Heaven Coach

TO WHOM DOES THE BIBLE APPLY

The general consensus would be that the bible is for everyone. That would be true as it is the one and only way for a person to realize success in life. However, without an additional understanding you can be greatly misled. You will not be misled by God, but by your own interpretations or those who might influence you. The scriptures are not for any private interpretation – you need to understand the message correctly.

2 Peter 1.20,21

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

It would be a bad assumption to believe that all scriptural passages apply to everyone. Although, you can correctly understand to whom the passage applies. Those who love the truth and will accept nothing less than the truth will be the only ones to comprehend this essential matter. It is not a matter of intelligence, but to the contrary those who consider themselves the wise of the world will trust in themselves and not humble themselves to trust God (God’s word). The characteristics God is looking for in a person are perfectly aligned with His plan of salvation. In other words God’s plan of salvation interests only those who possess the characteristics God seeks in people. As an example, a proud person may see God’s plan as foolishness, whereas a humble person may see God’s plan from God’s view and understand its perfection. God calls people by the gospel message and those who love the truth seek God, but they are not those who are wise in the physical world, or typically not those who are mighty/powerful or those who are the noble/honored ones of humankind. In the sense the message does not appeal to them they are NOT called by the gospel message even though it is there for all. The single biggest reason the message is unappealing to so many is that the scriptures require people to live for Christ and not for themselves. This means foregoing sin, accepting God’s way in everything and thus the message that all people need goes intentionally unheard. Again, in this sense these people are not called by the gospel message – their choice.

1 Corinthians 1.26

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

The gospel message is for truth seekers, for the humble, for the courageous, for the kind/considerate and selfless of the world. They are the lovers of truth despite what they currently believe and how and by whom that teaching came to them. God makes this very clear in 2 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 2.10-12

10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The world by observation thrives in having pleasure in unrighteousness and God wants none of these in heaven. Yet, every person can move from that position if they have a love of the truth. A love of the truth can overcome the distractions and the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes and the pride of life. How badly do you want heaven, can you see past this short life to the eternal life God has prepared for those that love Him? Those who love Him do so in more than words, but MUST keep His commands.

Deuteronomy 7.9

9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

God will keep His promise, once again to those who obey His Son – the author of your salvation. That promise is eternal life.

Titus 1.2

2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began

Eternal life is possible for YOU, because of the gift of God referred to as the unspeakable gift of His Son. Jesus being the covering for your sins. In the process, a person becomes a new creature “IN CHRIST.”

2 Corinthians 5.17

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The idea of being “IN CHRIST” is the idea of being crucified with Christ, which occurs in the process of having your sins forgiven.

Galatians 2.20

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Of course, this process of being crucified with Christ is the one revealed in detail with many examples in the first century.

Romans 6.3,4

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The verse above indicates a new life, Why? Sins are forgiven in the process (Acts 2.38). A person obeying the gospel is a new creature, a child of God and “IN CHRIST.”

It is these people to whom God is speaking to in the letters in the new testament. These are those who are being encouraged to live godly, so they receive the crown of life at the end of their life’s. These are those who are to bring the message to the world for the salvation of souls. So the letters are addressed to the saints “IN CHRIST.”

Galatians 3.26,27

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 1.2

2 To the saints and faithful brethren IN CHRIST who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The plan of God to reconcile you to Him is very straightforward and contains none of the nonsense brought by humankind that one could refer to as religion or to as the church. God compares the confusion to the craftiness that deceived Eve with the simplicity that is in Christ. None of the organizations that exist today were present in the first century when the Holy Spirit was leading the apostles into all truth.

2 Corinthians 11.3

3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The church of the first century was simple and it was first spiritual with the Lord adding to it such as were being saved. God claims that He is not the author of confusion, so who has brought us a different gospel? The verse points to envy and self-seeking as behind confusion as well as every evil thing and then contrasts it to the wisdom of God.

James 3.16,17

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

If it were not clear enough, God states He is not the author of confusion.

1 Corinthians 14.33

33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

So as we look into, “who God is speaking to”, it will not be difficult to understand. The difficulty only comes from those who do not love the truth and have already made up their minds on certain things.

Application of Scripture To Individuals

God spoke directly to Adam and Eve in the garden and commanded them not to eat of the tree in the midst of the garden. Eve in Genesis 3.2 tells the serpent what they received from God.

Genesis 3.2

2 “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
This message applies to Adam and Eve and no one else. This is easy to understand. Many people would like to look into the scriptures and believe that “this or that” has application to them. Maybe they would like to apply the following verse from Revelation 21 to themselves.

Revelation 21.3,4

3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

The whole of scriptures teach that Revelation 21.3,4 applies to those who obey God, who have their sins forgiven and live faithfully until death. Others who do not obey God will receive quite the opposite result (look at Revelation 22).

Revelation 22.14,15

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

God would in these “early times” speak directly with certain individuals like Noah, Abraham, Moses and to the prophets of God. Here, he speaks to Abraham”

Genesis 17

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

Abraham would be the father of many nations, obviously that has application to only Abraham.

Application of Scripture To God’s Children

People love to pick and choose what they want from scripture as though they have such a right. This idea will be behind the failure of so many who refer to themselves as Christians. God is openly severe to those who alter His teachings. God’s word has been carefully and accurately delivered and if you take pieces of it to fit your wishes and avoid other parts then you are to be condemned or cursed as Paul indicates.

Galatians 1. 6-9

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

The only way to heaven comes by obedience to God’s word, obedience to the gospel of Christ and changing it will change the outcome for every person who is taught and accepts a different gospel.
It is easy to look into scripture casually and find what you want and in the examples below it is necessary to know to whom God is speaking – that is to God’s children, those who are “in Christ.”

1 John 1.8-10

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

If someone were to pick up the bible and read,”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” One might think our sins can be forgiven by confessing them (to God). 1 John is written to the saints as are all the letters in the scriptures. God’s children (saints) have received forgiveness when they obeyed the gospel, that is forgiveness of their past sins. Now, they have sinned and seek forgiveness once again. Since they are “in Christ” they have an advocate with the Father and can do exactly as Simon the sorcerer(a recent convert) did in Acts 8 when he sinned. Simon was told to repent and pray God for forgiveness that the thought of his heart MAY (God knows your heart) be forgiven.

Acts 8.21,22

21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 
22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

Another example:

James 5.16

16 …. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

This is perhaps the most difficult thing for a person, especially a person who wants to be religious to comprehend. Prayers are to God the Father and they come through the Son and thus a relationship with Jesus is required. That relationship comes from obeying the gospel and one is then “in Christ.” Of course, any person can pray to God, but only the prayer of a righteous man avails much. The example of Cornelius prayer (not in Christ) was one of seeking God, seeking righteousness and He would be the first Gentile in the kingdom of God.

The Seriousness of Being a Child of God and the Hopelessness of the Unrighteous

God distinguishes in a letter written by Peter to the saints those who are in the house of God compared to those in the world.

1 Peter 4.17,18

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? 
18 Now, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

The house of God, that is the righteous in God’s sight are differentiated from the world and it is clear their path to heaven will also be difficult. God expects a lot from His children indicating the righteous are scarcely saved. The ones who are in Christ need to remain faithful until death to achieve the crown of life. There is an impossibility of those in the world (ungodly and sinners) to be saved. God has provided a way for sins to be forgiven in Christ and it is the only way. Much of the world cannot accept this as the only way, but those who humble themselves to the will of God will hold God and Christ above their own will, their own thoughts, their own way. It is along these lines that God will get exactly those who He wants for heaven.

Application of Scripture To All

Matthew 23.12

12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

This is a general principle throughout the scriptures and applies to all. God makes it clear that pride, ego, exaltation of ones self is in opposition to success in life. Conversely, humility is required by God and is a necessary ingredient for seeking out God and truth and then obeying the truth and living it. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5.5,6

5 …..and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

1 John 2.15-17

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever

God’s purpose is to find those who can overcome the world and all its “pull” to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. God’s plan of salvation has been designed that people who choose a prideful, selfish life and are ruled by the lusts thereof will NOT seek God and find and obey Him. So, the scriptures indicate the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. The world is exuberant in its prideful denial of God and God’s message to humankind and honor those who foolishly comfort them in support of what they want to believe.

1 Corinthians 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.”

Those who oppose God and even deny His existence will indeed see the answer from God as foolishness. Behind this attitude is the things people want that God has defined as sin. Life is a battle between YOU AND SIN and God’s purpose will be fulfilled with each person making choices in relation to sin. Some will seek God with all their minds, heart and spirit and find Him, and obey Him. Others will work just as hard to fulfill their personal desires. Many will deny God, also many will believe in God, but not obey Him as they try to live in the world and for God. God is the God of the bible and the only God to ever exist and YOU can know the things of life, YOU can know God and what you must do to succeed. The saving message from God is there for all, “to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” There is a certain difficulty designed into salvation inasmuch as it is the giving of your life, that is living our life for Jesus and the gospel and not for yourself.

Mark 8.35,36

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Notice, God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and these are often the people who we follow because they seem wise, even clever and well spoken. It is however, the wisdom of humankind and more often than not they say things eloquently that relieve us of the burden of God, that is of His requirements. The great differentiation is truth or error and only God knows the truth about life. God says He will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent and this may seem contrary to careful study in your search for God. However, there needs to be careful study, but quite often the confusion about God and truth that is in the world comes from over-study, over examination of everything. Even the simplest of God’s commands are not understood correctly. The things that come from men and women in matters of God are prudently studied and questioned and finely filtered. God’s word does not need such a filter, so when God says, “repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins”, we do not need to question this. We can look to see if this is consistent with all of scripture and if it is there will be perfect consistency in the message. It is the gospel message of your salvation and is easily understood.

In the verse below, Jesus is speaking to the Jews, but if you understand the whole of scriptures it applies to any who would convert those to their false beliefs. Converting people to error is a terrible thing and it has its penalty. It is NO GOOD to be evangelistic unless your message is the truth. The effort may be heroic in evangelizing, but the message needs to be THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

Matthew 23.15

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Again, this message is throughout the scriptures as God distinguishes truth from error. In the list of the seven things God hates, teaching error dominates.

Many of the things God hates are related to mishandling His truth and not surprising since the souls of people lie in the balance.

Proverbs 16.16-19

16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

In Summary:

You must understand the context and to whom the scripture is directed so you can know if the scripture applies to you. The letters were directed to God’s people, that is those who obeyed the gospel. Today, if you obey the gospel and are living faithfully then the those letters apply to you. This would be rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2.15).
If you are in Christ, you need to live faithfully or the privileges of that relationship will be voided. Thus the application of something like, “the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” no longer applies.

1 Corinthians 15.1,2

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Hebrews 3.12

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end

The invitation to heaven is open to all and is only found in the scriptures. Indeed, few rightly divide the word of God and thus most never receive the blessing of God’s forgiveness. Many teach a gospel that has no value using the name of Christ. Many follow their teachings and go on to convert others and the cycle continues and gains some credibility. The word of God is very singular and uncompromising in its truth.
The bottom line, life is serious and your decisions will determine your success or failure. God through the Holy spirit expresses it this way:

Hebrews 2.1-4

1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

Give earnest heed because it is serious, it is your soul. Then very bluntly, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” It is a great salvation because it required God to sacrifice Jesus, and now we neglect it if we do not live faithfully. This message was specifically to the Hebrew Christians (i.e. contrasting the old and new laws) and of course to all those who are “In Christ.” If you are not “In Christ” then you are not even in the race since you made a decision NOT to enter the race – if you rejected the gospel message.

Understand – Only Fools Fail To See God

God says in Proverbs that the fool believes there is no God. As we have seen, these are more likely to be those who are wise in the ways of the world and the prudent who over-study everything.

Proverbs 14.1

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

I do not spend much time on the silly musings of men and women who seek to prove there is no God. Although, at this website you can look at a few things that might help in this regard:
Why Dos God Exist?
The Theory of Organic Evolution

The study of God’s existence mentioned here includes some simple logic. You can be sure the ungodly will certainly rush in with their very complicated explanations. If you study such rhetoric you will see it is filled with assumptions and without any proof. It will represent the prudent nature of dissecting everything in an attempt to give an answer which satisfies their preconceived and most prejudicial conclusions. The sad, ironic thing is that their battle with God only guarantees their own terrible failure in life and more unfortunately those who they mislead.

The EYE shown below is from a standard medical chart found in “every” eye doctors office showing the complexity of the eye, much like the other parts of the body. Equally impressive is the earth, the universe and so-on and our very existence is just full of incredible design.

You might wonder why an eye or eyesight was even something to be conceived by a living organism and how it came about without design, and even an infinitely wise design. The god of the world is NOTHING because out of NOTHING it is claimed came everything. If there was something (primordial soup) where did it come from? Watch a rock for a year, for a hundred years, for a billion years and it will become all we have today, someday even creating an eye and intelligence. This is the nonsense of man’s explanation of our existence. God is the God of the bible, there is no other God and God’s explanation is simple, “In the beginning God.” Thus, God rightly says, “The fool has said in his heart there is no God.” In the end the wisdom of the wise will be destroyed and the understanding of the prudent will be brought to nothing. It will all happen in the twinkling of an eye and every knee will bow as Jesus returns to bring an end to all the physical things, but first to take his children with Him forever. Then the judgment will begin for those not “IN CHRIST.” The sentence will be awful and the loss will be awful. Heaven can be your home, but you will have to want it badly enough to become a seeker of truth at all costs, find and obey and live the truth.

Matthew 11.28-30

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The world offers you nothing, both as an explanation of existence and as the outcome of life, non-existence. Now is this foolishness to accept and live this way? God through Christ offers you rest for your soul and requires you live this short life for Him and the gospel.

One Last Thought – Many Think They Are Better Than God

There is PERCEIVED a certain narrowness of God within the scriptures. Indeed God will not be accepting those outside of Christ for heaven, but this does not mean He does not desire all persons to be saved. God has done everything divinely possible to help a person to succeed in life in a world where He allows people to choose, that is, a have free will.

2 Peter 3.9

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Some people avoid the God of the bible because they conceive they are more generous than God, more loving of their fellow human beings and just better than the God of the bible. God is apparently rejecting the religions other than Christians and thus billions of people will not find heaven. This they say cannot be God, the God of love. We see however, that most of the “world of Christianity” are not “In CHRIST.” God, however, is not responsible for the choices of humankind and they have chosen to create many religions, many doctrines. Now humankind says, God, you MUST ACCEPT those who have been fooled by deceit.They have even chosen to change the gospel of Christ and made of no effect the Christ they claim to follow. God’s love of humankind and His desire that none perish is all wrapped up in Jesus and the evidence is in the giving of His Son. “IN Jesus” is the only place of mercy, the only source for forgiveness of sins. Indeed, God knowing all things tells us that the road to heaven is narrow and difficult and few will find it(Matthew 7.13,14). The process God uses to fulfill His purpose is one where people are free to choose, free to reject Him, free to sin, and free to choose God and Christ over all else. It is not God, who created these false religions that fool so many into unwavering adherence. It is not God that forces a person to choose the things of the world over Him. We do see God emphasizing the truth in scriptures and a love of the truth. It is by this means that a person can overcome the false religions and/or the pull of worldly desires. God in the process will get those, albeit only a few who love the truth and have the characteristics God requires. These will find the truth, obey the gospel and live faithfully. Many, who see themselves more concerned about human beings than the will of the God of the bible will reject the scriptures and thus reject heaven for themselves. Those who have the same concern God has for souls will obey God and then continue the work done by their Savior – namely to seek and save that which was lost. All those who think they are better than God, do not understand God. There is God’s way, which you can choose and be one of those of Revelation 21.3,4 and Revelation 22.14.

It is easy to understand why the vast majority of the world rejects God and they have hundreds of different excuses. It is also easy to understand why those who love the truth and find it would never do anything, but honor God. The difference is one understands the scriptures and sees the wisdom of God, the perfection of His revelation, God’s purpose and plan and how everything fits perfectly together. A frequent admonition to God’s children is to grow in the grace and/or grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3.17,18

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

The many things that encourage those who are “In Christ” are not directed to the ungodly (those that are not “In Christ”). However, the letters to the saints discuss the ungodly and God’s children do not wish to fall back into the world of the ungodly. Paul said, “knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men.” Every child of God is aware of his/her awesome responsibility to help others to heaven. In Peter’s letter to “the pilgrims of the Dispensation in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” he speaks to those “In Christ” about the ungodly. This is what he referred to above in 2 Peter 3.17,18 inasmuch as they “know this beforehand.” They know what will be coming some day in the future, namely:

2 Peter 3.7

7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

The heavens and earth are now preserved (now exist) are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of UNGODLY men. Perdition signifies eternal misery, it is the absence of things that make existence worthwhile. An expected reaction to God’s warnings is often to deny God’s existence, whereas fear is the beginning of knowledge. God’s children live with a certain amount of fear in terms of failing the God who they know will keep 100% of His promises, knowing that God cannot lie. As sure as God created the heavens and the earth and created life and intelligent life, one day He will permanently destroy all these physical things yet preserve the eternal souls of His creation. God is clear about what is temporary and what is eternal.

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 world’s problem is they do not take God seriously. They do not take the scriptures seriously. Religious or non-religious the only issue is truth and in general neither possess the truth about God and succeeding in life. The question NOW is how badly do you want heaven, indeed you will want heaven at the moment of our demise and that will be everlastingly too late. The scriptures can be scary, threatening and you can believe that is by design, because life and God’s word is serious because it is about your soul!