Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)
Many people said that all religions are the same. They all teach us to be good.
This is not true. We must first know if something is true or false before we talk about whether it is good and bad. If you do something good for what is false, you are helping to spread a lie.
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. (Proverbs 18:17 BSB, CSB)
Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! (Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1 NLT)
All men live by faith, both the just and unjust. It is impossible for men not to have a belief system. It is by faith that they have eternal life or eternal damnation because their belief system is either true or false.
Atheism and secular humanism are belief systems, just like any other religions. Here is an atheist's confession of faith by Richard Charles Lewontin (1929–2021) quoted from this article "Remembering a Biologist’s Remarkable Confession of Faith | Mind Matters".
QUOTE
In 1997, Lewontin published a review of celebrity science commentator Carl Sagan's book The Demon-Haunted World in which he blurted:
"Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door. The eminent Kant scholar Lewis Beck used to say that anyone who could believe in God could believe in anything. To appeal to an omnipotent deity is to allow that at any moment the regularities of nature may be ruptured, that miracles may happen."
Richard Lewontin "Billions and Billions of Demons" at New York Review of Books (January 9, 1997)
UNQUOTE
This is a link to a shorter version of quotation taken from A-Z Quotes | Quotes for All Occasions.
So, any scientific evidence for God would be rejected by atheists because they have "a commitment to materialism ... forced by our a priori adherence to material causes" and the belief that "materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door ... that anyone who could believe in God could believe in anything".
For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. (Romans 1:19-21 BSB)
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and they changed the glory of the immortal God into a likeness of an image of mortal man and birds and quadrupeds and creeping things. (Romans 1:22-23 BLB)
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17 ESV)
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:1-7 ESV)
Adam sinned and sin and death entered the world because of him. But what did Adam do? Did he break any of the ten commandments? He cannot. They did not exist then. So, what did Adam do that caused sin and death to enter the world?
He ate something.
Dietary issues are so important that it cause sin and death to enter the world?
No. Action and performance do not count. It is his belief, or unbelief, that caused sin and death to enter the world.
Adam did not believe. Adam did not believe the Truth, the Word of God. He chose to believe in the lie, the word of the serpent. Because of his unbelief, sin and death entered the world. So, God made provision for the salvation of men by making His Son Jesus the propitiation for our sins that whosoever believe in Him shall have everlasting life.
For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19 ESV)
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 ESV)
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 ESV)
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV)
It is written, "The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:7, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38)". This is repeated four times in the Bible, once by Habakkuk in Old Testament, and quoted three times by Paul in the New Testament.
In reality, everyone lives by faith. We all have faith in the usual. We just take for granted that everything will just happen as per normal. Nothing extraordinary will happen and nature will take its course. When we take our next step, we never fear that the ground will give way and swallow us up. When we sleep, we assume we will wake up. When we sit on a chair, we do not expect the chair to give way.
We cannot live without faith because we are not all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing (omniscience) and all-present (omnipresent). We have no time and no means to prove everything. We just have to trust that the information we have is true.
The Bible never teaches that doing good will save you. The Bible teaches that you are saved by believing in the truth, the saving truth, the historical event that Christ had died for our sin.
What you do will not save you. What you put your faith in will determine whether you have eternal life or eternal death.
The just shall live by faith. The wicked shall die by faith.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 ESV)
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT)
We are not saved by our faith. We are saved by God. We believed that He is faithful and true to His promise that He will save us to the uttermost.
It is because of the LORD'S lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22-23 Amplified Bible)
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 KJV)
But you are the same, and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:27 CSB)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NLT)
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NASB)
For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day. (2 Timothy 1:12 BSB)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; (Ephesians 2:8a KJV)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. (Ephesians 2:8a NLT)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8a NIV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8a ESV)
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, (Ephesians 2:8a BSB)
For by grace you have been saved through faith; (Ephesians 2:8a NASB95)
For you are saved by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8a CSB)
We are saved by grace through faith. What does that mean?
We are saved by God's grace. We are saved by God because of His grace. The grace of God puts you in a position to hear God's message of salvation. Either we are born in the right time at the right place, or we travel to the right place at the right time with our hearts are ready to receive the message. We are saved because of God's sovereign will, predestined before the foundation of the world. We are saved because God provided the means of salvation. And we are saved when Christ died for our sins.
We are not saved by our faith. We are saved through our faith. Our faith is the response to God's grace. We accept the fact of our salvation by faith. There is no other way. We are already saved by God and now we have to believe that we are saved and act accordingly. We have to trust that God is faithful, and that He is able to save us to the uttermost. It is our part to believe and to have faith in God's faithfulness.
For those who have never heard of the good news of God's salvation or have rejected it, they are not saved. God has not extended His grace to them.
So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." (Genesis 22:14 NIV)
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NASB95)
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NLT)
For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. (Ephesians 1:4 CSB)
They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19 BSB)
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6 BSB)
What did Abram believe? He believed that God would make a great nation out of him. He believed and he became the father of all who believe.
Then the LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country, your kindred, and your father's household, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3 BSB)
Do we have something to believe like Abraham? Yes. God wants us to believe that we will reign with Him for a thousand years. Do we believe in this? Or do we believe in climate change and artificial intelligence and the end of the world? Things will get worse, but the world will not end. Ultimately, Jesus will come and rule.
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 BSB)
Be like Abraham. Believe in Him who is faithful.
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)
As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist. (Romans 4:17 BSB)
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NLT)
We must always believe that God is good to us. This is fundamental in our relationship with God.
Whether it is Adam and Eve in a newly created, perfect and sinless world, or we in the current imperfect sinful world, or our descendants in a future restored sinless world in the coming millennium rule of Christ, we have to believe that God always has our good in His mind.
Past
But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5 ESV)
Adam and Eve could not believe that God had their good in His mind. They chose to believe in the serpent who told them that God wanted to prevent them from becoming like God. Thus their unbelief caused sin to enter the world.
Present
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 CSB)
Today we live in an imperfect world, where there is good in bad and bad in good. We have to believe by faith that all the things that happened to us, whether good or bad, is for our good.
Future
When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (Revelation 20:7-8 NASB)
In the near future, the Anointed One will return to earth to rule for a thousand years in a restored perfect and sinless world with Satan locked in the bottomless pit and a whole generation will grow up without knowing what sin is. Then Satan will be released after a thousand years. It will then be the turn of the generation who know not sin to decide if God has their good in His mind.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 BSB)
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (Luke 11:13 CSB)
Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)
The fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)
Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) can be reverential fear (a form of worship) or the terror or frightening feeling that something bad or even death may come.
Many fear God with the fear of a tyrant. They do not understand the action of God, but they dared not question Him. Their excuse is they fear the Lord.
This is wrong. Present your doubts. Question Him. You can ask nicely. Or you can scold Him about your perceived injustice. This one thing I know. My God will tolerate all your insults (He died on the cross) and will answer your questions and doubts if you are truly sincere in wanting to know the answers.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)
Job questioned God. He said he did no wrong and God punished him for nothing. God approved of Job's questions and answered him. But God was angry with Job's friends, who insisted that Job must had sinned because God was punishing him.
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. (Job 42:7 BSB)
When you refuse to question God by giving the excuse that you fear Him, essentially you are saying this:
Of course you will say, "No, I accept His action because He knows best and I fear God." Whatever it is, examine your own heart. Please, do not fear God as you fear a tyrant. You are saying God is an unreasonable tyrant. This is blasphemy.
There are things that are clearly God's secret. And it should be clear that these are God's secret, not an excuse to fear God as a tyrant. But there are those that He reveal to us. We know the glory of God from those He revealed.
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 BSB)
Since, then, we are God's offspring, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. (Acts 17:29 CSB)
The Bible contains truth, but not all truth is in the Bible. We are told by the Bible that "The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4,Romans 1:17,Galatians 3:11,Hebrews 10:38)". But the evil also live by faith. Just about everyone live by faith.
When we see a young man declaring, "I am a free thinker. I don't believe in any gods. I believe in myself", this is a statement of faith by a young person with a healthy body and mind. When this healthy young man grows old and fat, starts having heart problem, kidney trouble, glaucoma and dementia, he will start losing faith in himself. He will even forget that he ever said, "I believe in myself."
A person worshipping some clay idol is also living by faith.
Faith does not save. It is the object of faith that saves. Jesus saves. All others don't. Believe in Jesus. Live by faith in Jesus.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31 KJV)
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 'You also go into my vineyard,' he said, 'and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went.
He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.
About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' he asked.
'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
So he told them, 'You also go into my vineyard.'
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.'
The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius.
On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.'
But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:1-16 BSB)
Everyone has a certain idea of justice. If I put in more effort, I expect more reward. If I do not get it, I feel wronged. How do you feel when someone who put in less effort than you get the same reward as you?
However, when we face God, we may not want to talk about justice. We will prefer that God to be merciful. But some feel that they are good and demand justice from God. Since all have sinned, justice from God means hell for men.
Grace is unfair. We do not get what we deserve. We deserve hell but Christ died for our sins. Whether we sin more or sin less, we get the same pardon from God if we believe that Jesus had died for our sin.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NASB)
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NIV)
How then can I answer him or choose my arguments against him? Even if I were in the right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy. (Job 9:14-15 CSB)
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8 CSB)
Many people said that if they see God, they will believe in Him. This is not true.
Adam saw God but did not believe in Him. He chose to eat the forbidden fruit.
The Israelites saw God speaking to them at Mount Sinai. They worshipped the golden calf not long after.
The Jews saw Jesus but they did not believe in Him.
"But Abraham said, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'" (Luke 16:31 NLT)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)
Truth will still be true even if you do not believe. However, Jesus saves only those who has faith in Him. There is no salvation for the sin of unbelief.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 BSB)
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. (Proverbs 18:17 BSB, CSB)
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)
I accused somebody of being brainwashed. Then the somebody accused me back of being brainwashed. I decided to google for this subject and found the following link:
After a brief glance at the information given, maybe that somebody was not brainwashed, but have beliefs that I could not agree with. Then I wonder if wrong beliefs and being brainwashed are the same. Maybe they are not. Maybe they are. I am not sure. But just like religions, many people just belief their own religions. Did they go through a process to check what they believe is true?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)
Attitude: Does it glorify God?
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. (Acts 17:11 BSB)
Perspective: Does it contradict the Bible?
For the moment, that is all I can think of.
But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12 CSB)
Jesus paid it all.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23 KJV)
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:27-28 ESV)
Why do we have to count the cost?
I have heard how some pastors explain in this way, salvation is free but discipleship is costly. So is God a wicked fisherman who hide the sharp hook of discipleship within the free bait of salvation? Or are there two classes of believers, ordinary believers and disciples?
When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I did not count the cost. Neither I did I do a cost benefit analysis. I did not know what a wonderful benefit eternal life is. I could not fully understand that I have escape eternal damnation. I did not know much. I did not have the Bible. I just accepted blindly.
Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4 CSB)
Looking back, I saw the wonderful grace of God working in me, walking with Him for more than forty nine years. If there had been any earthly cost, I think I have reaped more earthly benefit, and that is not counting the eternal gain that I will be having.
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4:20-21 KJV)
Don't count the cost. Believe God. Whatever He had promised, He is able to deliver.
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV)
Brethren, pray for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:25 KJV)
Choice
And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV)
So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:17 ESV)
Chosen
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6 NIV)
They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. (John 18:40 CSB)
Consequence
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 CSB)
But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. (Acts 3:14-15 ESV)
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)
Above all, fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. (1 Samuel 12:24 CSB)
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. (Psalm 33:18-19 ESV)
How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. (Psalm 31:19 NIV)
Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. (Psalm 25:12 ESV)
Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. (Psalm 112:1-2 ESV)
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. (Psalm 128:1-2 ESV)
The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. (Proverbs 10:27 ESV)
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ESV)
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 2:8-9 KJV)
We are saved by the grace of God.
We are saved by the grace of God through faith.
We are saved by the grace of God through faith in the truth.
And this is the truth that saves - Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).
After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 CSB)
Many people have faith in things that are not true or in things that are not provable. Religions are actually the biggest scam in the world because the solutions provided by religions do not have grounding in truth. Many religious leaders popped suddenly into history claiming to be somebody and having a solution that saves without proving that the solution is true. But Jesus proved that He is truly the Son of God and that He is able to save by His resurrection.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:17-22 NIV)
The Bible never teaches that doing good will save you. The Bible teaches that you are saved by believing in the truth, the saving truth, the historical event that Christ had died for our sin.
Adam did not go to hell for being a murderer, or a robber or a rapist. He was never any of those. He was a much much better person than many of us. He went to hell for not believing in the truth. Where he is, you will be, if you also do not believe in the saving truth.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32 KJV)
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: (Psalm 78:22 KJV)
Which is a greatest sin, being unfilial, murder, adultery, theft, lies or covetousness? None of these are the greatest sin. The greatest sin is the root of all sins, unbelief.
In the perfect world which Adam was born into, he could not commit any of these sins. He had no parents to be unfilial to, no other human other than his wife to murder, adultery is impossible, everything belonged to him so there is no need to steal or covet. He had not commit any sin so he did not need to lie to cover up. But he committed the greatest of all sin, the sin that caused all the other sins to appear. He did not believe in God.
Unbelief is also the only sin that Jesus cannot save you from.
Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:26 CSB)
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking. (Hebrews 11:17-19 CSB)
By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. (Hebrews 11:31 CSB)
It does not matter whether you are a good old man or a bad young girl. You will have eternal life if you believe in Jesus.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:29-31 KJV)
