“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
One popular saying–which is NOT the same thing as a TRUE saying–is that the ‘road to hell is paved with good intentions.’
But is it?
OR, is the saying itself just one more example of a maxim which the world embraces because it sounds good?
Oddly enough, for a saying which is so popular and so repeated, the world does NOT agree to its basic meaning. IF one grabs a dictionary to look up the meaning of the phrase, one is greeted with a number of quite different meanings.
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
Well-intended acts can lead to disasters.
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
proverb Good intentions do not matter if a person’s actions lead to bad outcomes.
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
Prov. People often mean well but do bad things. (Can be a strong rebuke, implying that the person you are addressing did something bad and his or her good intentions do not matter.)
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
People say the road to hell is paved with good intentions to mean that people often intend to do good things but in fact do not, often because they are lazy or weak.
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
(saying) it is not enough to intend to do good things, behave better, etc.; you must actually do them, be better, etc.
The Road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions
The road to hell is paved with good intentions is a proverb or aphorism. An alternative form is “Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works“.
As was stated, the saying is a popular one. When growing up, it was understood that it meant “Good intentions ALONE do not mean anything. A lot of people in hell probably claimed they had the best of reasons for behaving badly. People do not carry out their good intentions FOR WHATEVER REASON, and therefore, much that is good ultimately goes undone.”
LEFT UNSAID in all of the discussions this writer has had on the topic was the focus on GOOD WORKS as proof that someone is ‘good’ and going to heaven. But God’s Word is clear: a person obtains eternal salvation and enters the kingdom of heaven, NOT because of any good works, but due to GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY.
“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”
–Romans 9:15-16
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
–John 1:13-14
[Yes, man must exhibit FAITH in order to receive the mercy of God. But then the question becomes, “From WHERE did man–who is basically wicked–get his faith?
“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”
–Galatians 3:22]
So then, the popular saying about the road to hell focuses the attention on MAN’S INTENTIONS and MAN’S GOOD WORKS–not on the mercy of God.
It has been speculated that a GREAT MANY on the ‘broad way of destruction’ do NOT have their attention focused on the mercy of God.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
–Matthew 7:13-14
DOES the reader believe the path he walks is paved?
It is not YET too late: there is still a LITTLE time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: February 21 2022.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: Photo by Peter Leong on Unsplash.com
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