Ultimately, all people will understand the seriousness of life’s decisions. One thing that drags an otherwise good person down is their inability to face up to their mistakes. Instead, they look for someone else to blame or some excuse that allows them to appear innocent or at least less guilty. Blaming and Excuses substitute for taking responsibility. “It was not my fault, well not ALL my fault.” If all else fails, we can blame our up-bringing. Liberal society provides people with all kinds of excuses that in actuality destroy a person’s attitude toward personal accountability. Unfortunately, those excuses are harmful because you go farther and farther down the road to perdition. It is a life without integrity. You destroy the one thing that matters in your life. It is very possible you will never (during your lifetime) understand the extreme seriousness of your words and actions until it is everlastingly too late. It will be your wrong words / actions / associations / beliefs that gradually deteriorate your attitude to the point where what is right or wrong, true or false does not matter. The thing that matters is what I BELIEVE and what I BELIEVE is right and IS the truth. This is essentially the godless world in which so many live. In that world you will never find God, find truth and obey and live it. The purpose of Heaven Coach is to help people to find out during their lifetime the importance of living in harmony with their creator.

One thing that influences our beliefs is a tendency to believe those who are intellectuals, supposedly knowledgeable people. This includes putting your trust in people of religion, that is in supposedly “religious intellectuals.” We do not realize that those people and the ones who have influenced them and so-on “down the line” accepted error and often created supporting deceit. Now, here you are today exposed to a history that may sound “pretty good.” You may eventually become one who influences others and finds ways to make the “message” seem even more convincing. As a Catholic, if you could go back in history and see Peter, you would not see a pope or the doctrines of Catholicism. It is hard to be precise regarding their beginning as the falling away started back in the first century as Paul mentioned some who were changing the gospel. You could observe the beginnings of Catholicism in name and organization sometime in the fourth/fifth century as it developed out of Roman-ism, paganism with the help of Constantine’s edict of Milan in AD 313. The church by 313 AD was very different than what God intended and a very physical organization. Nonetheless, there were those still following the commands of Christ albeit in smaller numbers. World history would see the Catholic church with their pope appearing in the early 600’s with Boniface being the first pope. You could see the savagery of Catholicism used to maintain rule over the people and realize it was all devised to support the greed and immorality of their leaders.
Of course, you can actually go back in time using the bible record that defines the church belonging to Jesus. You will see the Church belonging to Christ as exceedingly close to the EXACT OPPOSITE of Catholicism. The point is despite all the propaganda to which you may have been subjected, there is no excuse for being a Catholic.
God has made it easy for every person to understand the truth and for some strange reason you place your trust, “in this person or that.” We follow a person or group because of their intelligent researched view on a subject. However, in reality there is prejudice, emotion and often deceit in their doctrine. After many hundreds of years, there is a SEEMINGLY strong historical precedence that supports the belief. Intellectuals gravitate to other historical “brilliant” men and women and THEIR beliefs and the things taught SEEM to be correct. Unfortunately, humankind has created hundreds of such SEEMINGLY “truthful sounding” doctrines. The “catch-all” warning from God about things that SEEM right is stated in Proverbs 14.12.

Proverbs 14:12

12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

Although, the world is filled with people who do not understand God and Life, many proud “wise” people claim to have the answers. Of course, they have many, many different answers. God makes reference to these “proud intellectual” people in relation to God’s wisdom as the “wisdom of the wise.”

The answer to “life and eternal life” is simply to believe, respect no man or woman in matters of your eternity.

THE EXCUSE TREE

Below is the excuse tree which mentions a very small fraction of common excuses people create to justify themselves to themselves and others. The emphasis on this tree is how people make excuses for what they believe now or what they think will be excuses IF they stand before God. In some cases, it is the excuse people use to justify rejecting God all together or just rejecting God’s word. Some of the typical excuses of atheists/agnostics are on the tree. However, many religious people believe, “I was well indoctrinated” will be an acceptable excuse for following the wrong teaching. It is an excuse that keeps them from seeking the truth, since they frequently believe one belief is as good as the next. They are in effect more generous than God or as the scriptures teach, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”

Excuse Tree

We will just mention one of the excuses above in this short post. Namely, “I believed the convincing teachings of the world regarding life.” This excuse indicates truth does not matter. It says God’s purpose, God’s plan must conform to humankind’s inventions. God does not respect the teachings of men and women in spiritual matters and you should realize this. Can humankind’s well developed doctrines about life and death easily convince people? Yes, apparently they can but it is because a person likes the teaching more than they love the truth. In view of the truth EVERY doctrine of men and women looks foolish. A person of pride, of selfishness will never understand God.
God designed His test to sort those who indeed love Him from those who do not believe in Him or say they do, but will NOT follow His commands. The point of the excuse tree is that none of these things will be viable excuses before God. The thing you are NOT taught that you need is, “there are no excuses for failing in life.” God has provided THE ANSWER for a successful life. God delivered a divine covering or propitiation for your sin, for your “God Defined Sin.” God is in charge and defines sin and defines the solution and there you are with a free-will decision to make. In foolishness, you say, “I did not really know what to do.” That is very likely the truth, but during your life you needed to figure out what you must do. The point is THERE IS NO EXCUSE despite your confidence that there must be an excuse! This website is about getting you to heaven and by UNDERSTANDING GOD you can see beyond your personal reasoning to things beyond this life. Your personal ideas cannot be any more than guesses, because humankind cannot understand God and things beyond this present existence UNLESS GOD REVEALS THEM. God has revealed them in the bible and nowhere else. In the bible you can learn there will be no excuses and learn who is truly responsible for your sin.

Excuses versus Responsibility

Humankind has a propensity for excuses and blaming, but not everyone. The excuse and blaming mentality is something God disdains. God expresses this in the story and life of David. David did many things wrong and often seriously wrong, but God referred to David as a man after God’s own heart. How can this be? As we study David’s life, we see he always took responsibility for what He did, He would admit He did it. No excuses, however his contemporary Saul, or King Saul displayed the opposite. He would make excuses, blame others as he did in his explanation to Samuel following the battle with the Amalekites. God rejected Saul and accepted David and therein is a great spiritual lesson for the critical importance of personal responsibility.

God’s Advice
Highly Recommended
Redeem The Time

Ephesians 5:15-17

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5.15-17 is “heavenly” advice from God, and nothing could be further from what God says here than living a life of excuses and blaming, and then thinking God cannot see through your deceit. Your walk in life needs to be circumspectly walked, that is carefully, cautiously, accurately and blaming others and making excuses is not walking circumspectly. Then God immediately points out that each person should redeem the time, that is make the best use of the time because eventually you will run out of days. There is no time to be unwise. Do not be foolish and waste your short life living in opposition to God’s will. The excuse tree is there to help you realize there are NO EXCUSES that will satisfy God. Your coming before God at the judgment is not a time for debating, for laying out your case filled with blaming others and a long list of excuses. God knows everything about you and that is why you are standing before Him in judgment. THE TRIAL IS OVER, it consisted of your life choices and they are perfectly known to God as are your thoughts. The judgment provides the sentence. So, you see it is important to redeem the time (your lifetime) and you can only do that if you understand the will of God. Use your remaining time to find out the will of God and obey it and live it before it is everlastingly too late.

Note: Ephesians 5.16 says, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” This is a powerful warning that your days on earth are limited and as each day passes so does your opportunity for salvation. Every day lost without being “in Christ” brings you closer to your last day when it will be too late. Indeed, the days are evil in this sense and the scriptures emphasize that today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6.2).

Blaming Others For Your Mistakes Is Very Destructive

When we blame others for what we have done, it is deceitful. In life many times excuses will work and sometimes they may be valid, but the excuses being discussed here are deceitful or questionable and damage your ability to make sound judgments about yourself. When you find a good excuse for failing to achieve something, there is a tendency to use that excuse to “give-up.” “I might as well give up,; I have been cheated – it was unfair.” Many someone’s have said, “Life Is Unfair” and they are right because evil can triumph, and goodness can fail. However, that is temporary since you will be judged by God, who is the perfect judge. So eternity is fair, perfectly fair and life is not fair. The scriptures show many people who could have great excuses for their problems and some just go downhill while others just try harder. Elijah was temporarily in this mode and indeed had a good excuse in his mind to just quit. One might agree with Elijah’s plight, what more could he do? As we know, Elijah despite the complacency and danger got back into the “battle.” He did not, “live in the excuse.” Jesus, God’s own Son had a very difficult life and He knew the suffering that was coming. All of the apostles following Jesus death would have difficult life’s in doing God’s will as they were the subject of Jewish wrath. Paul, who was one persecuting the Jews, but following the incident on the road to Damascus would begin preaching Jesus and was immediately a target for the Jews to murder. He would chronicle his difficulties in 2 Corinthians 11.20-33.

2 Corinthians 11:20-33

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

Can you imagine all the excuses, and all those Paul could blame for his difficulties, but instead Paul said:

Philippians 4.6-8

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

AND also

Philippians 4.11-13

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Paul’s attitude stands in glaring contrast to those who look for excuses, who look to blame others. He is not anxious, but content even in difficulties. He is living for and in obedience to Christ. You realize that when excuses or blaming is your focus, it is usually because you have done something wrong. A person living and redeeming the time, walking accurately through life has no reason for excuses. There is no appearance of evil in such a person, as the scriptures teach us to avoid such appearances.

1 Thessalonians 5:21,22

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form (or appearance KJV) of evil.

The Source of The Problem and
Why Excuses and Blaming
Point The Finger In The Wrong Direction and
Who It Destroys

Our excuses and blaming are frequently attempts to cover-up the truth or lessen our role in the situation. What do you think happens to a person’s integrity when their life is mired in excuses, in the blaming of others? If the blaming is deceitful, dishonest or not fully accurate, then the things coming out of your mouth defile you. That is, they corrupt and dishonor the one speaking. Jesus explains the process very clearly in Mark 7.18-27 (see further down this page). You see it is OUT OF THE HEART, OUT OF THE MOUTH and the evil shows up in many ways, but indeed the end result is sin. It should be obvious that the choices each person makes comes from the heart and “shows up” as good or evil thoughts, words and/or actions. It should also be obvious that those evil thoughts, words or actions are not something you can blame on someone else or is there any excuse for your sin. There can be forgiveness and that is what David sought when he faced up to his sin, no blaming, no excuses.

I Was Told Many Lies and
Believed Those Lies

I suppose a common excuse would be, “I Was Lied To.” That may be true, but do not focus on the lie to the point you give up. At least you determined there was deceit in what you were taught, but how are you going to handle the lie? Many people just give up and think there is no truth. There may be great anger at those who lied to you, but consider they certainly were also deceived. Now, YOU as well as your instructors could have uncovered the lies if there was a love of the truth. You died a Catholic and you were so certain it was the truth. The thing that fooled you may have been the ENORMITY OF THE LIE. Lie upon lie upon lie and how easy with an open mind you could have recognized the deceit. You can say the same of Islam, of Mormonism and of all the Protestant religions. A virtual sea of deceit has drowned the world and in effect condemned all those who participate in such doctrines. They are not condemned because of the lie, but because as a result they never found the truth so they could be reconciled to God. Unfair, unfair you say, but realize you have been unfair in rejecting the God of heaven’s love. God has nothing to do with the religions of men and women. The religions of men and women are idolatrous, they might as well bow down to some statue. It is not the physical statue that is the fundamental problem, it is just a symbol of the real problem. Namely, a person or group is following after the teaching of some man or woman that has been attached to the idol (i.e. a statue or a real person or whatever they invented as symbolic). So all these false religions are idolatrous. Samuel attached the stubbornness of Saul to idolatry. Paul, in Colossians associated idolatry to covetousness.

1 Samuel 15:23

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Colossians 3.5

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Idolatry is important because many people see this word (idolatry) as something particularly defiant to God and they are correct. Yet, they have little concern following the doctrine of a man or woman, which to God is idolatry. God’s children worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4.24) and follow the doctrine of Christ or they have neither the Father nor the Son (2 John 1.9). God sees your love for Him by keeping His commands (John 14.15). What do you think God sees when you follow the commands of men or women? Does He see your hate or disrespect for Him and His Son? Jesus makes this very clear when He declares that it is not your mental willingness to acknowledge Him as Lord, but your obedience, the doing of God’s will which will separate you for heaven.

Matthew 7.21

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

God wants you to know that there will be no excuses and that following after the doctrines of men and women is certainly not an excuse. These things stand in opposition to God and indeed are idolatry.

Do Not Lose Heart
You Are Alive
Make The Right Decisions
Achieve Heaven

In the end, there will be absolutely no one to blame for your life, but yourself. We make choices, albeit sometimes under pressure, but we still decide for ourselves. The decisions we make in terms of selecting friends, in terms of selecting advisers and those we decide to trust may in themselves have been exceedingly bad decisions. As a result you make bad choices and perhaps influence others as you were influenced. The world loves to blame God when there is tragedy, but all the bad things are the result of humankind’s bad choices. Some of those historical bad choices that now influence you may go back hundreds or thousands of years and some may have just happened minutes ago. Your choices are affecting your life now and on into eternity. Who is to blame? Well it must be God! Where is the wisdom in blaming God, do you not know He is your benefactor, He is your judge, He is the reason you exist?

IF YOU KNOW AND BELIEVE GOD, you also know all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. If you understand God, then you realize when you lose a loved one, you lose someone who was God’s gift to you. You understand that in the next life those fellow saved humans (now transformed) will include all those who loved God and that may NOT include your earthly loved ones. You also realize, that the terrible things that happen during your lifetime are the result of sin. Men and women make bad choices and innocent people often seemingly unrelated are frequently hurt. You see life correctly when as a child of God you realize 2 Corinthians 4.16-18 is true.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The vast, vast majority of the world are NOT God’s children of their own choice. Amazingly, as soon as a person hears such a statement they will be thinking of reasons, excuses why this cannot be true. There is a tremendous difference between looking at life through your eyes, through a human perspective and looking at life through the eyes of God. The human perspective of a personal tragedy can turn a person against God. God is blamed and His existence may be denied. It is very strange to see people blaming God, although before this they never truly believed in God as seen in their lifestyle and their speech. Grieving is natural and expected when we lose a loved one or we see a loved one suffering. The scriptures alluded to above and given below tell God’s children not to lose heart and that all things are working together for good. Certainly in many of life’s tragedies, disappointments, physical and/or emotional sufferings this can be difficult to understand.

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

We see “people of religion” frequently lose their faith when the difficult times come. I would suggest that those who truly believe in God and understand God’s “purpose and plan” would grieve losses, but never blame God and in fact go forward even stronger in their faith. This is simply because they know life’s purpose and that ultimately life is about the soul.

Life is hard, life is serious, life is short, but God is on your side if you can live your life for His Son.

1 Timothy 2.3,4

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

So, do not lose heart during the difficult times. God wants you to succeed. You see losing heart is one thing that places you on the “no hope road” and you go deeper and deeper into a place where you cannot recover. As mentioned above, we become corrupted in mind and our attitude, our outlook is in opposition to God, even His existence. The evil things, that is sin comes from within a person and that is why there are no excuses, and there is no one else to blame. Jesus indicates in Mark 7 what defiles, destroys or damages a person, namely evil things come from WITHIN a person.

Out Of The Heart, Out of The Mouth,
and Outwardly In Your Actions

Mark 7.18-27

18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,
19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”
20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

God indicates the ROOT CAUSE for a person’s sin comes from within each person. There is no one to blame for YOUR sin. Indeed out of the heart, out of the mouth and then frequently the outward actions of visible sin. The sin occurs at, “out of the heart.” Jesus points this out in Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.21,22

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Jesus makes this clear a second time when He indicates the point of sin’s initiation in relation to adultery.

Matthew 5.27,28

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

The verses above and the one following below should be of concern to many people and explains why few will be in heaven. If you quote the verses above, a typical reaction would be, Well if that is the case there will not be many in heaven.” Exactly! Yet there is a covering for sin and God holds it out to all of humankind.

Revelation 14:5

5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

When there is no deceit the person is found to be without fault. Again most people question the ability of anyone to be found without any deceit and thus heaven would seem a remote possibility. Somehow the world seems indifferent to deceit and even find it as a common and expected thing. Deceit is an accepted thing for many people, and even classified as to the seriousness of the lie. In some way humankind believes they can assign severity to lies and must think God accepts their definitions. It is idolatry. The essence of being a child of God is respect for God and God’s commands, respect for all God delivered in His word. So simple, but people are filled with THEIR way and the way THEY think things should be. This will be the great differentiation between those who fail in life and those who succeed. On one hand respect for God and obedience to his commands and on the other hand disrespect for God’s way as seen in disobedience or indifference.

People going down the disrespect path dig themselves a hole and never are able to differentiate truth from error. The excuse for a lie is to say this lie was not all that bad, pretty harmless. God says lying is a sin and all sin is against God. It has never been about intelligence in terms of succeeding or failing in life, but about your attitude, about the things that characterize you – your character. So indeed, it is seemingly difficult for humankind to succeed. However, God knows this and the right person with the right attitude – a love of the truth, humility, etc. – learns the truth, obeys and lives it and has those past sins forgiven. There was serious anger, there was lustful thoughts, there was deceit and yet all can be forgiven because of Jesus. Learn exactly what God requires from you to take advantage of the sacrifice of His Son.

The Invitation and Excuses
For Refusing God’s Invitation

Luke 14.15-24

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,
17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’
22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’
23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’”

Jesus’ parables were lessons related to His kingdom and the one above tells of those invited to the great supper, which was the invitation to the kingdom of God. Those invited would be the Jews, but may also in principle apply to all those called by the gospel message, but also reject the invitation. Jesus explains how people give excuses for not being able to make it to the supper. In their excuses they lose the right to attend the supper. As mentioned, the prime meaning is in relation to the Jews being invited, but in their refusal the message is brought to the Gentiles. People have their excuses while they are alive in relation to rejecting God and they will have their excuses when they learn they are lost.
Today, the gospel message is the invitation and it is available to everyone. Unfortunately, there is considerable propaganda against God and against the bible. As a result, people often CHOOSE to stay away from the message. Ask someone to study the scriptures with you, or to hear the gospel preached and rarely is there any interest. People who are “religious” are very indoctrinated in their own belief and perhaps forbidden to be involved in consideration of other beliefs. So, there are a world of reasons why people reject even hearing the invitation or we might say give excuses for not listening to the message. Today most people do not have the time for spiritual things. Life is filled with hundreds of things that are “in the moment” or are in their near future plans. There is no time for the only thing in life that really matters – the truth about life. The “world” has “the world” very well indoctrinated into “worldliness.” The point is there is no blaming the world, there is no excuse for rejecting God’s invitation.

Worldly Excuses

If you understand God and His purpose, you will understand the absurdity of the excuses that humankind has devised to tell God, “It Was Not My Fault, It Was Not Fair.” They could not help it, it was in their genes, it was due to their upbringing and a hundred other things. In truth, those who promote such things are guilty of deception and causing many to be lost, including themselves.
The lie is that we do not have control, perhaps because the person was drunk when the evil deed was done. Alcoholism is a disease and they could not control their actions. Those who steal have the stealing gene and are kleptomaniacs, who have little or no control. Some people have the genetic make-up that predisposes them to homosexuality. Abortion is a choice and there is no gene to blame (yet). However the EXCUSE for abortion is that it is the right of a woman to choose life or death for her baby. “Every day it seems” there is a new excuse invented, a new reason given that in some way justifies what God defines as sin. This is nothing new, but in our “age of MORE science” the excuses are more developed. Especially since the time of Darwin, many people have determined the whole process of life was an accident and the end of a life ends each person’s existence. The end of existence conclusion is more believable if you accept Darwin. Catholic’s invented a new way of forgiving sin, confession to a priest. Many who committed war crimes against individuals excused themselves, since they were just following orders. The scriptures indicate many people would do evil things and their excuse would be they were doing God’s will, or as the verse below indicates, “thinking he offers God service.” In the present time, Islam is the best example of those who justify murder as doing God’s will. Jesus spoke specifically about the Jews murdering his disciples and using the excuse that it was offering God service.

John 16:2

2 “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

The truth is there are always choices. God designed humankind with a free will, and some choose evil over good. God’s purpose could not be realized, and God would not be fair if He built-in a condition where humankind was not able to choose the right course. However, people can choose to do things that alter their chemistry (drugs), kill brain cells, shorten their life’s and hamper their judgment.
People choose to do evil things for selfish reasons, for envy, for greed, for money, for power and never consider the consequences. Frequently, some choices are driven by anger or rage and lead to devastation for others. Our evil choices may begin innocently but often lead to addiction and these can be chemical or even addict us to selfishness or cruelty such that we are without feelings, empathy. In this character we minimize any chance of a reconciliation with God. Considering all that has gone wrong in our life we can easily look back and find excuses or find someone to blame. However, life success is about overcoming sin and receiving forgiveness and not finding ways to justify our thoughts and actions. Indeed, we do not know what life is all about.

All The Wonderful Excuses

A person might say, “I just want to get to heaven, if there is a heaven!” If you really want heaven to be your home, there are some things you need to understand.

First, remove the doubts you have about God and heaven – this is easy since God’s word is complete, consistent and fits “everything” perfectly together. There is nothing, nothing, nothing like God’s word.

Second, understand life is not easy and there is great deception and frequently difficult/seemingly impossible to overcome for people who want to believe the deception. One example would be the abortion deception that teaches abortion is a choice and not murder. Another deception example would be that there are different classes of sin, some not so serious. A great deception that is broadly accepted teaches one religion (belief) is as good as another.

Third, realize Jesus is clear that few will make it to heaven – but also that YOU can be in the few.

The verses below talk about “not many” are called and if you understand God you realize the message is there for all the world. The sense where “not many” are called (considering all scripture) is because they do not want to be called. They choose to reject the calling that is “out there” for all the world. Why would they do this? Some of the reasons are given in the verse such as, they are wise according to the flesh, they are mighty, they are noble. All these things point to pride, selfishness, and in general worldliness – short term gains, instant gratification. God chooses the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty. As a result, God will have people who are quite the opposite of the proud, of the selfish because they seek truth over their own desires. They will accept the gospel invitation of God.

1 Corinthians 1.26-30

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Verse 29 reveals a great deal about God. He indicates those who are successful in life will not consist of those who can glory in His presence. Such people failed in life because of trusting in their wisdom, and/or in their might, and/or in their nobility. Such people could say, I achieved heaven because of my ability, my wisdom. This is idolatry, they did not need God. God’s perfect plan has separated them from heaven because of their own choices.

This theme of God’s way versus man’s way is throughout the bible. God’s ways are higher than man’s and this should be obvious to every person, but it is not because of pride. God’s way “outsmarts” the “wisdom of the wise” who are also people full of self-pride. God “outmaneuvers” those with characteristics of worldliness by NOT showing them His power, but providing the answer to a successful life in something they would reject, namely weakness or what they may see as foolishness. They see God’s way as described in the scriptures as foolishness, because in the world there is no gain in humility, in selflessness, in sacrifice and living without all the worldly desires.
One might say why does God need to outmaneuver anyone? Simply because it is part of the test and God’s purpose is to find those worthy and really trustworthy to be with God for eternity. In order for God to differentiate people in fairness He does this by placing obstacles in life where people must make decisions. Generally, the obstacle is what God defines as sin. God is perfect in creation, but is just as perfect in his plan which perfectly differentiates people.

1Corinthians 1.18,19

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

God receives the truth seekers, the humble, the courageous in defense of the gospel, the open-minded, the forgiving, the selfless and all the noble characteristics required by God for heaven.

If you want to see the type of characteristics that help a person to find the truth, obey it and live it simply look at what Jesus taught in Matthew 5.3-12.

Matthew 5.3-12

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven ….

Silly Excuses

The following “silly excuses” are designed by men and women as an excuse for sin. There is a trace of believably for people in these excuses, but not for God’s children. It is not surprising because the world is at enmity with God.

James 4.4

4 …….. know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

If you love the truth, if you love God you cannot also love the “world” because the “world” (that is, the things of the world) are in opposition to God. People “of the world” live for gaining the things of the world. God’s children live for the next life. They can do this because they are certain it exists and is wonderful and have a perpetual awareness this present life is very short. You see, it always comes back to God’s purpose for creation. All the physical things you see represent the stage for the test and you and I are being tested. God wants GOOD people to share an eternal heaven with Him. God defines GOOD and it is not what you or I may think. God’s definition of a GOOD person is one who recognizes God’s existence and that He is the God of the bible. That GOOD person is also one who loves God and keeps His commandments. It turns out that the sort of person who is GOOD has certain characteristics that allow him/her to “come to God.” Some of those characteristics are humility, truth seeking, forgiving, courageous, unselfish, and caring for others more than themselves. These are things consistent throughout the bible and how Jesus described God’s GOOD people above in Matthew 5.3-12. The “world” is generally not this way and lacking those characteristics those people live, die and are lost. The world defines good people in relation to their kindness, their visible sacrifices, their unselfishness and consequently at their death assigns them to heaven. The truth about those who achieve heaven is much different. Indeed, God’s people have those good characteristics mentioned, but they are also forgiven by God through obedience and continue in obedience. Therefore, it is exceedingly unwise for any person to indicate such and such a person is in heaven. First, because you do not know and second you can fool others who think the characteristics of that deceased person were representative of those who are in heaven.

So, can you expect the “world” to be helpful in your salvation? THE ANSWER IS NO! Is it surprising that the “world” provides you with many reasons to reject God? Is it surprising that the “world” provides you excuses for everything that God calls sin? Is it surprising that the “world” laughs at religion? The “religions of the world” help people to fail in life by being inconsistent and just as far from the truth as those who reject God’s existence. Is it surprising that the “world” does not know what life is all about and consequently promotes the glorification of power, money and pleasure? In today’s world, whenever there is anything that can be construed as pointing away from God; It appears in the media. The vast majority of news media, liberal colleges and even the students from the earliest age of instruction are bombarded with deceit. One might think that the carefully conceived deceit would be, “an acceptable excuse” for believing things that will ultimately result in the loss of their souls, but this is NOT the case.

More On Intellectual EXCUSES
They Are Misleading, Without Validation and Deceitful

1) The Theory Of Organic Evolution
Theory of Organic Evolution – False, see https://heavencoach.com/the-theory-of-organic-evolution/

2) The Big Bang Theory
Big Bang – False, see https://heavencoach.com/why-does-god-exist/

3)Genetic Codes Are The Root Cause For Sin – False
A persons unique Genetic Code is suggested as the cause for “everything” pretty much eliminating personal responsibility. These studies are funded typically by the National Institute of Health. Genetic Research is great in terms of identifying root cause for disease and potentially cures, but moving into areas where there is no validation and suggesting there is a gene for every social disorder is like trying to explain the origin of the universe or living beings. Lots of theories are generated, but always with enormous problems, many unmentioned assumptions and yet some people willingly walk into the traps.

They suggest there are potentially genetic codes for Stealing, Homosexuality, Murder and essentially every sin as well as for just about anything else such as Bad Driving, Infidelity, Overeating, Smoking, Overspending, Inability to remember faces and again just everything. Why are they studying this, wouldn’t it be easier to say whatever you did was the result of your genes – whatever whether good or bad. You could save the taxpayers some research money. We could save even more by tearing down the prisons, because it was not their fault. Ridiculous, ridiculous and of course it is, but not nearly as ridiculous as giving people excuses that can destroy personal responsibility. So is the “world” working against you in the only thing that really matters? As Jesus said above, “know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God.”

There is only one reason for all these “scientific suppositions” and that is to provide excuses, to place the blame for people’s actions on something they cannot control. You might say the reason is for scientific inquiry and that is fine, but there is no validation for these things – so teach them as theory, albeit weak theories. God made no mistakes and did not cause man to sin because of something He designed into humankind. People love excuses which justify their actions more than they love God. People do become addicted to a variety of sins, but it was their choice and NOW they cannot control it, or they are not willing to work to overcome the problem.

The Relatives of Blaming and Excuses

The first cousin to blaming and excusing is complaining. All three of these activities add little value and in fact are generally wasteful. The opposite of complaining is providing constructive solutions. This website is about getting you to heaven and this topic is focusing on how blaming and excuses pull you in the wrong direction. Of course, blaming and excuses may or may not be sinful, but in any case your life test is difficult and these things make it more difficult. Everyone will get involved in making excuses and blaming others, but be aware these things can become a way of life. They are closely related to pride, selfishness, envy and these are often the deeper motives for blaming and making excuses. God tells us that pride goes before destruction and many people try hard to hide their selfish pride and if that requires blaming others to maintain a “looking good” reputation then blaming others will be the solution. We even fool ourselves by closing our mind to what we have done.
Paul in writing to the Philippians told them how to become BLAMELESS and harmless in this crooked and perverse generation,. Namely Namely, by doing do all things without complaining and disputing. The world remains at enmity with God and is always a little less or a little more crooked and perverse. In your everyday life there are many things to complain about, to dispute and they add no value, but can be harmful and can result in blame and harm. The scriptures however are clear that teaching the truth, being ready to give an answer to the hope within you (a child of God) and even disputing for the cause of Christ are necessary. Why dispute for the cause of Christ? Simply because life is not about all the thousands of things people argue about, but life is about the soul.

Philippians 2.14-16

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

The World
Yes, Even The Religious World

Does Not Know How To Get To Heaven

This topic is really about taking responsibility for your thoughts, words and actions. If you want to get to heaven you must be responsible, or you will never repent because you will never see yourself in need of forgiveness. What do you think Jesus had in mind in the verse below?

Matthew 15:14

14 “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

He is telling you that you are responsible for what you believe even if you are misled by someone else. God has made it amazingly simple for people to achieve heaven, if they love the truth. Yes, you are right, life is difficult, but also very short. You may have been able to get through school and get a good job and that is exceedingly more work than is required to find the truth. You may have overcome a difficult childhood and are working to right your life and that is much more difficult than finding the truth. Achieving heaven is the most important and really the only thing that is important in your life. How interested are you to succeed and have a wonderful eternity? I said finding the truth is easy, but only if you love the truth, otherwise it is impossible. Once you find the truth, living that life following God’s ways can be difficult, but very doable if you can see and focus on the “big picture.”
The religious world is often the BLIND ONE who is leading those looking for answers. You think that following the pope will get you to heaven? You would not believe that if you loved the truth. You think that the pope or the Catholic Church can be your excuse or that you can blame them? Every Catholic will find out that Catholicism was just another religious system invented by men and/or women. It is easy to know the truth, but the truth as you might imagine is very singular, see “One Solid Thing.”
People seek to establish their own righteousness and in this way lose their way, never learn the truth and die and are lost. Their followers do exactly the same as they also love their own righteousness.

Romans 10.3

3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

This is EXACTLY the state of the religions of the world. Out of ignorance the religions of the world have established their own righteousness and that is 100% useless. The most basic principle we understand from God is that He is God and we are not, yet people place themselves as god making rules and laws. The scriptures over and over again warn about adding to or taking away from what God has delivered and about changing the gospel. Another way of saying this is that the “Religions Of The World” established their own righteousness.

The core element determining success or failure in life is the choices people make. The bad choices are selfish, prideful choices that destroy the soul. The verse below indicates the gospel is veiled or hidden from those whose focus is on worldly things. Such people are perishing, that is going down a road that will end in failure. God’s people (those who obeyed the gospel and are living faithfully) on the other hand are being renewed (spiritually) as indicated in 2 Corinthians 4.16, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Those people who are NOT “in Christ” are NOT in the race for heaven and this is their choice. A choice they made because as the verse below indicates their minds have been blinded by the things of the present world. Their love is for the “god of this age” and that can be anything that they “worship or love” more than God. Their EXCUSE will be, “I never knew what to do and how to live in the world.” Yet, did they love the truth? A love of the truth is essential for salvation (2 Thessalonians 2.10) and is one of the characteristics that people need so the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. Now, knowing the truth and obeying the gospel have you in the race. In any case, by your choices you are fulfilling God’s purpose and He is able to accurately and fairly divide the saved from the lost. God makes it clear it is not His desire that any be lost, but justice is perfectly served for the saved as well as the lost. The scriptures are filled with warnings of the pending judgment and the sobering statement from Jesus indicates few will succeed (Matthew 7.13,14). The reasons for this failure are given throughout the scriptures and include the verses below.

2 Corinthians 4.3,4

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

The Pains Of Eternal Loss

In the book, “What Is Life All About?” there is a description of hell based on what God has revealed in His word. It is something to be avoided. Since we are physical beings the suffering is described by God as we might understand it – in physical terms. Such as gnashing of teeth, but we will not have teeth. In our new and final existence those who are lost will suffer in some terrible way. I do not know how that will occur because I am physical. Such descriptions as gnashing of teeth, darkness, no rest, a place of terror, extreme loneliness accurately describe the terrible magnitude of your eternity. However, I have reached a conclusion that makes sense from scripture. I must classify it as, “Thus thinketh I.” I tried to think of the worst possible non-physical thing, and I determined it was the realization of heaven lost AND how easy it would have been to be successful. Your shortsighted decisions had their basis in pleasure, pride, greed, selfishness, jealousy and have destroyed the only thing that really mattered in your life. Heaven will be beyond your most wonderful imagination and being lost beyond your imagination in the opposite direction. You did it to yourself and now it is for eternity and there is no escape. How could anyone want such an outcome? No one does, but while you are alive on earth you did not have the characteristics God was looking for and thus you made very bad decisions. If you only knew, but you did not know because while on earth YOU DID NOT WANT TO KNOW. Perhaps you even thought, “NOT KNOWING” will be your EXCUSE. So I conclude, that in some way your eternity will be unbearable because of the immeasurable magnitude of heaven lost and the exceedingly difficult state of your eternity. A part of your suffering will be the result of the realization of how easily you could have succeeded. NOW, while you are alive is the only time to show God you love Him – during your short lifetime.

Last Thought On The Seriousness
Of Finding And Living The Truth

Life is difficult and one must have the will power to overcome a great deal to succeed. The world including and this includes the so-called “religious world” provides little warning of the seriousness of living life well in terms of eternal life. The religious world paints a rosy picture in terms of your ability to easily achieve heaven. The teaching of religions varies vary greatly, but there usually seems to be a way in most religions cases for you to live “in the world” AND in harmony with God. The Catholic confessional is a great example (previously discussed on this page) of sinning, confessing to a priest for forgiveness and then sinning again and restarting the cycle. Many Protestants believe once saved they are always saved and thus go in and out of sin throughout their life without “much” concern. It would be hard to imagine more deceitful examples of living in the world and also living in harmony with God. Other religions have ways to allow people to live on the fence and still be headed for heaven. These religions create a culture that says, “You can live in the world and be found acceptable to God.” The problem is, this is not true!
Even Paul understood how important it was to have control over his body and avoid sin. This could not be more clear than in the verse below.

1 Cor 9:27

27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul made the seriousness of life clear to those who were already children of God because he knew they needed to be faithful unto death (Revelation 2.10).

Philippians 2:12

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

God’s children are examined as to how they fulfilled their duties. They got off to a good start by obeying the gospel, but have they kept God’s commands throughout the remainder of their life’s?

1 Peter 4:17

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Finally, Paul knew that he had to do his very best in the work of conversion. Many times Paul successfully preached and the message was accepted, but also many times he was met with anger and violence. Paul would proceed to preach the gospel and was driven by his knowledge of what it meant to be lost and he expresses it in the verse below:

2 Cor 5:11

11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;

The world has a history of violence as seen in wars, terrorism, murders of innocents, and cruelty is routine in many different forms. It would not be a surprise to suggest the “religions of the world” have either directly or indirectly been responsible for much of the violence. The cruelty, the murders throughout human history have been senseless and unimaginably devastating and seldom understood. Many tears and much anguish have resulted from the cruel ambition that benefited certain religious hierarchies. However, at the end of the world there will be the most devastating and horrific event that will directly affect every person who has failed in life. There will be great fear as people realize God exists and was the God of the bible. Jesus was indeed God’s Son and your obedience to him during your lifetime will be the only safety net. This last day of humankind’s existence will come as a surprise to all because it will be an ordinary day, a day not known to any person. Jesus will return in the clouds and every knee will bow, and 1 Corinthians 1.18 will be reality.

1 Cor 1:18

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Finally, the foolishness of those who rejected Jesus will be realized. God said the message of the cross was foolishness to those who are perishing and now they see themselves as exceedingly foolish. Many who claimed Jesus as savior will be lost because they never obeyed Him and lived faithfully to Him.

The final day will occur in an instant and only the soul will be important. Your finances, your loved ones, your home, your awards and everything you cherished will have zero value. There will be no reporting of the event, no newscast, no commentary, no headlines, but just the end of the physical world and time. The only thing remaining is the judgment. Finally, yes finally the seriousness of living correctly has been impressed on your brain. It is over.

One Final Thought and Advice

Someone asks, how can it be wonderful if I am saved, but my loved one(s) go into eternal punishment? There are two things in answer to this concern.
1) All things are possible with God and
2) As difficult as this may be if you are a child of God you understand God has NOT made a mistake and you accept His judgment and honor it. The likelihood of your being saved and disrespecting God’s judgment or seriously questioning it are unlikely. You see, those you loved on earth were gifts to you from God and they could have been any number of different people. Life is not about the physical, the temporary, but about the souls of each person. If a person fails it was their choice and this is a very fundamental understanding for God’s children. God needs to be number one in your life and then you are in the best possible position to help your loved ones. The simple formula of placing God first, everyone else second and yourself third is a very good practice. Then in all things, God and His will is the first consideration and by placing others ahead of yourself you avoid the devastating issues like selfishness and envy. You are in third place and are in the best place to “automatically” receive heaven because of where you placed God and others. Certainly by placing God first in your life and others ahead of yourself you will not be a person who blames others or makes excuses for your life. The directive from God found in Matthew 6.33 is essential for every person who desires heaven.

Matthew 6:33

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

If you are reading this you are still alive, and you can have the living hope referred to in the verses below. You will never realize this hope by living in the world, that is in worldliness. As God has indicated the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and if you have the courage to live correctly you can overcome the world and the fear of death and punishment. God’s incentives are very powerful and still few will be moved from selfishness. It turns out all of God’s children have been moved to obedience by both God’s love and by His awesome power over their eternity. God’s children get past the fear to a large extent as they continue to grow in the knowledge of God. Nonetheless, Paul admonished those at Philippi to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. It was Paul’s way to have the children of God live everyday aware of the seriousness of living life correctly. The inheritance awaits and it is described as RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU (you who are God’s children) and finally revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1.3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.