A strong
majority of Americans believe if they are ‘good’ people they will make it to
heaven. This line of thinking is like the man who showed up to the star studded
movie premiere with $7 and expected to be let in. The money is not enough, you
must have an invitation to be let in. The truth is that our works are not
enough; but we all have been given the invitation to get us through the gate.
All we must do is to accept the invitation.
When Is Good, Good Enough? Am I good enough? What is the criteria?
Compared to a murder or
rapist we are all probably pretty good. But God does not use these folks as
the benchmark. God sees all sin as equal. Only perfection is “good enough”
to gain entrance into heaven. God calls to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We have all at one time or another disrespected another person. We have all
at one time broken Gods Law.
Scriptures: ”For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is
guilty of breaking all of it.” James
2:10 ” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 ”There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10 ”Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.” Mark
10 :18
This perception of “goodness”
is the greatest deception of our time. Yes, we may be good, but we are not
good enough. We do not meet the qualification of a sinless life.
Scriptures:
”If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us.” 1 John 1:8
When Good is Not Good Enough?
The Good News is that we all
have an invitation to heaven through our belief and trust in Jesus. Jesus
came to Earth to bear the eternal consequences of our sins thereby making us
righteous.
Scriptures:
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
The only action required on
our part is to accept the invitation that has been offered. We only need to
accept that Jesus died on the cross for OUR sins and make Him the first
priority in our lives.
Scriptures: ”For by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 ”...whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not
believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” John 3:18 ”Jesus answered: 'No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 ”Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9 ”Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts
4:12
