John 3:1-3, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Ozzy Osbourne was a very popular English singer, songwriter and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness." Ozzy was infamous for biting the head off of a live bat in a concert, and for urinating upon the Alamo in Texas for which he was banned by the state from performing future concerts.
As a singer, Ozzy was gifted. Randy Rhoads (1956-1982) catapulted Ozzy career in the early 1980s with his amazing guitar techniques and unique heavy metal guitar tone. Sadly, Randy was murdered by a drug-crazed pilot who commit suicide in 1982, also murdering Ozzy's hair-dresser. I thought it was interesting years ago when I read that Ozzy had visited Ken Ham's Ark Encounter in Kentucky.
I hesitate to say that Ozzy went to Hell when he died, because the man did profess faith in Christ. There is a chance that he went to Heaven. We simply do not know. My concern is that Ozzy identified with the apostate Church of England, who are wrong on repentance and the Gospel. Like so many professions of Christianity today, Ozzy's profession appears to have been merely superficial (Matthew 15:8-9). Was Ozzy born again? I simply do not know. It breaks my heart to think that Ozzy might be burning in the fires of Hell now and forever!
Ozzy rejected organized religion, which is actually a good sign. I reject organized religion too! I hate religion!!! Religion is the worst thing that ever happened to this miserable world. No religion can get you into Heaven. Salvation is not found in any religion; but rather, it is found through faith in the person and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” It is that simple to be saved. If Ozzy was solely relying upon Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for his sins, believing that Jesus was buried but then raised up from the dead physically the third day, then Ozzy went to Heaven today. I sure hope so!
No amount of sin or evil done can hinder the vilest sinner from entering through Heaven's pearly gates, if that soul is trusting in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ alone. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
Someone kindly asked me today on Facebook how someone as wicked as Ozzy Osbourne could have went to Heaven. Here is my unedited reply:
There is no denying that Ozzy lived like the Devil for most of his life. The singer struggled with substance abuse and credited his wife Sharon with saving his life. Ozzy has openly said that he has never worshipped Satan. He claims it was all marketing ploys to make money, and I believe him. Granted, Satan used Ozzy's influence to ruin millions of young people's lives, including dozens of families who sued Ozzy over their teens committing suicide while listening to Ozzy's song, "Suicide Solution."
But we must remember that some of the worst people in the Bible were God's children. If it weren't for the New Testament, we'd never know that sinful Lot was saved. I believe Esau was saved, and Ishmael. Noah got drunk. Samson was a lifelong fornicator. David murdered Uriah to cover up the unintended pregnancy with his wife, Bathsheba. Solomon built altars for his heathen wives to sacrifice children to Baal. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips. Jeremiah quit the ministry. Abraham lied and commit adultery. Sarah laughed in God's face and horribly mistreated Hagar. Moses had a viscous hot temper, even murdering a man; Moses smote the rock twice which God had commanded him to strike once, ruining that type of Christ who was once crucified for our sins. The Bible is filled with sinful saints who lived reckless lives of sin and evil, dishonoring the Lord. So, Ozzy definitely could have been saved.
I only have doubts that Ozzy went to Heaven because I couldn't find any direct testimony from Ozzy himself of his faith in Jesus. Many people claim to be a "Christian," but have no clue what it really means to be one. Even the demonic cults of Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Roman Catholics all claim to be Christians, but we know that is IMPOSSIBLE because they all add works to faith; and in the case of Mormons and JW's they also have another Jesus, and another spirit.
Another Christian woman commented on Facebook that she did understand how someone as evil as Ozzy could have been saved. Here is my unedited reply to her as well:
We read in Matthew 7:21-23 about a group of unsaved people. They were standing in judgment before Christ Himself, but Jesus denied knowing them as His sheep. The Lord said they had failed to do the will of the Father, which is to BELIEVE on the Son without works (John 6:40).
In Matthew 7:22 they boasted of their "many wonderful works." So, here we plainly see that it is impossible to determine if someone is saved or not by examining their life. To do so is to commit the error of Lordship Salvation. These people preached in Jesus' name, did good works in Jesus' name, even cast out devils in Jesus' name, but they still died in their sins and went to Hell forever. By all outward appearances they seemed to be Christians, but in fact they never were saved at all.
To know them “by their fruits” then, in Matthew 7:20, can only refer to their doctrine. The inspired Scripture confirms this truth in ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ป ๐ฐ:๐ญ, “๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ: ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ.”
Jesus plainly told us what the will of the Father is to get to Heaven in ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ป ๐ฒ:๐ฐ๐ฌ “๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ถ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐บ๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ถ๐บ, ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ: ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐บ ๐๐ฝ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐.”
Dear reader, it is impossible to determine if someone is saved or lost by examining their life. The only way to know for sure is by a direct testimony from their mouth (or writings) concerning what their relationship is to Jesus Christ. Only those who are solely trusting in Jesus, the Christ, because of His work of redemption through Calvary's cross are saved. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty!
In 2023, celebrity evangelist Dylan Novak gave Ozzy a modern Bible with Ozzy's name engraved on the front cover. According to Ozzy's son, Jack Osbourne, Ozzy absolutely loved the gift and cherished it. There has been much ado made in recent news that Ozzy declared his faith in God in the months before his death. Unfortunately, believing in God is not enough to get to heaven. James 2:19, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Jesus Himself warned in no uncertain terms in John 3:3b, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” If Ozzy wasn't born again, then he is now and forever burning in the fires, torments and darkness of Hell beneath. Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Ozzy's evil lifestyle couldn't have kept him out of Heaven, but his lack of faith in the only begotten Son of God who died on a cross to pay for his sins certainly could have. Since Ozzy did at least profess to be a Christian, I am reluctant to adamantly say that he went to Hell. We simply do not know. But if you pressed me for my honest opinion, I'd have to say that I doubt if Ozzy went to Heaven.
Ozzy could be in Heaven, but only he and God (and the unseen spirit world) know for certain. As contemptible as Ozzy was in the sight of Heaven, he is still beloved by the wicked world (John 15:19).
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