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What are the dangers of correcting an unbeliever, and does it really bring them into the family of God by doing this? Did Jesus Ever Condemn A Unbeliever? Lastly, what does the Bible say about how we are to approach an unbeliever?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by winter mckinney on
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Tammy,
That's the one:)
~Winter
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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However, no matter how good we are and how obedient, it is not enough to get us into heaven. The following article is an example of the way Jesus treated a seeker who came to Him with questions and was just not ready to commit to Christ. Jesus did handle people differently, based on their motives. Some were out to kill Him. Others were truly seeking. Jesus knew the hearts of people. We cannot see the hearts of people or know their true motives. Jesus confronted many people with their sin and many were offended by Him and many turned away from Him. Read John 6:60-70.
Question: "Why is being a good person not enough to get you into heaven?"
Answer: This is the proverbial million dollar question because if you ask anyone on the street what you have to do to get into heaven (assuming they believe in heaven or an after-life), the overwhelming response will be some form of “being a good person.” Most, if not all, religions and worldly philosophies are ethically based. Whether it’s Islam, Judaism, or secular humanism, most believe getting to heaven is a matter of being a good person—following the Ten Commandments, or the precepts found in the Quran, or the Golden Rule. But is this what Christianity teaches? Is Christianity just one of many world religions that teach that being a good person will get us into heaven? Let’s examine one of Jesus’ encounters found in the Gospels to help us get some answers. The story is found in Matthew 19:16-26; it is the story of the rich, young ruler:
The first thing we note in this story is that the rich, young ruler is asking the right question: “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” In asking the question, he is acknowledging the fact that despite all his efforts thus far, there is something lacking and he wants to know what else must be done to obtain eternal life. However, even though he is asking the right question, he is asking it from the wrong worldview—that of merit (“What good deed must I do...”); he has failed to grasp the true meaning of the Law, as Jesus will point out to him, which was to serve as a tutor until the time of Christ (Galatians 3:24).
The second thing to note is Jesus’ response to his question. Jesus turns the tables by asking him why he is inquiring into what is good. In other words, Jesus is trying to get to the heart of the matter, namely, that no one is good and no one does good except God. As noted earlier, the man is operating under a false premise, that man is able to do that which is good and earn his way into heaven. To prove his point, Jesus says to him that if he wants eternal life, he should keep the commandments. In saying this, Jesus is not advocating for a works righteousness program. Rather, Jesus is challenging his suppositions by showing the man’s shallow understanding of the law and human ability.
The young man’s response is very telling. When told to keep the commandments, he asks Jesus “which ones?” If you or I were in Jesus’ shoes, we might be tempted to say “Um, all of them! What a silly question.” But Jesus continues to gently show the man the error of his ways by giving him the second table of the law, i.e., the commandments that deal with our relationships to other human beings. You can almost sense the frustration in the young man’s response to Jesus when he tells him that he as kept all of these since his youth. Two things to point out here: First, the irony in the young man’s response. In saying he has kept all those commandments since his youth, he has broken the commandment regarding false witness. If he were truly being honest with himself, he would have said that as hard as he has tried to keep the commandments, he fails on a daily basis. He has a shallow understanding of the law and human ability. Second, he still knows deep in his heart of hearts that he is not good enough; even his shallow law-keeping isn’t satisfying his soul. He asks Jesus, “What do I still lack?”
Jesus now delivers the ‘killing’ blow to this man’s self-righteousness. He tells him that if wishes to be perfect (i.e., complete), he must sell all that he has and come follow Him. Jesus has perfectly diagnosed the man’s ‘lack’—his great wealth. The man’s wealth has become an idol in his life, and if truly knew the commandments, he would have known that the very first commandment says that we are to have no other gods before the one, true and living God! This man’s ‘god’ was his wealth. Furthermore, Jesus’ exhortation for the man to follow Him was a command to follow the very Son of God, who himself is God. This young man was a slave to his great wealth. When told to give his wealth away and follow Jesus, he goes away saddened.
Jesus now turns to His disciples to teach them the moral of the story. “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” This was shocking to the disciples, who understood the commonly held idea that riches were a sign of God’s blessing on someone with whom He was well pleased. But Jesus is saying that is impossible for a rich man (or any man) to enter the kingdom of God. His disciples understood this because they ask essentially the same question the rich, young ruler asked, but they ask it from the right perspective: “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answers by saying, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Who can be saved? If left up to man alone, no one! Why is being a good person not enough to get you into heaven? Because no one is a ‘good’ person; there is only one who is good, and that is God himself. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Bible also says that the wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23a). We learn that while we were in our sinful state, Christ died for the unrighteous (Romans 5:8).
Finally, if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). This salvation in Christ is a precious gift and it is nothing that we can earn through our good works (Romans 6:23b; Ephesians 2:8-9). The message of the gospel is that we can never be good enough to get to heaven. We must recognize the fact that we are sinners who daily fall short of God’s glory, and we must obey the command to repent of our sins and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, who alone was good enough to earn heaven, and who gives that merit to those who believe in His name.
Recommended Resource: Jesus Among Other gods by Ravi Zacharias.
http://www.gotquestions.org/good-person.html
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Amanda,
Ravi Zacharias is my favorite author and the one and only person I want to meet here on earth. I have this book, and I think all of the rest too:) Have you ever met him..if you say yes I will be so jealous...lol.
~Winter
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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Winter,
In regard to little children...Jesus meant, that He wants us to be ready to listen and accept His truths as little children would accept. Instead, many adults start asking questions that they haven't yet read the Bible to learn. I think the questions are fine, however, if a person believes that the Bible is God's Instructions to us, so many things would be answered for them. Problem: many don't believe that the Bible is God's Word! We need to enter God's kingdom believing that His Word is truth. Once that is accomplished, the learning becomes easier.
We all can be as little children when we get to the point where we stand on His Word.
Blessings...
Rita
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Yes, God wants us to trust Him the way a child is always ready to trust and always asking for help.
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Rita,
That is so true:)
~Winter
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Nothing comes from condemning an unbeliever. You can't convict them with the Word that they don't believe in, in the first place. You just only need to reach out towards them for salvation. Jesus never condemned the sinner. His condemnation was always towards the religious Pharisees & such.
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Yes, the Lord never condemned people who saw their sin ... only those who were self righteous.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Tammy,
I would make an adjustment to what you have said. God has already given the condemnation for sin. It started in the Garden of Eden and is seen on the cross and restated in Romans 6:23. We are born into sin under condemnation because of that sin. When one is saved there is a dual realization that takes place. They realize their guilt and the offer that Jesus has made. Thus, they realize what they are being saved from and to Whom they are being saved.
We do not condemn the lost, we share the light, the truth. The light reveals the things hidden by darkness. Then they have a choice. They can choose the light or choose to remain in darkness.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Isn't that what I said? I'm now confused & it doesn't take much so don't feel too bad about it.
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If that is what you meant, I will go with that. I did not read your comment that way.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Tammy,
I agree with this, I remember talking to a friend one time that had recently received Christ and asking her why it took her so long to be saved. She kinda laughed and then told me that because people approached her by saying "You need to get saved" or "Ask Jesus into your heart" she really didn't understand what she needed to get saved from, because her life was so great. She always thought being a "good" person would get her into heaven. My friend came to the Lord due to several people in her life. She said that wherever she went there seemed to be Christians and she couldn't get away from them lol. One day a friend of hers lost a little girl, but she still trusted God. She never lost hope that the little girl would be found and come back home. When the child did come back it was in a casket two years later. After hearing the stories of the hardships and pain in her life and then loosing a child she just couldn't understand how someone could believe and love, an invisible being. To make a long story short, because this woman always showed love and never wavered from the Lord despite everything. She decided to give it a try she said...and it stuck. A lot of people cannot imagine this kind of pain but believe me the unsaved are watching and they are wanting to know how you will handle bad situations no matter how big or small. They don't live by the Bible but they certainly will make sure you are.
~Winter
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