Jesus
Sin separates us and from God.
Ask any man on the street and he will tell you that he is a pretty good person. Maybe you are the same; you consider yourself to be a pretty good person. How good we are usually depends on what we measure ourselves by. Compared to each other, most people are “pretty good” or “just as good as the next guy.” But is “pretty good” good enough to get to Heaven?
The Bible teaches us that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) When we pass from this earth we will meet our Creator, but he will also be our Judge. God will judge us, not according to each other, but according to His law, the Ten Commandments.
If God judged YOU by the Ten Commandments, how would you measure up? Take time to think on these questions:
- Have you ever lied?(even once?)
- Have you ever committed adultery?(the Bible teaches that even if you look at a person with lust in your heart that it is the same as adultery – Matthew 5:28)
- Have you ever stolen anything?(the value is irrelevant)
- Have you ever used God’s name in vain?(using God’s name as a swear word)
Religion and good works cannot bridge the gap.
These are just four of the Ten Commandments! How well are you measuring up?
The Bible calls the breaking of one of God’s commandments SIN, “…for sin is the transgression (the breaking) of the law.” (I John 3:4) Paul states in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Nobody is good enough to get to Heaven; all are guilty of sin!
If you were honest with yourself, you would also see sin in your life, no matter how good a person you are. You, too, are guilty before God. Romans 6:23 starts by saying, “The wages (payment) for sin is death…” Before a holy God we stand guilty and condemned! Thankfully that same verse finishes by saying, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God knew our guilt and our sin, so in His love for us He sent His son, Jesus, to die in our place. Jesus was sinless and took upon himself the wages (payment) of our sin, death. Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins. God is now looking for you to repent (turn) from your sins and ask Him to forgive you.
Jesus is the only way to eternal life in Heaven.
“How should I pray and ask God to forgive me?” you might ask. Think of a man who has committed adultery. His faithful wife is more than willing to take him back, so what is the attitude in which he should approach her? It should be one of tremendous humility, asking for forgiveness, and determining in his heart never to even think of committing adultery again. It is with this attitude that you need to approach God in prayer for the forgiveness of your sins. You see, nobody is good enough to get to Heaven. We are guilty because of our sin. The only way you can get to Heaven is through Jesus and what he did for you on the cross. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) If you have repented of your sin and asked God to forgive you, please contact the church and let us know so we can help you in your new life serving God.