13/06/2022
No liars in heaven.
The Bible says the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. And by wicked, it means the sexually immoral, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanders, swindlers, and all liars (see 1 Cor 6:9–10 and Rev 21:8).
Which makes it sound like God hates slanderers and swindlers. He doesn’t. He loves slanderers and swindlers! When Jesus walked the earth, he spent time with slanderers and swindlers. Jesus even chose a thief to be one of his disciples.
However, slanderers and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. They cannot. Why not? Because slanderers and swindlers who come to Jesus don’t remain slanderers and swindlers. They become new.
And a good thing that is too, otherwise the kingdom of heaven would be empty.
God has high standards—no liars admitted. And indeed, there are no liars in the kingdom, only former liars who have been made new. Neither are there any fornicators in the kingdom, only former fornicators who have been made new.
This is why the good news is good. The good news is the happy announcement that God is in the business of turning old, damaged people into new, holy people. He turns slanderers and swindlers into saints and sons.
Don’t believe me? Check out the Bible’s Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11.
Here you will find a list of men and women who were all commended for their faith. There’s Noah (a drunk), Abraham (slept with the maid), and Jacob (a swindler if ever there was one). There is also a murderer (Moses), a pr******te (Rahab), and a double-dealing king (David).
David, as you know, got another man’s wife pregnant and then had that man killed to cover up his crime. In the eyes of the law David is condemned as an adulterer and a murderer. Such a man will not inherit the kingdom of God; the Bible says so.
Yet I am certain we will meet David in eternity. How do I know? Because David trusted in the One who makes all things new. In God’s eyes, David is not a sinner but a son and a co-heir with Christ.
So am I. So are you.