Am I Good Enough to get into Heaven?

God's Standard Of Right And Wrong

Can you really know during your lifetime if you will be allowed into Heaven after you die? To determine if you are good enough to make it to Heaven, take a look at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) and see how well you have followed them. These laws were set up by God as a code of conduct we need to live by. How well do you think you have followed them? Take a moment and review the some of the commandments and judge for yourself how well you would do on Judgment Day.

The Ten Commandments

You shall have no other gods before me.
When we worship anyone or anything except the one true God, we violate this law. Have you always loved God above everything else in your life? (Matthew 10:37) If not, you have broken the first commandment.

You shall not make for yourself any graven image.
We sometimes define God in our own pre-conceived image of what He should be like. We want His ways to suit our lifestyle. You have created a god that is okay with certain sins that you feel are okay to commit. If your god doesn't match the one in the Bible, you have broken the second commandment.

Honor your father and your mother.
Did you always respect, honor, and obey your parents growing up? If not, you have broken the fifth commandment.

You shall not murder.
You don't have to physically kill someone to commit murder (1 John 3:15). When we hate somebody or get angry with someone without just cause, we violate this command. If you have done that, you are guilty of breaking the sixth commandment.

You shall not commit adultery.
This is a command against having sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse. In addition, Jesus said that whoever looks at someone and lusting after them has committed adultery in their heart (Matthew 5:28). Doing so breaks the seventh commandment.

You shall not steal.
Taking anything at all that belongs to someone else without permission is stealing. We also can steal by lying on our taxes, illegally downloading music on the internet, or by stealing company time. Stealing anything proves us guilty of the eighth commandment.

You shall not bear false witness.
Have you ever lied about anything? You can also bear false witness by being deceitful, withholding the truth, gossiping or slandering someone. If you have, you have broken the ninth commandment.

You shall not covet.
When we desire anything or anyone that belongs to someone else, we are coveting. Doing so breaks the tenth commandment.

The Great Commandment

Jesus summarized the ten commandments this way: "And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'" (Matthew 22:37-40)

Innocent Or Guilty?

So, how well have you followed these commandments? If God were to judge you based on these commandments on Judgment Day, do you think you will be declared innocent or guilty? Will you be sent to Heaven or Hell? When you compare yourself to other people, you may think you are a very good person. But remember, we will be judged based on God's standard, not our own. You don't have to break all these laws to be a lawbreaker. All it takes is one sin (James 2:10) to be declared guilty and to deserve Hell. If we are honest, most of us would have to admit to breaking God's laws hundreds if not thousands of times.

Justice Must Be Served

You may think that because God is good, He will overlook your sins. If you tried that in a court of law, any good judge will punish you for your crimes--even if your good deeds far outweighed your bad deeds. Any righteous judge will make sure that justice is done and will punish you for your crimes. Think about how much more righteous God is. God knows every single wrong thought and deed you have ever committed and you will be accountable. If God is truly good, He must punish liars, murderers, rapists, thieves, adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, blasphemers, and those who have lived in rebellion to God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:8).

Fair Punishment

The penalty for rebellion against God is eternity in Hell. Perhaps that seems too harsh if you don't consider yourself as bad as other people. Your sin is judged so severely because you sinned against a Holy God who gave you life. Keep in mind that doing good deeds will not help you escape judgment because the law has already been broken.

There Is Hope

After reading all of this you may feel pretty ashamed, full of guilt, regretful of your past and doomed eternally. That is because God gave us a conscience to convict us of our sins. But, there is good news. God showed amazing love and sent His son Jesus Christ to pay the price for the sins of those who believe in Him by dying on a cross (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). Then, He rose again from the grave to conquer death. He lived a sinless life and died in your place. His death satisfied the wrath of God (John 3:36) that was due for you. The way you respond to these facts will determine where you spend eternity.

An Incredible Gift

Remember, you can never earn a place in Heaven by performing good works, but only by God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). None of us deserve to go to Heaven. The Bible says that our good deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Heaven is a gift from God because of His incredible mercy and kindness.

Act On Your Beliefs Now

Perhaps you agree that you are guilty of breaking God's laws and you believe that Jesus Christ died on a cross for your sins. It isn't enough to just believe these things are true (James 2:19). You must now put your belief into action. You may be thinking that you will wait until after you die and ask God for His forgiveness then. At that point it will be too late and you will be sent to Hell forever.

How To Respond

You must repent (turn away) from your sins and personally put your trust in Jesus Christ as the One who paid the price for your sin and rose again to defeat death and redeem mankind. Confess to God that you broke his law and ask for forgiveness for sinning against Him. Trust Him as your Lord and Savior. You will be born again and made into a new creation. Is there anything more important than knowing where you will end up after you die?