“It is not
necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way the traditional of
God is outdated. One can spiritual but not religious. It is not necessary to go
to church and give money – for many, nature can be a church. Some of the best
people in history did not believe in God, while some of the worst deeds were
done in His name.” Pope Francis.
Well, let's see what the Scripture says concerning this statement by
Pope Francis, "It's not necessary to believe in God to be a good person" - If
we remove Scripture – how do we define what being “good” is? What is the motive
or reason for being good?
From a human point of view we can say that
being good is doing things which are good for others so, from that point of
view, one can be good to other humans. But this is the Pope speaking so he must
state how God defines “being good”. -
Actually, GOD calls anyone who doesn't
believe in Him a Fool. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth
good“, (Psalm 14:1). Let's
define a fool: "a person lacking in judgment or prudence a retainer formerly kept in great households
to provide casual entertainment and commonly dressed in motley with cap, bells,
and bauble, a harmlessly deranged person or one lacking in common powers of
understanding" - So one can then be a "good
fool".
The
Pope says it's "not necessary to go to church and give money- for
many, nature can be a church". The believers, those born again are
the body of Christ which is the church. Church is not nor has it ever been a
building. That is only where the "church" unites in fellowship. The
word church is from the Greek 'ekklesia' meaning an assembly.
Romans 16:5 says, "and salute
the church that is in their house... " It doesn't say salute the
house or the building that is in the house. I as he says for mant nature can be
a church, then nature itself is a person. Scripture says in Hebrews 10:25 "not forsaking our own
'assembling' together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and
so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh." Yes it would
have been better said that you don't have to go to an established place to
worship, but one is to worship the Lord GOD. We are not to decide yes or no, we
do not direct our own paths - "O Lord, I know that the way of man is
not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps."
(Jeremiah 10:23).
"Some of the best people in history did not believe in GOD,
while some of the worst deeds were done in His name." As for the first part, true, but what did it profit
for them when they died? Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth,
and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John
14:6). And, in John 3:18-21, "He
that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged
already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of
God. And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For every
one that doeth evil hates the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works
should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light that his
works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God." Now
don't forget John 3:5 where Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God!" Just
the same as those who do evil in the name of the God of Scripture, along with
the 'good' people that don't believe, or with their mouths only say
they believe, will be separated from GOD for eternity. AS IT IS WRITTEN; "And I saw a
great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the
heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small,
standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which
were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it;
and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged
every man according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. And if any was not found written in the book
of life, he was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE." Revelation
20:11-15-
