In Jesus’ day, there were many opinions about who Jesus really was. Some looked at Him as a troublemaker; some said He was possessed; others said he was a criminal or liar. Others saw Him as a teacher, prophet, or possibly even John the Baptist raised from the dead.

It is interesting to note that Jesus’ disciples did not state that anyone was saying that He was the Messiah, let alone God in the flesh. Peter had the right answer. He said: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The public’s lack of understanding reveals general confusion among the masses – most likely caused by Jesus’ failure to establish the desired Kingdom.

Even today, many people still do not know who Jesus really was – and still is. The Bible repeatedly settles this question – for those who really want to know. The very first verse of the Gospel of John declares: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Did you see it – the “Word was God.”

Then, in verse 14, the Bible says: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” It plainly says that the Word – which “was God,” became flesh” and “dwelt” – or lived among us.

Today is Good Friday – and believers all over the world will be remembering Christ’s death on the Cross. Although remembering Christ’s death is important – it is celebrated every time there is a Lord’s Supper or communion (some refer to it as a Mass) – it is not the same thing as salvation.

What Jesus did on that Cross is nothing short of a miracle. You see, the Bible says that He took on Himself all the sins of the world from creation to eternity future and paid for them there. He alone could do this because He was God in the flesh.

Jesus paid for our sins because there was no other way to go to Heaven. Our sins – yes – yours and mine – condemned us all to Hell forever (“for the wages of sin is death” – in Hell – Rom. 6:23).

Jesus death on the Cross will not benefit anyone until it is applied to your life. His payment for our sin was God’s gift to the human race – enabling all to be saved.

Now that the Gift of Christ’s blood was shed for everyone’s sin – there is only one thing that remains to be done. You must receive the Gift! You do that by being willing to turn from sin and calling on God to forgive you of your sin. Invite Christ in to your heart (life) to be your new Boss and thank Him for dying for you. He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Have you personally asked Jesus Christ to save you and believed that He did?

In this verse, the “thief” is Satan, and he continues to be a deceiver. He makes people think that they are having fun, or doing OK with God, or going to Heaven when they are not. He offers them distractions, duties, pleasures, even religion – but it is a smokescreen because they are not doing what God wants, nor are they accepting God’s free gift of salvation through Christ.

By rejecting – or by not accepting God’s gift of salvation through Christ – which is the same as rejecting it – the end result is the same – Hell! Most people like to think that they are going to go to Heaven – but they cannot tell you how they will get there – for sure! It is doubtful that a person could get to a desired destination if they do not know how.

In the above verse, it says that Jesus came to give life “more abundantly.” This means better than what you already have – and it applies to everyone. While most people think that religion is restricting, which it can be. The difference in this case is a personal relationship with Christ – not a religion. The truth is the opposite – salvation and a relationship with Christ frees the mind, heart, and life to enjoy a better life. 

It frees the heart and mind in the following ways once you are saved and serving God:

1. Freedom from the guilt of sin
2. Freedom from the penalty of sin
3. Freedom from the fear of Hell
4. Freedom to enjoy peace with God
5. Freedom to enjoy the peace of God
6. Freedom to have victory over sin
7. Freedom to live life without guilt or remorse
8. Freedom to enjoy God’s guidance
9. And more!

In reality, it becomes a life designed by God – and He intends to bless His children! Does the abundant life sound like something you want? Talk to God about it today and surrender to His will. If you are not yet saved – why not get saved today?

You see, my friend, if salvation could be obtained by being good, or by doing good, then much of the Bible would be a lie – and the Son of God did not need to come and die on the cross for sinners. It would also imply that God made His own Son to suffer needlessly. Of course, that would be nonsense.

The truth is that if Christ had not come and died for us then no one could go to Heaven!

Here are five Bible-based reasons why good works – even religious ones – cannot save you or me:

1. Because Good Works Cannot Pay for Sins Already Committed

Because God had decreed that the “wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23) referring to Hell, it is not possible to pay that severe sentence and still go to Heaven. This is why only Christ could pay that penalty for us – making it necessary for Him to come.

2. Because Good Works Cannot Erase Any Sin

Doing good deeds – even religious ones, will not erase past guilt. Ask any judge if good behavior makes it unnecessary to have to answer for crimes committed in the past. Our own society thinks it a foolish idea.

Here is what the Bible declares about how sin is erased:

• “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (“remission” means payment for) (Hebrews 9:22).
• “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25).

This verse plainly reveals that the blood of Christ is necessary to pay for the sins of the past, present, and future.

3. Because Good Works Cannot Change What You Are

Every one commits sin because it is what we are – sinners; which is what the Bible confirms in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” It is why everyone needs a new nature – which God gives to the new believer at the moment of salvation:

• “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
• “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Galatians 6:15).

Being Jewish or non-Jewish will never save anyone by itself – we all need a Savior.

4. Because God Cannot Accept Good Works

God is a perfect Judge and will never corrupt justice. If He let unrepentant sinners go unpunished for their sins – then He is not just. It is why good works will never save anyone. He only wants us to believe on His Son and receive the complete salvation – and pardon that He offers.

• “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses” (good works) “are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

5. Because Good Works Cannot Bring Honor and Glory to God

People who do good works often usually desire to be recognized for them. The only thing that God wants is for sinners to recognize what He did for us by sending His Son to die for us and pay our penalty – because He loved us and we could not save ourselves.

• “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:27,28).
• “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

God’s Word declares that good works will never save anyone. The good news is that God has already performed the only work needed through Christ that you need to receive to be accepted by a holy God.

Since your good works cannot save you, the only thing left for you to do is to believe on the One He sent to pay for all our sins. Why not call on Him today for forgiveness of sin and salvation? He has promised: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Afterwards, live for Him out of gratitude with all your heart.

Nearly all religions declare that the only way to Heaven is by being good and trying to keep the law. Interestingly, people all over the world have a similar understanding of what is right and wrong. This is true whether or not that religion claims to be based on the Bible or not.

God’s Book – the Bible – makes it clear that it is not possible to go to Heaven by being good. This is because no individual can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly.

The reason nobody can get to Heaven by being good is because no one has ever kept the Ten Commandments perfectly. Every one of us has broken God’s Law at some time or other. God reveals this truth by telling us: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Another problem is seen when you realize that the 10 commandments are one. It is impossible to break one of them without breaking other ones, too. For example, if you steal (you break Law #7), you have already coveted another man’s goods (you break Law #10), and you have also put yourself in God’s place (you break Law #1) because you think you have the right to declare right from wrong and essentially have become your own god.

Now think with me a minute. If you go before an earthly judge for an offense (big or little does not matter), you can be sure that he or she is not going to ask how many good things have you done. The good works you have done cannot erase the bad things you have done and you will have to pay the penalty.

The same is true with God. Remember that He was there when you sinned and He knows the motive of your heart. He saw every big or little sin you committed and you will be judged for it on that day: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36,37).

Because God cannot overlook sin, it must be paid for one day either by you or by Someone that is without sin – Jesus Christ. You can pay for your own sin forever in Hell if you prefer, but it is a much better and wiser choice to turn from sin to Christ for salvation. He has already paid for all your sin, but you must accept His gift before it will benefit you.

Why not call on Him in prayer right now and ask for His forgiveness because of what Christ has done for you – died on the Cross to pay your penalty. He will forgive any and all sin if you just ask Him too and believe that He can and will. Consider these words from the Lord Jesus: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16).

Jesus made the above statement to a very religious man named Nicodemus. This man was one of the leaders of a religious group in Israel called the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were well-known as being very zealous in keeping the laws of Moses. Most likely, this man even memorized the five books of Moses in the Bible and tried to keep them.

But when this man came to Jesus that night, Jesus immediately brushed aside this man’s deeds and character – and got right to the point: Nicodemus, you must be born again to go to Heaven!

Nicodemus understood the importance of being “born again,” but he did not know how. It was something that seemed impossible for an old man. He never heard of such a thing.

What Jesus was saying shocked him. His words implied that works – even religious ones – had nothing to do with salvation. It did not matter what someone did or had become in the way of righteousness or unrighteousness. No one can go to Heaven without being “born again.”

When explaining what He meant, Jesus later said that only the Holy Spirit can produce the new birth. Flesh and blood are incapable of bringing it about.

When a sinner calls on God in faith to save him or her based on what Christ did on the cross to pay for our sins, the Holy Spirit produces the new birth in the individual. It is He alone that creates the new birth. And when He does, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). God changes the life.

Have you turned from sin and called on the Lord to save you? Remember what Jesus said: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Why not do it today?

Many Americans, of course, claim to be Christians. This certainly is not news. What is new is that Barna found that only 6% of those claiming to be believers in Christ actually hold to Bible-based beliefs.

Not believing what the Bible says a Christian should believe is like saying you are a fish just because you went swimming. Saying such a thing is ridiculous – yet it is happening. Just as certain things are believed if you belong to a certain political party, or work in a specific field, or are on a sports team, the same is true of being a Christian. The Bible teaches that there are specific things that must be believed.

Some of the basic beliefs are even necessary for salvation. Not understanding these basic doctrines (what the Bible teaches) means – according to the Bible – that you are not saved.

Although there certainly are many flavors of Christianity these days, Christ’s faithful declarations of God’s truth are not available on a take it or leave it basis. The Word of God – the Bible – is eternal and God said that He would protect it and keep it through all ages. This is necessary because He wants people everywhere to know how to go to Heaven and to know Him personally.

It also needs to be mentioned that Jesus plainly said that the Word of God will be the basis of how He will judge in the future. In John 12:48, Jesus said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him the last day.“ Since you are going to be judged by it, shouldn’t you know more about it?

In the next several blog posts, I will begin to discuss the basic teachings of the Bible and salvation. I hope and pray that they will be beneficial to you. Everything will be based solely on the Word of God. Have you ever wondered about where you got your beliefs – or have you simply assumed that they are in the Bible somewhere?