Do You Think You're Going to Heaven? Are You Good Enough?

Some people think that the world can be changed, or made better, by creating laws that people have to follow. Others think that certain social programs, such as gun laws, metal detectors in schools, higher fines for seat belt laws, porn addicts anonymous, welfare, food stamps, recovery shelters, 12 step programs, and the like are the way to make a society a better place. Maybe a gun law will reduce crime; maybe stricter drug laws will fix things; maybe socialism.

Many of these things mentioned above are not bad in and of themselves such as food stamps to temporarily help people who are in need, welfare to help struggling parents for a while, or 12 step programs to get people off of drugs or alcohol. The sad thing is, not one of these things can change a person's heart, which is exactly where a change needs to occur. The inner man (or woman) cannot be changed by a "program". These programs and other such things will never make a society better, will never make a lick of change, because people will always be corrupt, will always go back to drugs or alcohol, will always go back to sexual deviancy such as sex outside of marriage or porn addiction, will always return to laziness, complacency, and selfishness. Unless people are changed in their hearts, their inner-person, no true or lasting change is accomplished.

The worse mistake, and most common problem of mankind, is that people just assume they are OK with God. This is a lie. People must get right with God. The human heart is corrupt and will always turn back to its corruption, even if for a while a person makes a vow to change his or her life. Nothing less than perfect can stand before a Holy God. Psalm 14 verses 2-3 say, "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." This is the very reason that social programs and laws do not make permanent change. People must have a change of heart. School programs don't make schools better, do they? Kids must change individually, and the change must begin at HOME with a change of heart. How does this change of heart take place? The Lord Jesus Christ put it this way, "Ye must be born again." Even further, Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

How is a person born again? How does he get a new heart, or spirit, implanted within him? How is true change accomplished?

Do you know the Ten Commandments? Most people know some of them, or have heard of them. They reflect the perfection that God requires of us. They are;

I am the Lord thy God, You shall have no other gods before Me.


You shall not make idols or bow down to them, nor serve them.


You shall not use the name of the Lord your God disrespectfully.


Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.


Honor your father and your mother.


You shall not murder.


You shall not commit adultery.


You shall not steal.


You shall not lie about your neighbor.


You shall not lust for your neighbor's house, or his wife, or any thing that is your neighbor's.

God gave us His law to show us how we are suppose to live. Unfortunately, not even one person (with the exception of Jesus) has ever kept all the commandments of God. The transgression of the law is also punishable by death, because God calls transgression of His law sin, and one sin left unpaid for is enough to condemn. God's holy word, the Bible, says, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Let me ask you, have you ever broken God's perfect law? Have you ever told a lie? Even one lie? That is transgression of the law. Have you ever stole anything, no matter how small it was? You have broken God's law. Have you ever committed adultery? Jesus said that if a man looks after a woman and lusts after her in his heart he has committed adultery in his heart. You have broken God's law. Have you ever been jealous of your neighbors prosperity? Have you ever hated your brother, or sister? Maybe you have had sex outside of marriage? You stand condemned. You have an unpaid sin debt strapped to your back that is sinking you to hell.

Guess what? These transgressions of Gods law do not fade away with time. God is not some Universal Grandfather sitting in heaven laughing at the sins of his silly children. He is a Holy, Righteous and Just God. He is a Judge. If you received a speeding ticket and were fined $75 dollars, and you decide to not show up to court to pay the fine, will the fine go away? No, you still owe the debt. Maybe you decide to show up to court and, since you know the judge is a good man, you ask him to just forgive you of your debt because he is a nice guy and the offence was committed long ago. If he is a good judge he will make you pay because he must uphold the law. God is a good and just God; you MUST pay for all your sins. Revelation 21:8 says, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." God is holy and nothing even slightly unholy can enter His presence. NOTHING. If you think God is different than the way I have explained, you have made up a false god in your head. The God I speak of is the God of the Bible. The worse thing is that there is nothing you can do to take away your sins.

....But God made a way for you. The repentant sinner can be forgiven. That HUGE debt of sin that you could never pay can be paid for. There is only one way to have your debt of sin paid for; that is through God's only begotten son Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Jesus can grant you repentance unto life. You must repent, which means turn away from all of your sins and sinfulness and then ask Jesus Christ to forgive you. When Jesus died on the cross, he took away the sins of every person who would come to Him for forgiveness and paid the debt for all who would come to Him. He was the perfect sacrifice. He lived a perfect life and was condemned to die a shameful and sinful death on the cross. He stood before God with your sins and threw them into hell and said to God, "It is finished", meaning that it is paid for. Then three days later He rose from the dead in His own power and will be returning to judge the living and the dead. You can be made white as snow before God. You can be sure that at the coming judgement you can stand clean before God, knowing you are His son or daughter. John 3:17-18 says, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. He is our only mediator before God. Repent of your sins, ask Jesus to save you from hell, and He will do it. Then, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." so says Revelation 2:10. You see how the 12 step program has 11 too many steps? The only step you need is Jesus Christ. Can you see how programs and laws don't change hearts? Only the Lord God can change hearts, thus changing a neighborhood, a town, a society.

If you don't believe me, read the Bible. If you don't believe the Bible, you'll know the truth someday; I just hope it is not too late by the time you come to realize it. If this letter hurts anybody's feelings, I would rather have you dislike me and know the truth than be happy with me and ignorant of the truths of the Scripture. May God open your eyes, enlighten your mind and bless you and be with you always.