Goats and Sheep

A popular view of God is that he just wants everyone to be basically good. That your views and beliefs do not really matter. Some even go so far as to say that everyone is forgiven and saved, and that none will face the pit of fire.

But not everyone is called. Not everyone is going to heaven when they die. There is a reason that God talked about separating the goats from the sheep. There is a reason He will say “Depart from me, I never knew you.” If you do not believe in God, and fundamental aspects of scripture, then you will not be saved. It does matter what you believe. It does matter what you do and think and what path you follow. God does not want you to be basically good. He wants you to be perfect and righteous. You may not be as bad as a serial killer, but that does not make you holy by any means. It certainly does not pay your passage to heaven. You will not be saved from the lake of fire just by being basically good. No one is basically good. Everyone is, in fact, basically evil in the absence of God.

Christ died for those He intends to save. He died for his children. He created a path because we could not hope to make one on our own. Those He calls will always come to Him, and will never be lost. But, He has not called everyone to Him. This is not unfair, or wrong, or unjust. If God were to be just then all of us would burn in hell for eternity. He does not have to endure our sin and wretchedness. He chooses to for our sake. He did not have to save anyone. He did not have to die and suffer and bear our burden. His will is greater than ours. It knows that which we do not know. It sees that which we do not see. And it is as righteous and clear as ours is clouded with sin. We may not understand God's plan, but we must trust in it. And we must beware of counting on our own deeds.

-BlackFox

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