Many people live with the burden of how they may please God. They truly want to go to heaven when they die or when Christ returns, and they live with the idea that if they just perform enough good things, maybe they’ll reach the place where peace will flood their hearts; then, they can live content.
“How can I make it to heaven?” is the greatest question to ponder; it’s the most important, and everyone wants to know how one receives eternal life. Now, by nature, man thinks that in order to enter heaven, he has to perform a certain level of good behavior in this life; but that is all wrong.
The American mind is conditioned to think that striving, doing good and working hard pays off; you then reach the American dream. That’s a healthy, commendable work ethic, especially in the midst of the current entitlement society mindset, but hard work will not get you into heaven.
In our school, college and university systems, we pass if we score at least a 60 percent or higher on a test (D-A). Anything below a 60 percent is a failing grade. Many are content if they can just stay above the 60 percent. Many people think this way about entering into heaven: “As long as my good out-weighs my bad, I’ll be alright!”
Most everyone would agree that if there is a hell, Adolph Hitler is now there. Why? It’s because of the degree of evil he lived in, but people far better than Hitler are in hell right now. One might ask, “How is that so? That can’t be right, can it?” Yes, that is right. You see, we tend to judge others and ourselves by the standard of other people, but other people are not the correct standard. The correct standard of judgment is GOD! God is the only one worthy to sit in judgment on us all, and His judgment is perfect and accurate.
Now, since God is the standard of judgment, how do you size up next to Him? (ruler and yard stick). Since every human is conceived and born in sin, the only way to be “declared righteous” before God is BY FAITH. With God, there is no point system. You can’t earn a certain amount of points to get into heaven. It is a gift by grace through faith alone.
We even have to make sure that we’re not presenting the idea of faith in Jesus plus something else, because this is contrary to the Gospel. Jesus accomplished salvation for us through the blood of his cross; it’s a gift. We are invited to just reach up and take it.
Being declared righteous by faith concerns a universal situation. There is a universal problem, and that involves mankind’s inner life—the heart (verses 9-12b). We all are under the dominion of sin. We are rebels against God, and that rebellion affects our entire nature. If I were to stand with a glass of clear drinking water and drop a spot of ink into it, the ink would taint or color the entire glass of water. That’s the way sin is. It has tainted the whole person.
Paul has just presented an argument for the damnation of the entire human race. The Gentiles know by nature that there is a God, but they’ve suppressed and perverted what is naturally known. They made for themselves idols, which in turn lead to all sorts of sexual perversions: Worship of the creature rather than worship of God. He addresses the Jews, who believed they were the ones to instruct the Gentiles in the ways of God; yet in all honesty, they find themselves committing the same sins.
In Paul’s conclusion, he indicts the human race. First, no one is righteous. Psalm 14 tells us there is no one able to stand before Him and claim to be righteous. No one understands. Man can not place God under a microscope and make judgment calls about Him. No one seeks after the God of the Scriptures. Instead, he fashions in his mind and with his hands a figure to bow before and worship. We have all turned aside. All people everywhere naturally turn a deaf ear to God. If you try to put man on the right path and expect him to naturally run to God, you are mistaken; he always takes the nearest exit.
We have all become unprofitable. All people everywhere are useless concerning the things of God. In our natural state, none of us are of any value to God. In other words, we are all fit to be destroyed in hell forever. There are none who do good, no, not one. Many in their own eyes think they are good, but the word of God judges each of us guilty of sin. Our throats are like open tombs; we’ve all practiced deceit; we’ve poisoned with our lips; our mouths are full of cursing and bitterness; our feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in our paths; we’ve not known the way of peace; there is no fear of God in our eyes.
If this describes the entire human race, who then may enter heaven? The answer is absolutely no one. Then how do we receive eternal life? How may we enter heaven? Each one of us must come before God, confess that we are lost and guilty before Him. You must be willing to agree with God that you are fit for hell, worthy of damnation fire. Next, call upon God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and ask Him to forgive you. Believe upon His death, burial and resurrection, and turn from your sins.
After embracing Christ by faith, find a Gospel-preaching church, be baptized and serve the Lord in His kingdom. I invite you to visit First Baptist Church, Phil Campbell, this Sunday. Bible study is at 9:45 a.m., morning worship at 11 a.m. and evening worship begins at 6:30 p.m.
Tim Haney serves as pastor of Phil Campbell First Baptist Church.
