Are You A Good Enough Person To Go To God's Heaven?
Are you a good person? Many people ask themselves this
question and answer "yes." They think to themselves "I have not killed anyone.
"I don't steal or rob banks." "I don't hurt anyone on purpose." "I pay my
taxes." I must be a good person. Does God view you as a good person too? What
are God's standards for His judgement of a "good Person?" One only has to look
to the second book of the bible to find the answer. The book of Exodus in the
20th chapter states several laws that make a good person and a safe society. The
questions to ask yourself include: Have you ever told a lie in your entire life?
Have you ever stolen anything (even small things) in your whole life? Have you
ever used God's name as a swear word in your entire life? Have you ever lusted
after another person or any material object? Have you ever disobeyed or
dishonored your parents in your whole life (even as a child or teenager)? These
are only five of the questions to ask yourself to see if you are truly good. You
can read all the laws (questions to quiz yourself to see if you are a good
person) in Exodus chapter 20 verses 3 thru 20. This is God's litmus test of a
person's moral character. Obviously we all fail the test. If you ask yourself
any of these questions you are surely guilty of breaking at least one law or
possibly all of them. Transgressing God's law is called sin. We stand guilty
before a holy God of sin. We have disregarded God and his statutes. The bible
says if we are in sin we will be sent to an eternity without God. Separation
from God means we will spend forever in hell. People guilty of sin are sent to
hell because God is just and must punish sin even if he loves us and doesn't
want us to go to hell! If a murdering rapist stands before the judge the judge
must pass a sentence that fits the crime. If he does not he is an unjust judge.
God is a just judge and must therefore punish sin. We deserve to go to hell
because we are not perfect. Yet it is not God's choice that anyone should go to
hell. He loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him after our physical
body dies. We chose hell by rejecting God's rule over our lives. We want it our
way instead of His way. Self will instead of God's will for our lives. You must
choose between yourself and God. What does it profit a person to gain the whole
world and lose his soul in the process? Because we do not measure up to God's
strict laws we need help! How can a sinful person become righteous (means in
right standing) before the face of God?
God sent us help over 2,000 years ago in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus
came to this earth to exchange His life for ours if we accept Him. He died in
our place (we all deserve death because of our sins) that we may have life. We
get this life when we become reconciled to God by belief in Christ. Not just a
mental knowledge or head knowledge but a saving knowledge by grace through faith
in Jesus Christ. It is not of our own doing but by the work Jesus did on the
cross for us by the shedding of His blood. The bible says the remission of sin
is done by shedding of blood and that's why Jesus had to suffer and die for us
to be restored to God. Jesus is the only way to God. The book of John in the
bible in the 14th chapter and 6th verse Jesus says: "I am the way the
truth and the life no person comes to the Father but through me."
Jesus Himself claims He is the only path to God! Not Buddha, not
Mohammed, not Krishna, not self, not religious works done by man but by Christ
alone! Jesus is the key to having a true relationship with God. You must
accept Christ to get God. No other way to be saved says the bible. Saved from an
eternity in hell without the presence of God. (hell is the lack of God's
presence). Heaven is the fullness of God's presence and all His blessings. If
you turn away from sin and turn toward God through belief in Christ you will be
saved and go to a perfect heaven with no pain or suffering. You will enter into
God's fullness of joy! This life is brief especially in comparison with eternity
(forever) and the trade off is tremendous! The choice is easy - self
centeredness for 80 years and hell for eternity or God centeredness and self
denial for 80 years and happiness, joy, peace, total fulfillment for all
eternity ever and ever. It becomes a no brainer when viewed from an eternal
perspective!
Are you a good person? Like me the answer is no but if we accept Christ and
repent (change our mind about sin) we become good enough to go to heaven through
Christ! Jesus is our ticket to heaven and escape route from hell. Please
trust in Him fully today and give Him your whole heart and life. You will be
glad you did and he will richly bless you! Here is a sample prayer you can say
today: Lord God please forgive all my sins against you and other people.
Please cleanse me with the blood Jesus shed for me on the cross. I accept your
Son Jesus into my heart and life. Help me to live fully for Him and to become
the person you want me to be. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Please
increase my faith and strengthen me to serve you all the days of my life. In
Jesus name I pray. Amen!
If you prayed the above prayer you are now a forgiven and clean child of the
most high God. You are in the family of Christ. He loves you and is preparing a
place for you in heaven. A couple things will help strengthen you and increase
your spiritual growth.
#1. Read the bible every day. Study it and ask questions in church.
#2. Go to church. Find a church that believes the bible is the Word of
God and inerrant.
#3. Pray every day. Prayer is just talking to God. Talk to Him like you
do to a close loved one or intimate friend. Pour your heart out to Him. He not
only lets you vent but He does something about it!
#4. Get baptized. Ask your church to baptize you like John baptized
Jesus.
#5. Find a good bible study to attend and ask lots of questions. Don't be
afraid to ask the hard questions. You need answers so your faith can grow!
#6. Witness- tell others how you accepted Christ and how it changed your
life! You can pass out tracts if you are shy. Tracts are mini booklets that tell
people how to come to Christ.
God bless you and thanks for taking the time to read this. If you have not yet
accepted Christ reflect on the points made or reread the above. You can always
accept Christ. He is ready and waiting for you!
© 2006 WRW
