Please be careful. This is one of the most dangerous things we can do in life. To think that we are better than anyone else. To think we are doing better than anyone else. To think we are good when others are not. To think we are more righteous than others. To think that we can earn God’s love and forgiveness and forever in heaven with Him instead of hell forever apart from Him because we are not as bad as those people over there. Please be very, very careful. If you don’t believe me, please consider this story Jesus told of two men and what they thought about themselves.
“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” Luke 18:9-14 NKJV
The first man thought he was better than others and figured this made him righteous in God’s eyes. He is filled with PRIDE. The second man was filled with HUMILITY. He acknowledged he was nothing without the Lord. He knew he needed God’s mercy. He acknowledged he was a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness.
We are ALL sinners separated from God headed for hell forever. But God loved us so much He sent His only Son Jesus to the cross to take His wrath and our sin punishment on Himself and raised Him from the dead. This way all who HUMBLE OURSELVES and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and believe He died on the cross and was raised from the dead are FORGIVEN, promised ETERNAL LIFE with God, and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. We all need God’s mercy! We cannot earn it! We can never measure up to God!
We need to turn from our sins and turn our lives over to the lordship of Jesus Christ! We must be born again spiritually. This is the way! Turn, turn, turn to the Lord! Confess Jesus Christ is Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead! Repent and turn to Jesus Christ as Lord! Receive Jesus Christ as Lord and the promise of everlasting life with God! Hallelujah!