How Good is Good Enough?

In reference to “getting into” Heaven, how good does one have to be?  I have a friend who has asked me this question many times. My answer is always the same; goodness has nothing to do with it.  Surprisingly, Hell has lots of good people in its ranks. We all want to believe that our “unsaved” loved ones, those who do not profess or acknowledge Christ as their Savior, will make it to Heaven based on personal performance, or by merely being good people.  As much as we’d like to think that’s true, it isn’t. In fact, scripture states that our goodness, apart from Him, is like filthy rags, and to be blunt, the literal translation is menstrual cloths.  In his book, How Good is Good Enough?, Andy Stanley addresses this very subject.  It’s a short, yet Biblically accurate, restating of the only path to eternity with God; Grace.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”—Ephesians 2:8.  I think many folks, and at one time, even I, thought that God had this giant ledger book that he was constantly entering my actions into.  There was the good column and the bad, not unlike Santa Claus, and everything I did was recorded.  My belief was that if the good outweighed the bad, I could bypass Hell and go directly to Heaven, when the time came.  Did you ever feel that way?  Do you still?  Well, I have good news for you; you can’t “good deed” your way into Heaven.  The ONLY way is through a life changing, totally committed, personal relationship with Christ. If you’ve never studied the Bible, and you have questions or doubts about your own salvation, pick up a copy of this book.  I think it will help lead you in the direction God wants you, or a loved one, to go….the only direction, His!