Go To Church, Go To Hell

While reading the story of a church whose sign read, "I kissed a girl and I liked it. Then I went to hell.", what bothered me most wasn't that the sign is offensive to lesbians (and it is). What bothered me most is that the song sucks and now I have it stuck in my head. Just kidding.

What really bothers me most about it is that the sign suggests that the way to not go to hell, is to refrain from wicked behavior (aka "sin"). Refraining from wicked behavior is a good thing, but it's too late to use that as your plan to avoid hell. Romans 3 says,

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

Note 3 things:
1) All have sinned, so it's too late to avoid hell by being good.
2) We are justified freely "by His grace", not by our behavior.
3) This righteousness is from God, and it's "apart from law".

The church sign is so misleading that maybe it should have read, "Come to our church if grace doesn't appeal to you - We'll judge you by your works!"

Seriously, try not to sin, but don't think that will keep you from hell. Instead, revel in the fact that Jesus died for you to keep you from hell. And that plan works!