NOT GOOD ENOUGH

 

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

James 2:10  And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God’s laws.  NLT

      This verse should cause all who think that they are good enough to make it to heaven on their own to change their minds.  Anyone who takes the time to consider all the various laws of God quickly realizes just how impossible it is to live by the law and make it to heaven.  You may be able to perfectly obey all of the law except one (which no one can do) and obey the other one half the time, and you would be guilty of the full punishment of the law for sin, which is God’s condemnation, eternity in hell.  The law of God demands perfection in order to be good enough to make it to heaven and perfection includes the heart motive as well as the performance. 

      The message is very clear: forget trying to make it to heaven by doing good.  It is a path of life that leads to certain destruction.  No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to be saved through the law.  The only one who has ever been able to live by the law and make it to heaven is Jesus.  He alone was able to enter heaven on His own merit.  He alone was able to fulfill all the demands of the law for holy living.  Not only was Jesus able to not sin against God, He was able to take upon himself our sins and make us right with God and satisfy the law’s demand for justice.

      We will make it to heaven only through Christ.  Only when His righteousness becomes our own through Calvary are we able to be accepted by God.  Only Jesus is able to forgive sin and cast them into the sea of God’s forgetfulness.  When God looks upon the soul of man and sees the righteousness of Christ, all is well.  If Jesus is not there then the soul is condemned to hell.

       Dear friend, are you living in the righteousness of Christ today?  Are you depending on Him alone for your salvation?  Is your conscience clear before God?  Do you know for a fact that all is well with your soul?  Does your life reflect the righteousness of Christ?  Do you live for Christ out of a pure heart full of love for Him? 

      Warning: If you have wandered away from Christ’s protective care where His righteousness no longer covers you, you are in grave danger and need to repent of your sins today!  Jesus is the only way anyone is going to avoid an eternity in hell for all who sin fall short of God’s demand for righteousness and holy living.  Jesus is our righteousness and holiness from God.