Self-righteous human nature thinks things like this, “Well, if anyone’s good enough to get to Heaven, it is me. I try to do my best everyday, but we all make mistakes. I'm not perfect, but I’m not as bad as some people. Everyone sins at one time or another; we’re all human. Surely God wouldn't someone as good as me to an eternal burning Hell.”
Why do we all look in a mirror before we head out the door to start our day? Because when we first wake up in the morning, our face and hair are in disarray. We go to the mirror, face the facts and see our self in truth, so we can fix the problems, before we see people in public. God gave us a spiritual mirror to look into, so we can see our true spiritual state and our sinfulness. By nature, we are not acceptable in God's sight.
Please take a few minutes and look into God’s Mirror (The Ten Commandments), and see if you have broken the Divine Mirror at all…
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. This means we should love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Have you always put God first in your life and affection? Well, of course not, no one but Jesus Christ Himself ever kept the first and great commandment perfectly. Anything we love more than God is a ‘god’.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any grave image. Who is God to you? Have you created a god in your mind to suit yourself? The God of the Bible is Holy and sinners cannot tolerate His pure nature, so they fashion a god out of their own thoughts to suit their sinful lifestyle. Evil human nature trims down God and Jesus Christ to its level to suit its sinful ways. When we set up an ‘I-dol in our heart’ (I, Me, Self, My way), this is called idolatry. When you are dying, you will need to know the God that made you, not the "god" you have made up in your mind.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Have you ever used God’s name as a curse word? Oh, my G-d! GD! JC! This is called blasphemy. We will give account to God for every idle word.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Do you set aside a day each week to sincerely worship God? Have you ever done any work on the sabbath? “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.”
5. Honor thy father and thy mother. Have you always honored your parents in a way that is pleasing in God’s sight? What about all the secret sins of your youth (disrespect, rebellion, hatred, defiance, selfishness, disobedience, backtalk)? Have you ever deceived or lied to your parents to avoid punishment? Have you ever brought shame upon your parents by your misbehavior? You may forgotten all the sins of your youth, but God hasn't? The light of God's law reveals to us all the unseen dust in the air (hearts sins) of our public and private life.
6. Thou shalt not kill. The Bible says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.” We break God’s law when we despise people with our thoughts and intents, as well as with our actions. Have you ever wished someone was dead?
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. JESUS said, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Have you ever looked at someone and had lustful thoughts? “God shall bring thee into judgment with every secret thing. God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” Lustful imaginations are adultery within the mind. Having eyes full of adultery. *II Peter 2:14* God always sees and hears your thought life. *Proverbs 15:3* *Matthew 9:4* *Acts 1:24*
8. Thou shalt not steal. Have you ever stolen anything (no matter how small the item, or how long ago)? Time card fraud at work, money, cheating on your taxes, taking items from work, school or store. If you have, that makes you a ‘thief’. Have you stolen your own life from God, which He gave you and lived it all for yourself? If so, you have robbed God. All have sinned; there is no man that sinneth not.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Have you ever told a lie? White lies and exaggerations count. Have you always been perfectly honest in all of your dealings with others? If you have ever told a lie (or exaggerated), that makes you a liar. The Bible warns in Revelation 21:8, that “All liars shall have their part in the lake of fire.” “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD. *Proverbs 12:22* In Psalm 139:20, the Bible says that God's enemies that His name in vain.
10. Thou shalt not covet. Have you jealously desired ‘anything’ that belongs to others (spouse, health, position, looks, house, car, toys, money, clothes)? Greed is a visible result of covetousness (playing the lottery, gambling, theft). Covetousness (secret unlawful desires) leads to envy, selfishness and greed. God sees our thoughts, intents and desires.
If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that you cannot keep all of God’s commandments perfectly. The Bible says, “There is none that doeth good [moral perfection], no, not one. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” God’s law demands perfect righteousness in order to enter heaven. You have no real righteousness to offer God, because your sin has defiled you. Only the Lord Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life. You must go to Jesus Christ for “True Righteousness.” Christ Jesus Himelf is God's Righteousness. *Romans 10:3-4*
You need God’s holiness in order to meet God safely at the Judgment. You can only receive God’s holiness as a free gift; you cannot earn it, because you’re a sinner; you’ve already sinned in your past. Your self-righteousness is no good. Only a man’s self-righteousness can damn him, and only Jesus’ righteousness can save him. You’re in a precarious situation, because you’ve broken God’s law, and rejected God’s Precious Son. Isn’t it true, that every time, you’ve lied, deceived, stolen, or been greedy, lustful, or dishonest, you knew it was wrong? The Bible says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good [conscience], and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” “The Law entered that the offence might abound.” “Christ died for the ungodly.”
After reading this, do you still consider yourself a good person? Do you think you’ve kept all the Ten Commandments? When God judges you by His holy standard, will you be innocent or guilty? What is your eternal destiny going to be…will you end up in Heaven or Hell when you die? The greatest sin anyone can commit is Rejecting or Neglecting God’s Son. Your sins made Jesus bleed; flee to His Cross now for eternal safety. Good people who neglect Christ go to Hell, and bad people who trust to Jesus go to Heaven. Good works cannot take you to Heaven, and bad works cannot send you to Hell. Intentionally neglecting and rejecting Christ and clinging to your sins and self-righteousness will send you to Hell where you belong.
Only One Person ever kept the Commandments of God perfectly on Earth and that was God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. He rose from the dead. Only faith in His Perfect Righteousness and Precious Blood ‘alone’ can save you from your sins. Your sins deserve eternal hell fire and wrath. JESUS suffered your sins' penalty on Calvary’s Cross. Come to Him now and exchange your guilt for His grace, your sins for His Righteousness. He rose from the dead the third day. He is willing to save now. The Bible says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." “Ye must be born again.” Please don’t turn Jesus away. Rely and depend on Jesus' atoning blood alone. Come to Him just as you are with all your sin. Let Him wash your soul and heart clean in God’s blood. Trust Him alone!
