Good Enough for Heaven Not Bad Enough for Hell — E.A. Johnston

Lord Jesus, I pray that you will make this message a blessing to those who will hear it, and that you will apply your word to their heart by your spirit. Come now, Lord, and open hearts, I pray, and disturb folks, and let them be brought to the very verge of eternity.

I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus. Amen. Well, when someone dies, friend, who was a good person in life, it is assumed they are up in heaven looking down on their friends and loved ones.

The Popular Scale of Goodness

It's normal to think good people go to heaven and that bad people go to hell. That hell is reserved only for really bad people like serial killers, sociopaths, and child molesters. Everybody else makes it to heaven because of their goodness, and because God is good and God is love.

That's how most folks think. Many believe that God keeps a scale of weights by the gates of heaven when you die, and when your soul goes up to the pearly gates, your works in life are weighed on that scale.

If your good works outweigh your bad works, the pearly gates swing open and they say, Come on in. But if you were a bad person in life, your bad works will outweigh your good works, and then they open up a trap door and down you go to hell.

The majority mindset today of people is good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. And nine out of ten have the opinion about themselves that I'm good enough for heaven, but I'm not bad enough for hell.

And that's the title of my message today, friends. Good enough for heaven, not bad enough for hell. And believe it or not, there are actually some people out there who don't even want to go to heaven.

The Fantasy of Hell as a Place of Partying

They're looking forward to going to hell because in their mind, hell isn't a bad place of torment, but a fun place of partying. So this group of people are actually looking forward to going to hell, like Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock group Queen, as he stated in an interview on television.

The TV reporter asked him, Do you want to go to heaven when you die? Freddie Mercury smirked and replied, Most definitely not. I wouldn't want to go there. I'd rather go to hell. It'd be much more fun there, wouldn't it?

Shortly after that interview, Freddie Mercury died of the AIDS virus at the age of 45. I guess he found out what hell was really like after all. But most people want to go to heaven, and most people think they're going there because they're good enough for heaven, but not bad enough for hell.

Religious Goodness Cannot Save

I used to think I was too good to go to hell myself. I was a religious person. And I remember a day a Christian co-worker came up to me in the office and asked me if I knew I'd go to heaven when I died.

And all I could reply was, I don't know. I hope so. I used to think I was too good to go to hell, and God was too loving to send me there. Folks in the church today believe in a God who won't punish sin, and they think their goodness will save them.

The Deception of the Rich Young Ruler and Matthew 7

But Vance Hafner said of the rich young ruler, The rich young ruler was a good boy, but he wasn't God's boy. Jesus talked about all the deceived individuals who mistakenly believed that their good works would get them into heaven.

In Matthew chapter 7, we read his words, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I know there came a day in my own life, friends, when God showed me I was on my way to hell as a lost religious person.

And not only was I on my way to hell, but I deserved to go there. Well, I got serious with God that day and surrendered my life to his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For I realized I thought I was good enough for heaven, but the reality was I was bad enough for hell, because good people don't go to heaven.

Forgiveness and the Merits of Jesus Christ

Only forgiven people get to go there. I am saved. When Christ's life is laid down and applied to me, I must get under his blood. Let me ask you, friend, are you born from above or are you washed in the blood?

You can't stand in your own merits at the judgment for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. You must stand in the merits of another, the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen, friend. When Jesus was here, Jesus came into the world doing good.

The Cross as the Source of Saving Power

He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He even raised the dead to life. Yet what happened? Men cried, away with him, and nailed him to a cross. Look at that blessed man on the cross, friend. Look at that bloodstained savior from sin as he struggles there with his arms outstretched, beckoning you to come to him and believe on him.

Look at that man on the cross, friend. He cries, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. The cross is the place where wicked men sought to get rid of him, but by his death it becomes the place where his saving power flows out to all who come in repentance, confessing they are sinners and own him as their Savior and Lord.

God's Love, Propitiation, and Coming Judgment

Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Dear friend, if you have not trusted this blessed Savior, receive him now before it's too late.

Soon he will come in judgment on this world when his anger shall burn as an oven, and then you shall meet him as your judge. Repent before it's too late.