Am I good enough to go to heaven?
I'm not a bad person. I'm not a criminal. I've been good to my family and those around me.
Okay I'm not perfect - but I would say the good I've done outweighs the bad.
So, when I die: will I go to heaven?
Can we be so confident - appearing before the judgement of almighty God and be sure we are worthy of Him?
Have you ever sat a test, thinking you would breeze through it and so you didn't bother studying seriously ... only to get a shock when you saw what the questions were? Or perhaps you thought they were easy, not understanding the depth required - and then getting a shock when you received your grade? Or: have you ever walked into a job interview, certain you would ‘nail’ it only to find out you didn't even make the shortlist?
Sometimes we see a distorted view of ourselves.
The Bible has this phrase,
... measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.When we measure ourselves by our own standards, we will always pass the test! - This might not be good enough, though, when sitting for a test we haven't studied for, or attending an interview we are over-confident about ... and it definitely wouldn't be wise preparation for our appearance before the judgement seat of God.
(2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 12)
First, let's ask this question. Do we know ourselves well enough to make such a judgement about ourselves? Even the great apostle Paul didn't think so -
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgement. Yes, I do not judge my own self. For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.The psalm-writer was aware of the danger of sin in his life that may not be obvious to him -
(1 Corinthians chapter 4, verses 3-4)
Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. ... Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
(Psalm chapter 19, verses 12 & 14)
Second, are our standards of measurement even reliable enough? How sure can we be that our ‘code of conduct’ lines up with the Creator's?
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” says Jehovah, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ...”The prophet Jeremiah said this,
(Isaiah chapter 55, verses 8-9)
Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.It is not wise to trust in our own judgement about our lives!
(Jeremiah chapter 10, verse 23)
So where do we go from here?
The first thing is to recognize God's standards rather than our own. This makes sense, since He is the one who is going to judge us. We can be sure the Bible faithfully represents God's standards.
The second thing may seem a little weird, but it is this: God has said we will not be able to live up to His standards! Again, if we think about it, this makes sense also, because He is perfect but we are not (Romans 3:23.). His standards are indeed exacting - a person who calls someone a fool (Matthew 5:22), looks lustfully at a woman (Matthew 5:27-28) or who tells a lie (Revelation 21:8) - is excluded, for instance.
What God requires then is this:
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.He doesn't require us to be perfect, but, rather, that we 'walk in the light', where the blood of His Son Jesus will cleanse us of our sin.
(1 John chapter 1, verses 5-8)
Ok but this then raises the question: what is it to 'walk in the light'?
Consider these passages -
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew chapter 7, verse 21)
I have given them Your word. ... I pray not that You would take them from the world, but that You would keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in Your truth. Your word is truth.
(John chapter 17, verses 14-17)
If you love me, keep my commandments.
(John chapter 14, verse 15)
Although he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation (Hebrews chapter 5, verses 8-9)When we obey the will of God, which is done through following His Son, we obtain salvation from our sins.
It begins with becoming a christian, and from then on it is a lifelong process of learning and growing.
And we can be certain that, as long as we continue this 'walk in the light' - even though we might slip up here and there - we can know that we will enter heaven!
Finally, let's take a look at Luke 6, verses 46-49,
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. But he who hears, and does not do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.