The Conversation - Pt. III (The Conundrum)

"I" is for impossible. It's impossible to put hot water together with cold water without getting warm water. It's impossible for light and dark to exist together. And it is impossible for God to allow sin into Heaven. And that's why God's forgiveness - the letter "F", the first letter we talked about - is available - the letter "A", our second letter - but not automatic. We are sinful and God can't let sin into Heaven.

"Now you're just messing with me. Either that, or this way into Heaven you're proposing is more complicated than you were letting on."

Why?

"Because. You said all we need to get to Heaven is God's forgiveness. But now you're saying it's impossible for us to get IN once we get there because we're sinful and God doesn't allow "our kind" into Heaven. I guess it's going to be a pretty quiet, empty place."

OK. Let's back up. In John 3:16 the Bible says God is loving, remember? "This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life." You with me?

"So far, so good."

But God is not Santa Claus, carrying around a bag of gifts and that's the only reason we need Him around: for what we can get OUT of Him. The Bible tells us that God is loving, but "His judgment is without mercy." That means that even though it breaks His heart, He will send people to hell. And I don't know how you feel about it, but hell is a real place.

"I guess I've never given it a whole lot of thought ..."

Most people don't, because most people believe they are "basically good at heart" and they think that should be good enough to get to Heaven. But we're not basically good. We are basically evil. You have kids, right?

"Yeah. Two boys and girl."

When they were little, did you have to teach them how to be bad?

"Heck, no! They just naturally took to doing bad things, even my sweet little girl! She's the apple of my eye, but when she decides she wants something, get out of her way. And it doesn't matter if it's good for her or not. She follows her own heart. I try to bring them up to be independent, but sometimes ... y'know? And I hate to punish them, but it's for their own good. They have to learn the rules so they can get along in life."

You said they "naturally took to doing bad things." Does that sound like we're basically good at heart? We have to be taught to do what is right and good. And I'll tell you why: Adam and Eve and DNA.

"Say what?"

Adam and Eve committed the first sin and, ever since, it's been ingrained in us, like a part of our DNA, our genetic makeup. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that each and every one of us has sinned. From the Pope on down. Me, my mom and dad, my sweet old grandmother, the deacons at church, your Aunt Betty, even Jesus' disciples. Ever since Adam and Eve we have been sinful creatures. We are born with sin in our hearts. That sweet little baby you held was born with sin in her heart. We can't get away from it. But there is no sin in God. Sin and God cannot coexist. And that's why it's impossible for forgiveness and heaven to be automatic. God just can't coexist with us because we are sinful creatures at heart. Heaven is His home, and it's been promised to us as our eternal home, too, but we have to get over this sin in our DNA first.

"Hello?? Haven't you ever heard the expression 'A leopard can't change his spots?' I can't change my DNA, and neither can you. So I guess neither one of us is going to get there."

Sometimes a leopard CAN change his spots. Let's go on to the next letter ...