TWO MINUTE MESSAGE - HOW MANY TIMES CAN CHRISTIANS SIN AND STILL GO TO HEAVEN?

Outdoor Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZNsMngfxMw

Indoor Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOfzEe0wLkg

H

OW MANY SINS CAN WE COMMIT AND STILL GO TO HEAVEN?”  Would you say that if I am a Christian I can commit as many sins as I can commit and still get to heaven when I die?

Or would you say that a Christian really shouldn’t sin but a few once in a while won’t hurt?

Hi I’m Pastor Rick Jones, and I’ve about a TWO MINUTE MESSAGE for you to think about.

It’s an interesting question.  “How many sins can we commit and still go to heaven?”

And as is so often the case, the question itself raises another question:  Why are you asking? 

And gets to the heart of the question—literally.

Why would a child of God, born of the Spirit, adopted into the family of God, who loves the Lord with all his or her heart, be asking

“How many times can I dishonor you Lord?” And still live with you in heaven forever?  Or,

“How many times can I disobey you Lord?”

And still enjoy the blessings of your love?  Or,

“How many times can I disgrace you Lord?”

And still experience the joy of your presence?

In fact, those who are born of the Spirit, who walk in the Spirit, and who are led by the Spirit, are not asking …

How many times can I dishonor you Lord,

They are asking… what Lord can I do to honor you Lord?

We are not asking, “How many times can I disobey you Lord,” rather, “In what ways Lord may I please and obey you?”

We are not asking “What disgrace will God’s grace cover? Rather, “Lord how can we live to the praise of the glory of His grace?”

In fact, if there is a part of our heart that hopes that we can get away with doing “our will” rather than “God’s will,” our love for God is not yet whole-hearted.

And that is the issue.  Jesus said that all the commandments could be summed up into two—Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself.

It is loving God, loving God without reservation, and in loving God with a passion—a fervent desire to please Him in everything, that our love for God is perfected.

John tells us, “God is love, and he that dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in him.”  And this love longs to do God’s will.  “This is the love of God that we keep His commandments.”

So if I fail to keep His commandments, it’s actually because I failed to love God as I ought.

Can God forgive us? Of course, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  When we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But let’s not ask how close to the line we can draw and still enter the city of God, let’s ask “Lord what more can I do to express my love and my gratitude for your sacrifice and death on the cross?”  I hope you’ll think about it.