Bad People Go To Heaven | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Bad People Go To Heaven

Prostitutes and Pharisees

822
Bad People Go To Heaven

Bad people go to heaven.

Yep, that's right. Bad people.

Don't believe me?

Check out Matthew chapter twenty two. Jesus is describing His Kingdom. He says that servants are sent out to, “gather all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good…”

He mentions the bad people before the good people!! And Jesus repeatedly said that the prostitutes were entering heaven before the religious leaders who murdered Him.

Neither the prostitutes nor the Pharisees (religious leaders) were good people. One group was merely talented at masking their ugliness with elegant robes and prayers. The beauty of Jesus’ righteousness stripped them naked. The other group knew their sinfulness was as obvious as an elephant wearing a bikini that walks in during the middle of a sermon.

You belong to one of these groups.

Not all of you believe this.

Am I more righteous when,

I sleep around with anybody who will give me a little attention, or I mentally have sex with every person who fits my type?

I refuse to help the homeless man, or I begrudgingly give him $2 so I look good?

I get entertainment out of demeaning others with gossip, or I silently condemn them in my heart because people would frown if they truly knew my thoughts?

I destroy my body and waste money on drugs and alcohol, or I do the same with junk food?

If all of your thoughts and motives were displayed online, how drastically would your reputation change? Would people say you're good or a good actor?

If you would still be considered good, how good would be good enough to get into heaven? There aren't any Bible verses that specify an amount. It only says that our righteousness would have to surpass that of the Pharisees.

Now you can cross your fingers and hope to accomplish this. But you still don't know to what degree your righteousness needs to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees. Do you have to complete an additional two hundred good deeds? Do you have to have two thousand fewer sins listed on your record?

Even if your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, it won't surpass it enough.

Heaven isn't a place for good people. It's a place for people whose goodness and obedience flows from a relationship with God. You have to know the King if you want to stay in His Kingdom. If you don't like how God rules His Kingdom, you are free to live in a kingdom in which you will not find His presence.

If, however, you want to be in the good company of the bad people in heaven, there is Good News. Both Pharisees and prostitutes have walked along the streets of gold. They submitted to the love and lordship of Christ, and you can too.

How, exactly, the blood of Jesus eliminates our sin, frees us from its power and gives us uninhibited access to God, I do not know. The only knowledge I possess in this matter is that His blood has power. His blood is cathartic. His blood redeems. Because His blood type is love positive. And the only thing powerful enough to receive the beautiful, lavish, scandalous, magnificent, soul-piercing, soul-sculpting love of God is sincere and repentant faith.

Do you choose to receive this love?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

190418
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

15022
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

457947
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26686
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments