A VERSE TO REMEMBER

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Mt 25.45, 46).

Christians use the fear of Hell as motivation for unbelievers to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ uses the fear of Hell as motivation for believers to practice what is preached in the Gospels. Those bound for “eternal punishment” are not just those who do not “know God” but also those who do not “obey the Gospel” (2Thes 1.8, 9).

A VERSE TO REMEMBER:

“We have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” (1Tim 4.10).

We can read this verse two primary ways (though there could be others): Jesus’ death justified the sins of all people (Arminian) or “all people” means only “those who believe” (Calvinist). One view emphasizes the fact that Jesus died for the sins of all (2Cor 5.21), while the other believes His sacrifice is imputed only to those who believe it to be true. But we must ask the question: is something true only because we believe it is or does a truth only affect us when we place our faith in it? Gravity is true apart from faith but faith in it keeps one grounded in reality.