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 too 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