Negative Attack Ads: Part Three

Have you ever done something that you deeply regret? If your answer to this question is no, then think harder. We've all done something we wish we could undo. For me, there have been plenty of things that I have done, too many to mention here. Some of these things were illegal (stealing, smoking pot), some were legal, but immoral (cheating on an exam, pornography). At any rate, all of these things are sins, and I broke at least two of the Ten Commandments in the process (just by these examples, I would be willing to bet that all ten have been broken in one way or another). That begs the question: If a guy like me who has reportedly broken all ten of the commandments, then how could he possibly go to Heaven, let alone claim to be a Christian?

That's when Satan airs his next negative attack ad. He will get inside your skull and try to break you down until you believe that God hates you and there is no hope left. He will tell you that you're too far gone. Your sins are too great. There is no way that God will let you into Heaven now, just give up.


Jesus is very clear that He does care about you. In the parable of the lost sheep it is explained that Jesus does care about the lost, including commandment breakers. In fact, it says that when the lost get found, the Lord rejoices and is happier that the lost one came to Christ than about the ones who already had been saved.


A more direct way to refute Satan's negative attack ads is what some people call the cornerstone verse of the Bible, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." If you look at the last half of this verse, you will notice that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. Eternal life, of course, means life everlasting with Jesus in Heaven. 


Jesus did not limit his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins to just "minor offenders". His salvation is free to anyone who is willing to repent of their sins, and turn and give their life to Christ. Murderers, adulterers, and disrespecter-of-elders, all have the offer of salvation in Christ! Do not let Satan fool you, there is no sin that God cannot, or will not, forgive.


Amen.