalm 62:78
ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD?