It’s Your Attitude

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Many people fear that they will never reach heaven. Some try not to think about it, while others struggle to “be good,” hoping that they will finally “make it.” Very few, comparatively, are sure of heaven.

The real pity is that so few understand what it is that keeps people out of heaven. If you are confused about this, just remember that according to Scripture, it is not one’s sins that keep him out of heaven, but his attitude.

God has made full provision for our sins. “Christ died for our sins” (I Corinthians 15:3) and “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

But God has made no provision for a self-righteous attitude. He gave the Law “that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). Thus He does not want you to keep saying things in your own defense. In fact, before you can know God as your Savior, you must recognize Him as your Judge, righteously condemning you as a sinner.

Often, when capital crimes are involved, the defendant’s attorney will tell him: “It will be to your advantage to plead guilty and to throw yourself on the mercy of the court.” This is especially true of us as sinners in the sight of a holy God. If we will only plead guilty and cast ourselves upon His mercy we will find Him more than gracious, for He has already paid the penalty for our sins Himself.

Yes, unsaved friend, it will be to your eternal advantage to plead guilty before God and to cast yourself upon His mercy, “for the wages of sin is death, but THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD” (Romans 6:23).