QUESTION: It seems right to believe that a person must be really good to go to Heaven. But if that is true, why are people saying it is not by our goodness that we get there?
ANSWER: It is normal thinking that if Heaven is a good place only good people go there. Interestingly, that idea is not true. Prov. 14:12 says, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end are the ways of death."
Man never wants to admit his helplessness. By doing so, he admits his own sinfulness. Man will admit he is a sinner, but will defend himself when those sins are exposed.
The big problem with salvation by works is that no good work will put away one sin we have ever committed. It is sin that will keep a person out of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11says, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (men that are womanlike) nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists shall inherit the kingdom of God."
This is quite a list. Unfortunately, good works can never cleanse a person from these sins and make them acceptable to God and for Heaven. The next verse tells us the only way a poor unclean sinner can enter heaven;
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 John 1:7,"....and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses from ALL SIN"
This alone makes a sinner acceptable to God and fit for Heaven.
Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God is the way to be saved, and to know it. How do we get “saved?” By praying something like this...
Dear God,
I am a sinner.
Others have sinned greater than I have. But, nevertheless, I stand before you now as a lost sinner, deserving of Hell.
I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became a man.
I choose to believe that He allowed Himself to be put to death, that He arose again on the third day and is alive today.
The Bible says our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, and I believe that.
Father I want to be cleansed of all my sins right now.
I know I am not right with God, and I want to be forgiven. I want to go to Heaven when I die.
Right now at (Time and Date)______________, I bow at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, and I am dumping all of my sins there. And I mean ALL of them!
I ask that the blood of Jesus Christ wash away all my sins - past, present and future.
I am sorry for my sin, God, and I accept your forgiveness. Right now, I declare that I am a Christian. I ask, Father, that you will make me aware of when I want to sin, and give me the courage to say “No.”
I ask, too, that you will help me understand the Bible, and to make the rest of my days on earth count for eternity.
I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ - my new Lord and Savior - amen.
