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It is a sad matter when we hesitate to tell someone we love that they are on the verge of making a grave mistake, simply because we don’t want them to be angry with us for discouraging them. Or when a loved one is presently partaking in some activity that could potentially do them great harm -- but they enjoy doing it so much, and it makes them so happy, so we hold our peace, lest we cause an uncomfortable rift in the relationship. “It’s not for me, but it’s fine for you”, “To each his own”, and, “Who am I to judge?” we often say, to salve our own consciences, when we know that they are headed for trouble. But what if you really feel you are refraining from mentioning their error due to a sincere motive of love for them -- so as to avoid causing them anxiety, or keep them from becoming angry, or hurt, offended, or even emotionally unraveled? After all, doesn’t everyone believe that never upsetting someone is the most loving thing you could do for them?
Let’s imagine a situation wherein you have been granted the exclusive knowledge, by a loved one’s physician, for example, that your loved one has been diagnosed with a deadly disease for which there is absolutely no cure. Add to that the supposition that your loved one sincerely believes that, due to what they have been doing to maintain their health, they have never been in better shape, and they are going about their merry way, without a care in the world.
 Is it a more loving thing to conceal from your loved one the fact that they are perhaps weeks away from death -- because you know that if they were to find out, it would absolutely devastate them and totally ruin the few days they do have left? Or, would it be more loving thing to inform them of their grave physical condition -- out of your deep concern for their well-being -- so that they can begin to deal with the situation with serious consideration, and get themselves prepared for death?
Now, what about spirituality, or religion? Would the more loving thing be to tell someone that they are mistaken about what they are counting on (or disregarding, for that matter) with regard to what will happen to them after they die? The most popular philosophy these days is to condemn someone as hateful or judgmental when they dare tell someone that they are mistaken in their religious or spiritual beliefs -- especially when that person has always considered themselves to be Christian (as we did), that what they are believing in is not true according to the Word of God -- that it is offensive to God or makes Him very angry, separates us from God in this present life, and will cause them to exist in an eternity of indescribable horror when they die. Why? Because the recipient of such charges may well be offended, or become fearful, anxious, angry, guilty in conscience, or emotionally unraveled, and that would be a very bad thing indeed. Wouldn’t it?
The Bible very clearly teaches that every one of us is under the wrath and curse of Almighty God. Indeed, the same one true God from Whom we happily receive His claim that He is love also makes it abundantly clear in the Bible that He is perfectly holy and just, and must execute the judgment of condemnation for all who transgress the holy Law He established to govern His creation. Yet somehow, we don’t want that part of the One true God. That just doesn’t sound very loving to our little ears down here on earth. We don’t like that God; we want nothing to do with Him, nor do we want to hear about Him. He makes us sad, anxious, depressed, or, in many cases, downright angry.
Still, the truth of the matter is that we have all transgressed His holy Law, having failed to keep His standard of perfect righteousness revealed in its most basic form in what we know as His Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:1-20). The Bible teaches that we cannot keep God’s holy standard of perfection because of sin (the ever-present personal, volitional rebellion against Him and His Word that permeates the very heart and soul of every one of us), and there is absolutely no act of righteousness, nor any sufferings, nor sacraments, nor religious acrobatics of any kind that we can perform that are sufficient to impress Him, let alone remove His curse of condemnation from our account -- His requirement is nothing short of sinless perfection. In fact, when we try to accomplish right-standing with God by our own good deeds or devotion to religion, it is as if we are attempting to bribe a perfectly just, infinitely holy Almighty Judge to simply overlook the guilt of our act of treason against Him, based upon our perception that our good works carry a greater weight of glory than the weight of the guilt of our sin against that very same infinitely holy God. Consider the grave consequences of holding to such a belief.
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That is why God has made it very clear in the Bible that each of us is in desperate need of a Divine Savior. The wonderful news is that Jesus Christ, Who is Almighty God in human flesh and called God’s only begotten Son, descended from His throne in Heaven some 2000 years ago to be born of a virgin, and obeyed the Law of God perfectly in our place. According to the will of God, He died a horrible, humiliating death on a bloody cross to suffer the penalty for our sins. The Scripture says God crushed and bruised Him for our sins and wickedness. After three days in the grave, God the Father raised Christ from the dead to demonstrate that His sacrifice was pleasing, perfect, and sufficient as the sacrifice to completely pay the debt all of humanity owes to God for our sin. The Bible says Christ accomplished this in one single act of righteousness on behalf of sinners throughout eternity past and present -- all who would, through God’s gift of eternal life, repent from sin and place their trust in Christ.
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It cannot be said too clearly -- God so loved us, His rebellious, cursed creatures, and so desired that we would be saved that He placed all of our sin on Jesus Christ, and executed the death penalty upon His perfect, sinless Son in order to satisfy His righteous demands that sin be punished. God made Christ our substitute. He became the full “ransom” payment for all who will believe, and God makes the offer that we sinners, through faith, exchange the curse of our sin for Christ’s righteousness when we repent (turn) from following our own sinful hearts, and place our trust completely and personally in what Christ accomplished on the cross, thereby trusting in the God Who accomplished this.
There is no call for “religion” in order to complete the transaction, with respect to salvation unto eternal life. What He does require of us (and of all mankind, to be sure) is obedient, repentant faith through humble submission to Christ as Lord and King, which is demonstrated by a thankful heart that loves Him, and flowing forth from that love, strives to serve Him and His people, and know Him more deeply through His revealed Word, the Bible, and by the power of His Holy Spirit, become progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ. And we can only begin to do so when we have the Spirit of Christ indwelling us. Finally, out of thankfulness to Him for His mercy and grace -- and due to Christ’s command that we do so -- we are to share the glorious gospel of salvation with everyone else we meet.
The Bible clearly demonstrates that we reject God’s free offer of the gift of salvation when we disregard or ignore it. We also forfeit that salvation when, in order to ensure our salvation, we determine to combine a said faith in Jesus with any sort of good works or religious practice. The Bible teaches that whether we reject the gospel of salvation as a free gift from God, or we simply add religion or works to the already sufficient payment of Christ’s life, we face the sure prospect of an eternal hell, where Jesus said, “the fire is never quenched.” The Bible says that if we repent from sin, and repent from performing good deeds in order to earn our way into God’s grace, and are trusting solely on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have eternal life, and it can never be lost... because it is God Who gives us His righteousness, and His promise, which will never fail.
Believe it or not, this is the most loving thing we could ever tell you -- yes, even if it causes you to come completely unraveled. We plead with you... be reconciled to God through Christ.
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