Bill Weise, and his lovely wife Annette, of the bestseller “23 Minutes in Hell,” was invited to speak recently on a national talk show. A hard-nosed atheist called in and angrily protested, “All you Christians are SO unreasonable. You only want people to agree with you! So, tell me this so-called ‘gospel-story’ without using one verse of Scripture!’
Bill said, “The Lord gave me this analogy to tell him, “Suppose you went to knock on the door of the most expensive home in America. And, you knocked on the door and said, “Umm, I’m moving in with you because I’m a good person.”
“What do you think people would say?”
“No way,” right?
And, you wouldn’t expect them to because they have absolutely no relationship to you. They’d probably think you’re nuts!
The same way…..you go through your whole life, you have no relationship with God. You deny that Jesus is the Son of God with your words or you live like Jesus is not the Son of God and no can do anything you want to. Then, at the end of your life, you’ve lived primarily for yourself, you come and knock on His door in heaven and say……..
“Ummmm…..excuse me, but I’m moving in with you. I’m really a good person. I’ve never done anything really bad.”
It’s not based on being good, it’s based on a real, personal relationship with Christ. You have to know Him, even moreso, like you know other people on earth. Not just in name only, but personally. You’re connected to Him. And, He offered Himself to be your eternal Father. But, you rejected Him over and over again.
He’s your Creator, but He’s definitely not your Father. Jesus said, “He who has rejected Me, has rejected the Father, and he who rejects the Father rejects Me.” He’s your Creator, but He’s not your Father until you invite Jesus Christ His Son into your heart, then and only then, the Bible says, He becomes your Father.
So, who’s the arrogant one, expecting to live in the Father’s house when you don’t even know Him? No have no right.
And…that’s why Christians who know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior are going to heaven. Not because they are perfect, but because they are in a saving relationship with Him and therefore His Father God.
1David Crews
David Crews Ph.D. Publications 