52 Paths to Heaven

It’s probably a good thing that we have such intense debates about capital punishment. Our humanity may be lacking if it were easy to kill someone for killing someone else.

The Bible isn’t clear about when it’s OK to apply capital punishment. In Genesis 9:6, God pretty much sounds like it’s OK to repay blood for blood. And in Romans 13:1-7, we’re pretty much told to honor government and authorities.

Ex-cop Bobby Cutts Jr. made the national press for killing his wife and unborn baby. In the end, the jury decided to spare his life and allow for a lengthy prison sentence. Personally, I think he deserves to die. We’re not talking about a vehicular accident. He took his rage out against her and the child.

When does mercy apply? After all, in John 8:7 Jesus is all for sparing a woman caught in adultry (not sure where her spouse is). The jury had more mercy than I have to offer. I guess I’d have more mercy if Cutts was on the phone admitting his mistake seconds or minutes after his attack. Instead, he allowed days to lapse while pretending he didn’t do it.

Cutts is an enemy of society. Killing him is no worse than killing an opponent on the battle field. His horrific actions have consequences. One day God will deal with Cutts for all of eternity. Maybe I’ll hang out with him in heaven.

Babies, young kids, and others like mentally or handicapped people will go to heaven without having one of those born again moments we think about.

Most people are going to hell. Most people won’t get the fact that Christianity requires a denial of self, a turning away from sin and a love of Jesus - accepting His sacrifice for sin. It’s a simple prescription for heaven. But Matthew 7:13 says most people will miss it:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

We want to hope for the best, think about God and His mercy and the fact that He’s loving. The fact is, He gave us a free will. Our sin makes us His enemy. And He’s all about justice. We’ll face the punishment of eternal separation from God for a single sin.

It should sound scary. And yet, don’t most people remain apathetic about their souls and fate? They do because they live the self-deception - literally. They’re so focused on themselves that they don’t think God will send them to hell. He will. He must.