The Price for Rejecting God -- Hebrews 10:26-31

Many people believe they'll go to heaven because they tried to live a good life.

Here's the simple truth: Those who receive Jesus Christ's gift of salvation will spend eternity with God. And those who refuse the gift will not. The price for rejecting God is eternal separation from Him.

When a person becomes a believer, he recognizes that he's not good enough to deserve anything from God. Man's sinful nature is characterized by rebellion against the Lord. It alienates him from his Creator. No matter how hard a person tries, he cannot avoid sinning again. That's because he still has the old sin nature. But at the moment of salvation, Christ forgives all his sins and declares him no longer guilty. Then God gives him a brand-new nature.

If someone rejects the truth that salvation comes only through the atoning death of Jesus Christ, he has nowhere else to turn. His good works aren't enough to get him into heaven, a place of sinless perfection. And his wrongdoing remains unforgiven. The penalty for sin is death. If Christ's sacrifice is rejected, the guilty party must pay the price himself.

These words aren't meant to scare you into receiving salvation. They're a warning about the future if you reject the Lord. God has set before you a choice between eternal life and death. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says, "Choose life in order that you may live . . . by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him."

By: Dr. Charles Stanley