Holy, Set Apart: Our sin is linked with our tears. Revelation 21

But I will tell you what will happen to cowards and to everyone who is unfaithful or dirty-minded or who murders or is sexually immoral or uses witchcraft or worships idols or tells lies. They will be thrown into that lake of fire and burning sulfur. This is the second death.    - Revelation 21:8

More strong words from the final chapters of God's Scriptures. The closing arguments for eternity. The most important things are summarized. And the way to eternal life . . . 

- the way to live forever
- the way to be happy, forever
- the way to have all your needs fulfilled, forever
- the way to see all of your loved ones again, forever
- the way to be in God's light and glory, forever
- the way to experience unimagined wonders, forever

Is trust in Christ. It is NOT in judging others. It is NOT in believing the right things. It is not in living according to a certain code of behavior, necessarily. It really isn't completely in expressing love in the ways that we have always heard. It isn't even, really, self-denial, not exactly.

For if it were all of those things, they would be listed. 

How does God summarize the difference between people that make it, and people that don't, in these final chapters, where the most important points are made?

Simply put: to be holy. Now, those aren't the words used. To be sure, a holy person is charitable. A holy person is disciplined. A holy person loves unconditionally. But look:

Cowards are not holy. Neither are unfaithful, nor are people with dirty minds! Sexual immorality is not holy. Neither is idol-worship, or telling lies.

These are simply the high-end of holiness: the delineators that may be observed, or experienced. Any of the points are open to discussion. Chances are, though, do not take chances! Go for the high end of each! Keep your mind clean!! Be sexually pure! Be truthful! It's how we speak, think, and interact with others! 

Notice too, that the wiping away of tears, is linked to it. Our dirty thoughts, our sexual acts, our lying, are all self-serving acts that only set ourselves up to be grief-stricken later. Think about the sexual bond. And when it is broken, the pain that one experiences: People going through a divorce often cry like a baby as they enter the first stages of grief. Our selfish needs only made us cry later.

Holiness, set-apart, joy . . . they all go together.

So, let your friends tell you what Jesus said about this or that moral issue, and how the New Testament doesn't mention some things. In the list here, of the types of people that make it, and those that don't, God speaks a few words, and speaks volumes.