There are many "conservatives" who think they are on higher ground that guarantees them heaven. While it is true that Conservatism has proven to be a better lifestyle because it is more based on Christian principles, it is no highway to heaven and many people who are conservative are not saved from hell.
However, sadly many people think if they live a good lifestyle or are conservatives this alone will gain them heaven. They have some "god-talk" and are proud of their decision to be conservative but this is not what gains anyone heaven.
My answer to these people would be no one is basically good. And, a basically good person would not be able to be a criminal they would have a natural avertion to harming others.
There is no such thing as a good person falling in with a bad crowd, thus blaming the crowd for their own sinful choices. A crowd does not make us who we are, our choice to follow Christ or not to follow Him makes us who we are because He is the One Who changes us.
Many conservatives are going to hear very frightening words when they come before the Lord Jesus Christ on judgement day. Their answer to God that they "did this and they did that" or "said this or that" or "I believed this or that", will have no weight at all to their entrance into heaven.
Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Anyone who is proud of their good deeds is working their way to heaven in their own flesh, it is a dead giveaway that they are not born again or they are born-again with a misunderstanding that anything they do for God in the flesh has merit.
It has been my experience that those who think they are making it to heaven because they do good deeds actually do very little regarding good deeds but only think they do and whatever they do must be seen by others to gain them the feelings of being special.
Nearly every criminal in prison will proclaim that they are basically good people.
It is common for Christians groups to think up ways to please God in the flesh, cute little manipulations to spread the gospel without actually speaking it. The "What would Jesus do Bracelet" was one of these, also, the "I found it" campaign to cause people to ask about God. The problem with these little tricks and manipulations is that they run hot at first and burn out fast because they were not what God told us to do when sharing the gospel.
Perhaps these happy tricks were devised to eliminate the embarrassment Christians feel at speaking the gospel boldly. They can feel superior and special with the tricks but are ashamed to boldly speak the gospel as Christ commanded.
Mark 16:15
"And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."
Romans 1:16
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Acts 10:42
"And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead."
2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
When we are walking in tandum with Christ Who lives in us we will not have fear of man or care about the rejection that will come from speaking the gospel boldly.
Our culture has been teaching for many years now that people are basically good and should be treated with such gentility that they are programmed to be offended when they are corrected or chastised. This mentality makes the culture as a whole resistant to the truth, they prefer fantasy and praise.
Isaiah 30:9-11 "…9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. 10 They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions. 11 Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”…"
This is the culture we are now living in, most people are hyper-sensitive to correction but need it more than anything else.
Praise and flattery are not very useful when someone has need to grow and change. One other couple I know were lamenting the fact that they were chastised for "being negative all the time." My response to them is that we live in a crazy world that needs far more correction than anything else, after all, the good does not need attention, it is the error and disrespect that needs to be challenged in order for good to occur.
Romans 16:18
"For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
We live in a fantasy world now full of idle imaginings rather than truth and reality.
2 Timothy 4:3
"For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires."
So, what is the answer for us? We keep speaking truth, let it roll off when we are reviled for Christ's sake and never allow the attackers to infect our soul. We can be joyful and obedient to Christ even if no one goes with us and even if we are rejected and reviled. People are not our strength, Christ is our strength.
Those who are deeply wounded and fearful of rejection are more self-focused while truth is not nearly as important as their temporary feelings.
I can testify to the fact that the more we walk in truth and trust in Christ the less we "feel" anything about the way people treat us. Since being accepted by people is not important we are more fully able to trust and obey Christ.
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