One thing I strongly dislike about this time of year are Judgment Houses. They are everywhere. What I think is so ironic about Christians in the South is the fact that people are so anti-Halloween (which I think there are valid reasons for), yet we have Judgment Houses everywhere! Here are some reasons why I think Judgment Houses are wrong:

-they scare people into salvation. I believe that people accept Christ at Judgment Houses because they want fire insurance. They are petrified of Hell and they want whatever it takes to make sure they don't go there. Hell is a very real place, but I believe people should accept Christ because they know they desperately need a Savior, not because they want a ticket out of hell. This also takes the focus off the cross and focuses on fear instead. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive togehter with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." -Ephesians 2:4-10

-they are manipulative. Instead of sharing the Gospel with people or witnessing, Christians are using scenarios (some real and some fake) to persuade people into accepting Christ. The Word of God alone can convict people. Just spreading the Good News and sharing your testimony are enough to lead people to the LORD. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12

-they aren't REAL. From scripture we know a lot about what heaven and hell look like, but there is no way on Earth to show that in visual form of a play. We don't know exactly what angels look like, but we know that they aren't frilly and sparkle like so many of the angel costumes. That is a cheap representation. I remember a Judgment House I went to in college because a friend invited me. Not knowing what this experience was going to be like, I brought a friend with me who was not a Christian (bad decision). By the end of the show there was a man dressed in a red devils Halloween costume screaming and she was scared to death. She actually was hysterically crying, so when the pastor gave the invitation to accept Christ she was the first one at the altar. Did she really accept Christ? No. She knew nothing about sin, repentance, salvation, redemption. All she knew was that she was scared to death and she would do anything not to go to HELL because she did not want to live in torture for eternity. One thing that was good about that night, was the fact that I was able to clarify things for her and tell her the GOOD NEWS of what Christ did for us on the cross. That was what made it awesome, after she calmed down from crying. I don't know for sure if she is a Christian today or not, but I am so glad that I had the opportunity to really share the Gospel with her that night.

I didn't not become a Christian because I wanted to avoid Hell, although I know that is where I deserve to be because of my sin. I realized that I could be forgiven because of what Christ did for me and knowing His grace was the greatest gift I could ever receive. I know heaven is going to be amazing and I anticipate seeing God in all his glory and glorifying Him forever in heaven...it's going to be AWESOME...well awesome isn't even a good enough word to describe it. As wonderful as heaven will be, I am just grateful to know the Lord in the present, in my everyday life. I need to live everyday for Him right now. I need to have an eternal perspective and my life right now counts too. I need to know Him now and grow in my relationship with Him now. I don't need to wait until I get to Heaven. I see His goodness in my life now and I am grateful.