Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

If we’re “good enough” for heaven, why did Jesus die? This powerful reflection unpacks sin, salvation, and God’s global mission—calling every believer to live on purpose for eternity.

Are you a good person?  I’m sure you think you are, or at least you try to be. Generally, we like to think we’re okay, even if sometimes we mess up. With all the material blessings we enjoy, many either reject there is a God or have a distorted view of His tolerance for law-breakers.

“I give to charity and help my neighbour. Weighed in the balance, I’m more good than bad – and certainly not as bad as the murderers, rapists and thieves.”

“So, what will happen when you die? Will you go to heaven?”

“Oh! I hope so.”

This is a fairly typical conversation, and it is so sad.

It’s hard to understand the Good News if you don’t understand the bad news.

The bad news is that ALL have sinned and fall short of what God’s righteousness requires. How many laws do we need to break to be a lawbreaker in God’s eyes? Oops, the bad news is — only ONE! What’s the penalty for breaking God’s law? DEATH. That is the appallingly bad news.

But there’s Good News. God, our creator, gave us free will to choose between good and evil. Right from the start, He knew we would want to be our own god and not bow to Him. The wonderful, glorious, overwhelming Good News is that God Himself paid the penalty for our wrongdoing by sending His Son to die in our place. Jesus died so we did not have to, and we could be absolutely certain of where we will spend eternity.

A Most Beautiful Word

One of the most comforting words in the Bible is found in the familiar verse: John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Whoever – that means ALL people. But it is conditional. Whoever believes in Him…

But how can they believe if they don’t know who He is and what great gift He has given them?

The shocking news is there are more than 1.3 Billion people on the planet who have never heard of Jesus and many billions who have heard of Him and either not responded or rejected Him. For these people, it is very bad news.

Every Believer Needs to Be On Mission

“God loves you, and He has a plan for your life.”  My friend, Robyn, recently corrected me: “God loves you, and He has a plan, and he invites you to be part of His plan.”

You see, it’s not about you – it’s all about Him.

Robyn, based in Tauranga, New Zealand, is the New Country coordinator for Simply Mobilising. As their website advises: Simply Mobilising [SM] is all about seeing every believer living a life on mission with God, and every church a missional church, facilitating God’s people into a missional lifestyle.

I recently accompanied Robyn to Fiji, where she ran one of the SM courses, called ‘Kairos’, for fifteen young Fijian men who had recently completed their Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Discipleship Training School and were destined for the mission field. I joined as a participant and, after a week’s deep dive into Scripture, re-centred my Christian worldview.

God’s One Assignment

In Genesis 12, Abram is given a profound promise.

‘I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you; and in you ALL the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ (Genesis 12:2-3)

So, the promise to Abram, later called Abraham, was not just for Abraham’s own people, but for all generations, tribes, tongues and nations.

The Bible frequently references nations as distinct, sovereign people groups (ethne – from which we get ethnicity) under God’s authority, and eventual inclusion in God’s kingdom. Key references include the promise of blessing all nations through Abraham (Genesis 22:18), the mandate to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), and a vision of worshippers from every nation and tribe (Revelation 7:9).

What’s God’s Mission?

God’s mission is to redeem all of creation (Colossians 1:20).  We were created to be in fellowship with Him, to worship Him. His deepest desire is that all should be saved and come into a relationship with Him. His love is unconditional and eternal. He proved it in the most sensational way by coming to our sin-soaked earth and dying for us.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard… (Colossians 1:21-23)

This has to be the most amazing, life-transforming news anyone could ever receive. Not only did Jesus pay the penalty for our sin, but He conquered death, rising from the grave on the third day. Death is defeated. He invites us to join in His mission to make this known to all peoples, tribes and tongues.

Is Your Church Missional?

There are wonderful missional movements throughout the world and many thousands of self-sacrificing missionaries taking the gospel to unreached people groups. However, the sad fact is that most Christian churches in the Western world today do not have as their primary focus the spread of the gospel to those who have never heard it. Take a look at these sobering figures and pray for opportunities to change these statistics.

We can’t all go, but we can influence our church to be mission-focused. We can support the taking of the gospel both financially and by prayer. We can be informed and encourage those in the field. When was the last time you personally communicated with someone in front-line mission? Or intentionally planned your holiday to visit a mission?  Or spoke about Jesus to your unsaved neighbour?

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for not focusing and prioritising the sharing of the Good News of Your mercy, grace, forgiveness and love. Please help me to respond to the gift of my own salvation by actively seeking ways to tell the Good News and supporting all those who are spreading Your redemption message. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

___

Image courtesy of Adobe.