Hell and Commitment to the Lord

Thrown in the Fire

So a local radio talk show host, who is not a Christian, has difficulty digesting the idea that a Christian man believes in a God that would send his own unbelieving mother to Hell. The host, and I am paraphrasing, says, “If I have a problem with my children, I don’t throw them in the fire.” Fire, obviously, is referencing Hell. I respect his honest opinion. However, there are two things wrong with his stance. First, the only “children” God has are those that place faith in Jesus Christ. About Jesus Christ, the Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13).” This refutes the hosts premise that all of us are God’s children simply because we exist. Not to mention the fact the host is basically putting himself in judgment of God as if God is not allowed to set the criteria one must meet in order to gain access into the heaven He has created. Secondly, the host doesn't realize that God doesn't send anybody to Hell. Individuals like the host and the Christian man’s mother choose to remain dead in their sin and reject God’s offer of life and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. 

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).” The pride of man deceives him into believing that he is so wonderful that God must think like him and make decisions like him; that God couldn't possibly deny him entrance into heaven. However, God is only giving the host, and those like him, what they really want. They want to live on God’s creation without acknowledging Him as Creator and then expect Him to allow them into heaven when their time on earth is over. God is only giving the host what he wants; to live apart from God for eternity because he chose to live apart from Him in the present. Often times the question is asked, “Why would a loving God send anybody to hell?” The real question, then, is not how can God send someone to hell but rather how can God condescend to save any one of us? “For it is by grace you have been saved … (Ephesians 2:8)” it is God’s grace that saves a person; His decision to die for your sins and be resurrected to offer you His life in Christ. Nobody is entitled to heaven because they exist or because they have issues with the criteria God has set. You don’t deserve Heaven. That is why it is a gift from God.

Commitment to the Lord

I happened to catch an interview with a ministry leader who was proud to make the point that a high percentage of attendees to an event he puts on “recommitted” themselves to the Lord. One of the metrics used to measure the success of a ministry can be the amount of individuals that recommit their lives to Jesus Christ. However, I do not necessarily agree that a Christian who recommits to the Lord is a sign of success. If someone recommits to something, it means that they have failed in their attempt to commit at least once before. In order to commit you have to define what you are committing to and how to commit. In short, you are probably putting yourself under the law.  Under the law, any kind of law, the focus is on yourself and what you are doing. That is why you fail and have to “recommit” numerous times. Now, a person’s desire to recommit may score points with a ministry leader or your average church member, but not with the Lord. 

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard (Galatians 3:1-2)?” A person who “recommits” themselves to the Lord is “bewitched” because they are trying to live the Christian life by the works of the law and not by faith in Jesus Christ.  “Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith (Galatians 3:11).’” The choice is clear; you can either commit or recommit yourself to the works of the law, based on self-effort, or rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ and His Spirit living in and through you. “So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Galatians 3:6).” The faith of Abraham, believing God, is what made him right before God not his works. It is no different with Christians; our faith in Jesus Christ is what makes us righteous, not our commitment.