Sincerity vs Truth Finale Part Four
(This article has been put together from different portions of “The Second Greatest Lie Ever Told” By Mark Cahill)
The second greatest lie ever told is that there are many ways to get to heaven. We now know that is NOT true. But did you know what the greatest lie that has ever been told and still told is? That a human being can be good enough to get to heaven! I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that from someone, and I thought it myself at one point in my life. I have even had people who do not believe in God tell me that even if there is a God, they have been a good person so they will be okay with Him when they die!So how good is good enough?All one has to do is look at the Law of God, which is more commonly called the Ten Commandments, to see how we measure up to the holiness of God. So let’s take a look at those commandments and see how we measure up:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The God of the Bible must be the God that you worship. Worship implies a relationship. You must have a relationship with God. Nothing in our lives is more important than having a true relationship with the God of the universe. Period. Anything that would disrupt or impede this relationship with God would be breaking this commandment.
Has anything ever come between you and God?
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Remember that the Jews tried to make a golden calf to represent God, and they worshipped it. There is no man made object that could ever replace God. If you worshipped that creation then you would not be worshipping the Creator. It is not proper to worship God through images. The only image of God walking on earth are men and women where in Genesis it says we are made in his image. Have you ever worshipped anything in place of God?
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Remember that God gave His name to the Jews: YHWH. When He did that, He was becoming very personal with the people that he created. It is a privilege to know the name of God. Now you see why you don’t want to use His name in vain. We are supposed to have a close, loving relationship with Him; and anyone we have that kind of relationship with, we would never use their name in a flippant, cursing, or disrespectful way.
Have you ever used the name of God in the wrong fashion?
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, or thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” God rested on the sabbath day and so should we! God commands this so that we use it as a day of remembrance of Him, and also to prevent us from the greed that can get a hold of any of us. Some of us would want to work every day to make more money, and God says no. Chick-fil-A is one of the largest restaurant chains in America. You will notice that they are not open on Sundays. The reason is that it is a Christian-based company. They believe if you can’t run your business and make your profit in six days, then there is really no need to be in business. The also want to make sure their employees get enough rest and spend time with their families. If you don’t already know, they have been one of the most successful restaurants out there for many, many years.
Have you always honored God’s Sabbath day of rest?
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” This is the only commandment with a promise attached to it. This commandment ensures a society where the younger generation respects and appreciates the older generation. it teaches the young the proper way to submit to authority. It is also the parents’s responsibility to teach the ways of God to their children. This is how a society will keep functioning correctly for many generations.
Have you ever dishonored your Mom or Dad?
“Thou shalt not murder.” The original Hebrew word here is “murder”, and this commandment prohibits murder. Murder is a selfish act. It is premeditated. We can see in the Bible that God takes the shedding of innocent blood very seriously. God is the giver and taker of life. We aren’t. 1 John 3:15 says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” Jesus gives us another take on this commandment. He says even if you have anger with someone in your heart without cause, you will be in danger of judgment. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Have you ever been angry with someone without just cause?
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This commandment protects the marriage covenant between a man and woman. Once the family is destroyed, a society will be destroyed as well. Unfaithfulness in our relationships is a very big deal to God. God is a faithful being, and we need to be faithful as well. Jesus even took this commandment to another level when He said, “If you have even looked upon someone with lust, it means you have already committed adultery in your heart with that person.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
Have you ever looked at someone with lust?
“Thou shalt not steal.” This commandment protects private property and a stable society.
Have you ever taken something that is not yours?
“thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Telling the truth is the backbone of any society. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie…” God is truth. If someone can lie in court, then people will be falsely punished over and over again. Perjury destroys the life and liberty of others. When I served on a jury, every time I listened to a witness giving testimony, the question I asked was, “Are they telling the truth?”
Have you ever told a lie?
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.” This is a private attitude of the heart. We are not to crave and desire things that are not ours. Why? Those desires too many times will lead to actions, and those actions then cause you to break one of the other commandments.
Have you ever coveted something that is not yours?
ONE AND DONE
Now things get a little more interesting. James 2:10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” So if we break one of the Ten Commandments, we have broken them all. So, I ask you again: Have you broken any of the Ten Commandments?So many today compare celebrities such as Michael Jackson and ask, “He did all these good works, helped all these people, and gave millions of dollars to charities. How can he not go to heaven?”
- Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
If we got to heaven by works, we could boast in heaven about what we did instead of boasting about what God did.
I was in a mall one day chatting with a young man when all of the sudden, someone walked out of the store and the security buzzer went off. The clerk had left one of the tags on the item of clothing they purchased. It got me thing. It is the same way with sin and trying to enter the gates of heaven. The alarm would go off as we tried to enter heaven because of our ‘tag’ called sin. It didn’t matter if that person had one item with the security tag still on it or a hundred items. The sensor would catch it either way. I did talk with a shoplifter one day who told me how he could steal things from a store even with the security tag on there!! Remember someone might get away with stealing things, but since the all-knowing God of the universe see all things, I will never, ever get away from one of the sins that I have committed.
- Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
We have all come short of God’s standard. Period.
So if God is going to be able to catch any of my sins whether there is one of them or a million of them, you and I now have a huge problem. We need forgiveness from those sins.
- Psalm 38:18 “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.”
First of all, do you realize that your sin has offended the God of the universe?
- Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
The word used in the Bible to forsake your evil ways is ‘repent.’ It means to turn away from something. Are you ready to turn from those sins that have gotten you into trouble with God? If you are ready for Him to remove your sin ‘tag’ once and for all and want a different life, proceed forward.
- Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
In the Old Testament, there was a shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. A lamb without blemish would be used for that sacrifice to God. When you talk to Jews, they don’t sacrifice animals anymore for sin. But if God says that it takes blood for the atonement of a soul, that is what it takes.
- John 1:29 “The next jay John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
You can see where we are going. It takes blood to get rid of sin. Jesus is the Lamb of God that the Old Testament has been pointing to the entire time to be that one final sacrifice!
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
When Jesus died on the cross, He took the sins of the whole world onto Himself at that time. That is why anyone who wants to can come to Him for forgiveness.
- John 3:16 “For God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Are you one of those people that are ready to repent and put your belief in what Jesus has done for you on the cross?
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for your sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
Just like Jesus rose from the dead, so will you. And then you’ll go to either heaven or to hell. It’s your choice.
- Romans 5:6-10 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
- John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
- Revelation 7:9 “After this I beheld, and , lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;”
Narrow Road or Wide Path
Despite the fact that many people say Christianity is too hard, it can’t be too narrow of a way, because so many people have come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The path is wide enough for anyone to step on. Will you? I had a college professor ask me on a plane one day if I was one of those narrow minded bigots that believed that Jesus was the only way to get to heaven! Let’s just say, it was a fun plane flight! I asked him, “could the whole world fit through Jesus and get to heaven?” he answered yes. I said, “If, the whole world can fit through Jesus and get to heaven, then it can’t be too narrow of a way. it can only be too narrow of a way for you if you choose not to believe.”
- Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadesth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
You have two choices: A broad road off of planet earth that most people are on, or a more narrow road covered with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Which one will you choose?
- Romans 10:9-13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
- Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and they seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that though mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
What is Your Choice?
So will you choose life or will you choose death? Today is the day to make that decision to become born again and follow Jesus Christ. You are not guaranteed tomorrow.
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.” – Winston Churchill
You have found eternal truth in these articles. Don’t you dust yourself off and get on with your life. Don’t throw that truth away like nothing has happened. It is time to act upon that truth that God has given you. It is time to repent and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
You must choose. You can choose the truth or you can buy the lie. Judgement Day is fast approaching. Are you ready to meet the Holy God of the universe on that day?
When you put this article behind you, you will have either accepted the greatest lie ever told, or you will be saved. ‘Good enough’ won’t cut it in front of the one True and Holy God. What decision are you going to make?
The two greatest lies ever told have now been exposed. The good news is that you found out before you died. Now, you must decide if you will follow the lies or get on the narrow road and follow the truth.
There is only one way to get to heaven. That path to heaven goes through Jesus Christ and His cross. You must make this decision before you die. There is no second chance after death. Repent and believe upon Him for the forgiveness of your sins before it is too late…
If you have chosen to become born again, read your Bible every day. One of my friends says, “Read and heed.” Read your Bible, and obey what you read.
Get plugged into a Bible believing church that teaches the word of God and be baptized.
If you have not become born again, you can pick up a FREE copy of a book Mark Cahill wrote called, “One Heartbeat Away” at www.oneheartbeataway.org. It takes a look at many of the previous topics in much greater detail and with much more evidence to back them up.
If you are saved or have just become saved, you can pick up more materials that will encourage you to be bold for Jesus as you reach the lost at:
If you have any questions at all you may also email us at [email protected] and we would be happy to speak or carry any conversation in any way (email, text, phone) you see comfortable. We are available to you and are praying for you!
Thanks for taking the time to go through each part of this four part article!! God Bless!