A fantastic book – Hell’s Best Kept Secret, by Ray Comfort

I love this book.  Having been blessed by being raised in a church that preached the cross and the message of forgiveness and grace, this book helped me to look and meditate on the other side of grace, which is the Law.

I have always had a concern for those that are perishing without Christ and on their way to Hell.  I can’t help but think about the eternal destination of people that I meet and mingle with on a day to day basis. For decades I have given gospel tracts to those I meet, even having had printed personal soul winning tracts to distribute. 

There have also been many seasons in life that I have become wrapped up in the “busy-ness”  of life, or just become complacent about my position as an ambassador of Heaven.  There have also been times I have not shared the gospel because of discouragement.  Reading this book, Hell’s Best Kept Secret, was a reminder to me of my position in Christ and my responsibility in sharing the gospel.

I loved this book because often when I have witnessed in the past, I have been left with questions such as, “Did I say the right things?”  “Did I miss something that I should have said?” and even,   “Did I make the gospel message too simplistic?”  

The gospel message IS simplistic.  The Bible tells us that it is not our works that will save us.  No amount of good works, even if we devoted our entire life, as Mother Theresa did, to the purpose of good works and humanitarian efforts would deserve us the reward of Heaven. 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, it is the gift of God and that not of yourselves, lest any man should boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8,9)

If we could be saved by doing good works, then God didn’t need to send His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.  If we could have been saved from hell by earning it, Jesus did not need to die on the cross. 

The Bible tells us that He who comes to Him as a little child, and believes in his heart that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised again, and confesses with his mouth, he shall be saved. 

So the gospel message really is simplistic.  We don’t have to earn it.  We don’t have to DO anything.  Just receive the gift that God has given – His Son, Jesus, that  paid the penalty for our sins.  

But the question, “Did I not say something that I should have?”  I think this book helped me to answer that.  One needs wisdom when sharing the gospel – when you read the responses that Jesus had to those that asked how to be saved, he never answered like I have in the past – “Just ask Jesus into your heart and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and you will be saved.”   Never once did Jesus answer like this.

Instead, Jesus, knowing the intents and motivations of the heart, responded to each individual uniquely.  Now, I’m not Jesus, and I do not know the intents and motivations of someone else’s heart – yet, I am commanded to ask for wisdom, (“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask for it, and I will give it to him liberally.”) and wisdom is what one needs when witnessing.  Only He knows where each one’s heart is and what their particular stumbling blocks to the message of the gospel is. 

This book helped me to think about the fact that one needs to realize their need for a Savior before seeking to be saved.  One needs to be brought to a realization of what it is that their being saved from.  We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.  The Ten Commandments, the Law, is our schoolmaster – it shows us that we have fallen short of God’s Standards.  We can use the Ten Commandments to lead someone to Christ.

What is sin?  Sin is anything that falls short of His Commandments. 

Have I ever hated anyone?  Jesus told us that if we have ever hated someone, than we have committed murder in our heart, and therefore, we have broken the commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Murder.”

Have I ever had a lustful thought?  If I have, Jesus tells us that then I have committed adultery in my heart.  I have disobeyed the commandment that says, “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery.”

Have I ever wanted something that was not mine?  Looked at my neighbors house, possessions, (or for me, horses J ) and wished that it was mine?  If I have, than I have broken the  commandment, that says, “Thou shalt not covet.” 

Have I ever not honored the Sabbath and kept it holy?  In our society today, it seems as if we have totally forgotten this one, to the point that we hardly remember it being equal with the other Ten Commandments of not committing murder, adultery, stealing, or lying.   To us, it might seem as a harmless omission, but God changes not, and is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  If I have ever not honored the Sabbath and kept it holy, than I have sinned.

I John 1:8,9, 10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 

According to God, it takes only one sin for me to violate to make me not worthy to go to heaven.  It takes only one violation of one Commandment, for me to deserve Hell and to go there when death takes place.

This is a terrible position to be in, because certainly I have sinned not only once, but many times, and violated many of His Commandments.  But there is Good News in all this.

God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, to shed His blood for me, in order that He would pay the penalty for MY sin (and yours.) He has paid the penalty, and now I do not have to go to Hell for my violations of His Commandments.  But I do have to do one thing –

I have to receive His Gift of His Son dying on the cross for my sin.  I have to realize that He died for me, shed His blood for my sins, I have to believe this in my heart that He died FOR me.  And then I have to confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and then He promises that I will be saved, and that when death knocks at my door, I will be ushered into heaven for eternity.