I Have Sinned

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
Do you wonder why there is so much emphasis put on seeing yourself as a poor, lost sinner needing to be saved? Would you rather the gospel preacher put more emphasis on what a good person you are? Do you feel that you have been good enough, that you have done the best you could and that somehow in the end you will be let into heaven on that basis?
Well, let's just suppose for a minute that it does work out according to your present plans.
First of all, you have to acknowledge that Jesus did die on the cross. We all know, too, from history that numerous men, women and children have been killed by stoning, hanging, crucifixion, by being burned at the stake or fed to the lions just because they trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and accepted His work on the cross for them.
Continuing with our supposition that you can get to heaven on your own good deeds and by doing the best you can, just picture yourself there among a group of those martyrs. They will say something like, "Except for His dying on the cross for me and shedding His life's blood for me to put away my sins, I would be spending an eternity in Hell!" And then, turning to you: "Isn't that right?"
What would you say then? Would you say, "Oh, no! I made it on my own." How could you give God any glory in such a situation? What would you praise the Lord for? You would instead be singing your own praises.
I hope this ridiculous little example will help you to realize the foolishness of trying to see some good still in yourself. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23.
Not one sin can enter heaven. If you were to enter heaven on your own merits, you would be making yourself equal with God, and that in itself is sin. Just one sin will exclude you forever, unless it has been washed away with His precious blood. How can this be done?
First, admit that you are a sinner, that you have no hope of making it on your own, as the prodigal son did when he came back and said to his father, "I have sinned... and am no more worthy to be called thy son."
Then put your complete trust, not in yourself, but in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.