•1:05 PM
By: Tom Smith, Wooddale Church of Christ
Many times we have heard people say, "God will save all good people."
This implies that there are good people in all churches who will be saved.
It also implies that there may even be good people who have never been members of any church who will also be saved.
Will all good people be saved?
What does the Bible have to say?
The Bible teaches that one can never be good enough to be saved by his own goodness.
If people could be saved by their good deeds, then it would not have been necessary for Christ to die for our sins. The Apostle Paul wrote: "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" (Ephesians 2:8,9)
Paul also wrote: "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" (Romans 5:6-8).
Even the very best people, who have lived long enough to know the difference between right and wrong, have sinned.
The Bible says: "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. . .For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:9,10,23).
In chapter 10 of the book of Acts, we read about a man named Cornelius.
Cornelius was a very good man.
He was also a very religious man, but he was not saved.
Please notice the Bible's description of this good man: "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always" (Acts 10:1,2). Please observe that Cornelius was a worshiper of the true God and had taught his family also to fear God. Too, Cornelius was a man of prayer. He was also kindhearted and generous for "he gave much alms to the people." In spite of his faith and good deeds, Cornelius was not saved. He was told by an angel of God to "Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved" (Acts 11:13,14).
Will all good people be saved?
The answer is "no," for even the best people have sinned and just one sin can keep a person out of heaven.
John wrote, "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 21:27).
The only way to remove sin is by the blood of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5).
This is done in our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We read in Acts 22:16, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
All good people will not be saved.
Neither will all religious people be saved.
It is not enough to be religious, but one must be right religiously.
Jesus said: "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matthew 15:13).
He also said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Not all good people will be saved.
Those who will be saved are those who humbly submit to our Lord Jesus Christ in obedience to His gospel and who ever after live for Him doing His will.
"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Hebrews 5:8,9).
Dear reader, have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ?
If you have not, you are lost!
Please obey Christ today.
"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
