By: Robert Serreyn
Question? I am a Catholic and I have a question, If all you have to is believe does that mean you can live as you please and still go to heaven?
Answer: YES, Absolutely.
FIRST – You must understand is that “Gong to heaven (Salvation) IS NOT based upon Our Works, Human Merits, or Religious Deeds no matter how sincere.
God has concluded in Isaiah 64:6…
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our “Very Best” (our righteousness) ARE “Filthy Rags” (unrighteous) in God’s eyes.
SECONDLY – As far as salvation is concerned “To live as you Please” AFTER you have Trusted Jesus Christ (his Death, Burial and Resurrection – 1 Cor. 15:1 – 4) as your ONLY PAYMENT for sin DOES CARRY consequences.
NOTE: How you live DOES NOT help you get saved or Keep you saved.
You see God’s Will is that he wants us to “Live lives that are PLEASING TO HIM” so that he can bless & reward us.
1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
The Lord wants us to live lives that REFLECT POSITIVELY upon him in the eyes of those who are not saved.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
THIRDLY – To “Live as you Please” MAY cost you to have…
– Financial Ruin.
– Decline of Health.
– A tainted Reputation.
– Death.
God MAY and could use one or the combination of all four as his hand of “Corrective Judgement” for a life lived for self and disobedient to His Will and Word (the Bible).
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.
Fornication in the sense of a life in away that is perverse ( Turned away from, Corrupt, Contrary ) to God’s Will and Word.
In Conclusion:
The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 10:23…
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
ALTHOUGH “You can live as you Please” (all things are lawful to me) BUT Paul said that it is “NOT the smart thing to do” (Not expedient, edify not).
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH