I recall many years ago when Bundy was executed. He had confessed to raping and murdering 30 victims over a period of about four years.
I remember a crowd of people outside the prison on the day he was executed, cheering and mocking as he died.
It was rumored that Dr. Dobson led Bundy to Christ before his execution. We don't know how true that was or if the conversion was a legitimate expression of remorse; none of that matters.
God was very clear about our response to the demise of the wicked.
Proverbs 24:17-18
"17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him."
Now having said all this, keep in mind that many of the people outside the prison cheering were not born again. They were headed to the same place the murderer was going but considered themselves superior to him because they had not committed the same haenous crimes he did.
What they didn't know is that God does not look at the size of the crime or the offense; He looks at the wickedness of the heart. Many people who have never perpetrated "the big sins" will go to hell simply for not trusting in Christ.
It isn't the size of the offense or the magnitude of its effect that determines forgiveness through Christ; it is the repentance, the change of mind, that leads the offender to know his desperate state and his need for Christ to save him through the grace freely given to anyone who will trust in Him.
There are many good citizens who live wonderful lives and think highly of themselves for it, who will go to hell for trusting in their own goodness instead of admitting their sinful nature.
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.’"
Those who accuse others of what they did as an indictment against the person of their hate, do not understand that no one earns heaven by their good deeds or loses their salvation by their misdeeds. Those who are attempting to earn heaven by being good enough are missing the mark, full of pride that leads them to hell. God says no one is good enough and nothing they do is good enough to make up for their sinful nature.
Jeremiah 17:9 "9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick [or wicked]; who can understand it?"
Even the good deeds of the unsaved are done to glorify self. Those who do good deeds as directed by the Holy Spirit gloify God. All pride over good deeds is gone because they know only Christ is good.
There are many pretenders who elevate themselves in their hearts, even if there is false humility, humble bragging, going on in their heads over how well they are doing. Here is what God says to them if they pass into the next life without repentance over their pride.
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.’"
The will of the Father is for His children to be led by the Holy Spirit in their deeds, then He will get the glory.
Matthew 5:15-17 "15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them."
When we do good deeds to obey God, it will glorify Him. If we do good deeds to impress ourselves and others, it will glorify self and has no value in our relationship with Christ.
Matthew 6:1-2 "1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.…"
Matthew 6:4-6 "4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Matthew 23:1-12 "23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat,
3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.
11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Good deed doers who like to be elevated choose for their friends those they think are above everyone else, a sort of specialness by association. They elevate others and so elevate themselves by proxy.
Exalting oneself based on education or skills or a perceived significance, whether real or imagined, will result in demeaning and disregarding the Bible. Everything that is evaluated by the prideful person will be interpreted according to what they wish to believe and not according to what God actually said.
It is true what God said: Proverbs 16:18 "18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Seek Christ and not self exaltation!!!!!
