Getting Personal

A lot of people mistakenly have the idea that man is basically good at heart. The bad apples – the ones who steal and murder and such – are the exception. But “good” is a relative term. The truth is, every human is born with a sinful nature. It manifests itself worse in some people than in others, but it’s there in all of us.

The most illustrative point I’ve heard on this subject is to consider the way of a child. Do we have to teach them to be selfish? To say “mine”? To pitch a fit when they don’t get what they want? Of course not. It comes naturally.

Jeremiah 17:9 says “the human heart is deceitful above all things.” That’s what God sees – the heart. Even if we say and do all the right things, we still harbor selfish and hurtful thoughts. Jesus said those thoughts condemn us just as much as our actions do (e.g., see His discussion of adultery in Matthew 5:27-28).

Because God is perfect, a human stained by sin cannot enter His presence. That’s why Jesus came down to earth, lived a perfect life and died on a cross. His sacrificial death is the payment for sin for anyone who will personally receive Him as Savior and Lord of their life. That’s how a person gets to heaven – not by their own merits, but by Christ’s alone.

It’s not enough to do your best to live a good life; to go to church on (most) Sundays; even to agree intellectually that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. A personal relationship with Christ is required. That means to invite Him into your heart and commit to live obediently to Him. When that happens, a person is born again (John 3:3) into a new life.

If you haven’t taken this step, please don’t delay it. It’s a life-or-death matter. For more information on how to have a personal relationship with God, see http://www.whyhedied.org/.