EVA:A sample letter to Catholics  by Frank Eberhardt

   The following is a sample letter from Gospel Outreach a ministry to
Roman Catholics

   Dear Sir/Madam

   I hope that today you are both healthy and inquisitive. Since our
last letter, I pray you've settled the question of where you will spend
your Eternity through investigation of God's Word and receiving Jesus
(the Way, Truth, and Life) as your Saviour.

   Not to long ago I was asked a very valid question. That question
was, "Will a good person go to Hell? The answer according to God's Word
is simple, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Romans
3:10-12 The problem is that many people do not accept God's answer of
no righteousness, no goodness, and they go about to establish their own
definitions and standards for the word good.

   If you take a close look back at the verses in Romans 3, you will
see for yourself that God declares: 1) No one is Righteous before God
(in character being just or rightwise before God) 2) No one seeks God
(until God draws you to Christ as in John 6:44 "No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him.") 3) Therefore, since
all are unrighteous and not seeking after God's way of life NONE are
GOOD. So you see the only way to truly be a good person is to see what
God says make us righteous or good and then to obtain it.

   Many people feel good is not robbing a bank or killing someone.
Others think good is following the Golden Rule and doing nice things
for their fellow man. Now I know that I'm over simplifying, but to list
all the man-made definitions of good would take longer than either of
us would care to take, I'm sure! Things like giving to charities, going
to church, etc. etc. are good activities and may even make us feel
pleased with ourselves, but they can never make you good because they
don't address the basic reason God declares us unrighteous, which is
SIN! Back in Romans 3:9 we are told "Are we better then they?" The
Apostle Paul answers "...There is none righteous...there is none that
doeth good...." You see Paul said no one is better than another so it's
not a matter of your church affiliation "my church is right, I'm
satisfied in my church." Church has nothing to do with righteousness
before God. The answer involves our forgiveness of sin not our feelings
or our church membership.

   I like how our Lord strips away the veneer of religions, good or bad
works, and gets to the heart of the matter--SIN! We all do it. We all
are sinners, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23 So Jesus sees us all equal "There is none that doeth good."
That way, He is just and fair to all. But now we have a new problem,
how do we all deal with sin God's way and will a good person go to Hell?

   Let's try to find the answer that will please God. Since we now know
that we all are sinners and unrighteous before God, will doing good
things better our condition and improve our hopes of Heaven? No! "For
by grace (undeserved favor) are you saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, let any man should
boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 How about living by the law of God, the ten
commandments? No! Your hopes are no better. "Knowing that a man is not
justified (declared not guilty of sin) by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, ...for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified." Galatians 2:16 Your next question would logically
follow. Then what good are the commandments and the law of God? This
again is a simple answer because it is in black and white. "For by the
law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20 and "Wherefore the law was
our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by
faith." Galatians 3:24 The ending is also in Scripture back in Romans
3:28 "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law."

   Now let's tackle that original question again, "Will a good person
go to Hell?" Answer, yes if their goodness only consists of good works
or following the law. For we have seen that netierh of these save the
sinner. PLEASE don't stop now. The answer is YES because of sin, but
God says He can forgive your sin and declare you good in His eyes. Look
back at Romans 3 again and verses 22, 25, 28. They have one thing in
common. They show that we cannot have salvation based on deeds but only
upon a faith that trusts in Jesus shed blood to forgive and free us
from the penalty of sin. "The righteousness of God which is by FAITH in
Jesus Christ, ...whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (full
satisfaction) through FAITH in his blood to declare His righteousness
for the remission of sins... that a man is justified by FAITH without
the deeds of the law." Romans 3:22, 25, 28.

   Can you say in your heart that you are by faith trusting only in the
blood Jesus shed on the cross? I couldn't say that for many years
because I felt my good deeds and the Church were all combined somehow
to help me get to heaven. It wasn't until I started believing God's
Word that I trusted in Christ alone as my Saviour. What about you
today? Why did Jesus die that horrible death on the cross? If we could
be saved by what we do, it would be all pointless wouldn't it?

   I'd like to leave you considering today. Ask yourself two questions.
"Do I know I'll be in heaven when I close my eyes in death, and am I
trusting in my goodness and my church or in Jesus the only cure for the
penalty of sin (which is death in the Lake of Fire) and my only source
of righteousness."

   Friend, maybe one day we can meet face to face, and you'll permit me
to share with you how I came to know Jesus as my Saviour and the
forgiver of my sins. Until then ask yourself those two questions and
study God's Word to find out more about our Redeemer "who to know
aright is life eternal." Since "All our righteousness are as filthy
rags..." Isaiah 64:6, "God hath laid upon Him (Jesus) the iniquity of
us all." Isaiah 53:6 He did it for our salvation. What other way could
there be?

   Because of Calvary,

   Frank A. Eberhardt Founder and Director of Gospel Outreach