Can Good People Go to Heaven?
The Question Everyone Asks But Nobody Wants Answered
You've never killed anyone. You help your neighbors. You're a decent person. Surely that counts for something with God, right?
Romans 2:1 destroys this comfort zone: "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things".
The Religious Person's Trap
The Jews had God's law. They attended synagogue. They knew Scripture. They thought this made them different from "those sinners."
Today's version? "I grew up in church. I read my Bible. I'm not like those people who..."
...STOP right there...
Paul's message is brutally clear: Your religion won't save you. Your morality won't save you. Your comparisons won't save you.
When Jesus Exposed Everyone
Remember the woman caught in adultery (John 8)? The Pharisees dragged her before Jesus, stones ready, law memorized. They thought they were the exception.
Jesus wrote in the sand and said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7).
Every. Single. One. Walked. Away.
From the eldest to the youngest, they all realized the truth – they weren't the exception. Neither are you. Neither am I.
God's Standard Isn't What You Think
"But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth" (Romans 2:2).
Not according to:
- How you compare to others
- Your good deeds outweighing bad ones
- Your church attendance
- Your family heritage
According to TRUTH. God's perfect standard.
The shocking reality? "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2:3).
The Only Way That Works
Here's what changes everything: The same God who must judge sin "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all" (Romans 8:32, KJV).
You can't claim morality – you're guilty.
You can't claim religion – you're guilty.
You can't claim comparison – you're guilty.
But you CAN claim Christ.
Come to God on His terms:
- Admit you're guilty (no excuses, no comparisons)
- Repent of trusting in yourself
- Trust fully in Christ's payment for your sins
There are no exceptions to judgment. But there's one salvation available to all.
This truth might sting, but there's so much more hope in the full message. 📖 Listen to the complete verse-by-verse Bible teaching of Romans 2, where every excuse is lovingly dismantled and the beauty of Christ's salvation shines through. This expository preaching will challenge everything you thought about being "good enough."