1. “I believe that I’m a good and moral person, so I’ll go to Heaven…..”

S uppose you committed a crime and went before the judge. The evidence was presented and you were found unquestionably guilty. The time came for the judge to pass sentence on you and you said, “Please Judge, wait! I know that I have committed this crime, but I really believe that I’m a good person deep down. After all, I love my family, I’m compassionate and I even go to church. Yes, I believe I have a good heart and that you should let me go!” Will the judge let you go? Absolutely not! Being good or kind is not the right payment for the crime; in fact, it has nothing at all to do with it. Try to pay next month’s mortgage payment by telling the clerk that they should mark your account paid because you did some good things last week. It won’t happen.

Or you may say to the judge “I have heard you are a good Judge and a good man.” For this reason I think you should ignore my crime and let me go. Will he let you go? Certainly not! He will surely say to you, “You’re right, I am a good Judge. And it’s because I’m a good Judge that I must sentence you to the full extent of the law, otherwise I would not be a good Judge”. If he just let convicted criminals go free, what kind of judge would he be? As silly as it sounds, this is the way that God’s justice is often viewed. He tells us fairly and ahead of time that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23 ). If you broke even one of God’s moral laws, and we all have, then you will certainly be found guilty before the Righteous Judge of the Universe. What will be your defense? Will you insult the King of Glory by telling Him that you didn’t need the death of His precious Son Jesus as payment for your sins because you were so good or nice? On your day of judgment when every secret thought of your heart or private deed you have ever done is played on a screen for the universe to see, will you then be able to convince anyone, much less Almighty God, that you are a good person deserving of a heavenly reward? The Bible says in Romans 3:19 , “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” In other words, all of the excuses and inflated opinions you have today of your own worthiness will seem like utter foolishness on that day when you stand before the Righteous Judge. If you attempt to answer for your sins on your own behalf, you will be overwhelmed by your own guilt and rendered speechless as sentence is passed upon you to bear your own sin penalty. Jesus could have borne it for you. You will know for all eternity that you rejected Jesus, the only One who could have answered for you and done away with your sin. It will be too late then, but it’s not too late for you now! You can right now repent (change your mind) about rejecting Jesus and call upon Him as your Savior and cast your sin upon Him. When you do you are forgiven; your sin is forgotten, your slate wiped clean by the blood of Jesus and your name is written in the Book of Life. Jesus will then say to the Father on that day, “Father, this one belongs to me!” That, my friend, is all the Father needs to hear. He will say to you “well done... enter in!” (Matthew 25:23)

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” ( Hebrews 7:25).