C. Michael Patton Nails it Again
Many atheists complain that God is a cosmic torture monger (in the words of C. Michael Patton), that he sends people to hell for little white lies and other minor sins. That a mass murderer who repents will go to heaven, while a virtuous atheist will go to hell simply for not believing in God.
C. Michael Patton dispels that myth here. The real problem is that people trivialize sin. Sin isn’t first what we do. Sin is first who we are. We inherit the sin of our forefather Adam, and from this flows a disposition of rebellion toward God.
No matter how we behave, we always have one fist clenched toward heaven’s throne, and are in constant rebellion to God. It is for this that we spend eternity in hell, not for going 27 in a 25 zone. It’s like the Jars of Clay song Two Hands, where the songwriter feels like he’s using one hand to pull God close while using the other to push him away. This is exactly what we do when we let sin rule our lives.
Fortunately, there is good news for those who no longer wish to be in rebellion to the Creator. Believe on Jesus Christ, and your sin is paid for, in full. Then live a life of repentance, a living sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1-2). You will spend eternity with your Father in heaven.
Questions? E-mail me or comment below.
P.S. -> TurretinFan disagrees with this here.
I think that it is worthy to note that sin is both action and nature, and that we are punished more for nature than action. Believing in Christ changes our nature, so that we are capable of not sinning against God as our normal nature would demand.
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Posted on August 21, 2009, in Sin and tagged Sin. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Josiah Concept Ministries 
Being human is not a sin anymore than being God is a sin. If my nature is a sin, so is His. Fair is fair.
If we are really born at enmity to God and He is causing this to happen as his punishment of Adam’s sin, then He is as much at enmity with us by His nature as we are at enmity with Him by our nature. We both are then equally guilty, and shall not the equally guilty just mutually forgive one another if they are rational?
“That a mass murderer who repents will go to heaven, while a virtuous atheist will go to hell simply for not believing in God.” The major problem with believing in Johaninism and Paulinism rather than Synopticism. In the Synoptics (Mark’s inauthentic ending 16:9-20 not being counted) salvation is by keeping the moral commandments, as Jesus tells the rich young ruler when he asks “(Good) Master, What (good thing) must I do to inherit/obtain eternal life?” and Jesus gives him a list of six moral commandments. When those are not kept perfectly, Jesus blood and prayer for forgiveness come in according to the Synoptics, but never do we find a statement that unless you believe in Jesus you will be lost, which as far as the gospels are concerned is only in the gospel of John. The objection that Jesus told the rich young ruler he lacked something is overcome by knowing how to read, since what Jesus said was (according to Luke and Mark) “You lack on thing: Sell all your stuff and you will have treasure in heaven” and according to Matthew “If you want to be PERFECT, sell what you have and you’ll have treasure in heaven”–so what did he lack? Treasure in heaven, not eternal life. He had eternal life by keeping the moral commandments, but he was going to be poor in heaven for not having sold all his possessions. Again, when Jesus adds at the end “THEN come follow me” it is clear that Jesus is attempting to commission him as an apostle, which is why he asks him to sell everything and THEN follow him (Peter adding that “we” the apostles have done so). What he lacks is not salvation but treasure in heaven and the ability to become an apostle.
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