by Many people have the wrong idea about who needs salvation. They think a good friend is “good enough,” a kind neighbor is “kind enough” or a religious relative is “religious enough.” They ask, “Will God send good people to Hell just because they don’t believe in Jesus?” They rationalize, “Isn’t sincerity what God is looking for, no matter one’s religion?” Jesus denied these are a way to salvation in Luke 18:18-27, then He is asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Satan knows the answer — you can be saved! As the father of lies (John 8:44), he does every deceptive thing he can to keep people from Christ. First, he whispers that you’re too good to need a Savior. When that lie falls on deaf ears, he hisses that you’re too bad to be wanted by God. These are the most common responses when I ask someone to be saved ─ “I’m a good person” as they refuse to trust Christ as Savior, or “I’m a bad person” as they refuse to believe God will forgive them. However, no one is too bad or too good to be saved. Christ came to save all sinners, proclaiming, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
“Bad” does not send you to Hell and “good” does not open the gates of Heaven. To be saved you must realize the world isn’t separated into good and bad people. In God’s eyes, the world is separated into bad people (Isaiah 64:6) and perfect Jesus (Colossians 1:28). Unless you are perfect, it doesn’t matter how good, bad or religious you are, you will not go to Heaven. It is only through perfect Jesus that you can have eternal life (John 14:6) — no other way leads to God.
Heaven is a perfect place for perfect people, a prepared place for prepared people, and Jesus is the only One who can perfect and prepare you. Accepting Christ as your Savior secures your place in eternity, rejecting Him secures your place in Hell — choose Jesus today, He is the only way to eternal life. Will you ask Jesus to save you now (Romans 10:9-13)?
