There is nothing more important than where you are going to spend eternity. Therefore I pray that you will read this and consider the reality that one day you are going to die and you will spend forever in Heaven or Hell. Heaven is a place where you will worship God forever. It is a place where there will be no more tears or sorrow. Hell is a place where there is torture and torment, fire, punishment, anguish and regret for all the things that you had done in your life that is against God. To see where we stand before God in regards to where we deserve to go, let’s use the ten commandments because that is the standard that God will use to judge us.
The ninth commandment is thou shall not bear false witness. Have you ever lied before? I have! If you are anything like me you have lied many times and God is not color blind. Whether it be a white lie or a black lie it is still a lie and lying is a huge offense in God’s eyes. The fifth commandment says that we need to honor our mother and father. How bout honoring your Mom and Dad? You know, always make your bed when you were supposed to, be home always on time? Were you ever disciplined by Mom or Dad because of your disobedience? The tenth commandment says to not cover what other people have. Have you ever done that? Let’s use the first commandment it says that we need to put God first in your life. Have you always put God first in your life? Have you put Him above all other things in your life every moment of every day? The Bible says that if you’ve broken one commandment you have broken them all…
Can you see, as you examine yourself by the Law of God, that we are all guilty of breaking his laws? You should feel convicted of your filthiness and wretchedness. I know I do. I only used four of God’s laws and I know by looking at just those four that I am a lawbreaker based on that holy standard. Let’s look at what the Bible says will happen to those who break His laws. Revelation 21:8 says, “All liars will have their part in the lake of fire (hell).” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 tells us that no thief or adulterer will
enter heaven. This text also says that idolaters and murderers will not enter heaven. The Bible also tells us that God ‘will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.’
God is holy, set apart, perfect, and cannot let us into heaven based on our performance on this earth. When we break God’s law we become sinner by definition because we have transgressed God’s holy standard.
Galations 3:10 says that all who do not obey the Law are cursed! By these standards, you are in big trouble and so am I! Judgment day is soon coming ( Hebrews 9:27) ! He’s coming to judge the world by His standard of righteousness Acts 17:31-31), not ours. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life ( Hebrews 4:15). He is God in the flesh ( John 1:1). The Bible says that He literally “became sin for us” that we might become “the righteousness of God in Him” ( 2 Cor 5:21). You cannot stand before God in your own righteousness. That kind of righteousness is repulsive to God ( Isaiah 64:6)! He offers those who will come to Him His own righteousness so that you will be clothed in it on the day of judgment, and not in your own. An exchange must take place; you must somehow lose your sins and gain His righteousness. Romans 5:8-9 tells us that “God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then being justified by His blood we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” He paid your ‘court fine’ so that you could go free. This is wonderful news.
So, how do you receive this new life? Acts 17:31 says, “God commands all men to repent (turn from all you know to be sin) because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness.” Friend, that day is closer than you think! You need to not only repent, but also to place your faith and trust in Jesus to save you.
Faith is not believing in a creed or believing in things that aren’t real, like Santa Claus or the tooth fairy. Biblical, saving faith is trusting in Someone who is trustworthy. Jesus is trustworthy. Abandon yourself to Him for He is the only One who can save you. All other ground is sinking sand.
If you want to get right with God, go to Him in your own words and cry out to Him for mercy. Tell Him what you have done against Him, how you have broken His Law. Turn from those sins and abandon yourself to what Christ has done for you. Commit to following Him as Lord, or Master of your life.