Man’s Way vs. God’s Way
Introduction:
The most common notion most people have of getting to heaven is that God is going to see if they are “good” enough to get there. They think that God will weigh our good works and bad works and put them in a balance. If the good outweighs the bad, then we will make it to heaven. However, God sees sin differently than we do. Isaiah says that “our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” This means that even our good deeds are as filthy rags. The filthy rags mentioned here are cloths that are full of blood. No matter how “good” we are, we still fall short of God’s glory
Some think that by keeping the Law of God, especially the Ten Commandments, one will earn his way into heaven. However, ? says that “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” There are at least two reasons for that no one can be justified by the law. First, no one can keep the law. The law was given, not as a means of salvation, but to show us that we are sinners. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” The law was given to bring us to Christ. Galatians says that the “law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.”
Second, the law cannot change a person’s nature. We are sinner’s by nature, not just by the acts of sin that we commit. The law does not have the means to change our hearts or sinful nature. Only conversion can do that.
Some think that as long as you are religious, you will make it to heaven. It doesn’t matter what you believe or which “God” you believe in, only that you believe. This means that “belief” is the key, not necessarily what you believe in.
Some think that everyone will make it to heaven. They think that God is too loving to send some to hell. Jesus is the only way.
Some think that as long as you are sincere, you will make it to heaven. Again it doesn’t matter what you believe, but only that you are sincere in what you believe.
Not by works, but by faith in Christ
Not earned by keeping the law, but is bestowed as a gift from God.
It is not through religion, a church, etc. but through a person, Jesus Christ. It is a relationship with a person, not an organization.
Salvation is not for everyone, but only to those who by faith believe in Christ.
It takes not only sincerity, but also truth to be saved. Jesus said we must worship Him in spirit and in TRUTH. Truth without sincerity is hypocrisy. Sincerity without truth is heresy.