Of the world’s 8.2 billion people, roughly 85% identify with some religion. Most believe there is something beyond this life—whether it is heaven, paradise, Nirvana, moksha, mukti, reincarnation, or another form of existence after death.
Although these religions differ greatly, they generally share one common idea: a person must do something to obtain eternal blessing. Be a good person. Pray faithfully. Give to the poor. Observe religious ceremonies. Keep the sacraments. Perform enough righteous deeds. The path to eternal life, according to these systems, depends—at least in part—upon human effort.
Sadly, this way of thinking has also found its way into many churches that profess Christianity.
Imagine standing outside a church on a Sunday morning and asking ten people a simple question:
“Do you know for certain that when death comes, you will go to heaven?”
You would likely hear one of three kinds of answers.
The first response would be:
“No. Nobody can really know.”
Behind this answer is the belief that salvation is uncertain because it ultimately depends on personal performance. The thinking goes something like this: Do as much good as you can. Avoid as much evil as you can. Keep the commandments. Receive the sacraments. Hope that, in the end, you have done enough. Since no one can know whether they have done enough, no one can have assurance.
The second response would be:
“Yes, I believe I am going to heaven.”
That sounds encouraging—until you ask one more question:
“Why do you believe that?”
The answers often reveal the basis of their confidence:
- “Because I was baptized.”
- “Because I try to obey God’s commandments.”
- “Because I attend church faithfully.”
- “Because I pray to the saints.”
- “Because I do more good than bad.”
Although these answers differ, they all rest on the same foundation: confidence in something the individual has done or continues to do.
Both of these viewpoints reveal the same underlying problem. They fail to grasp two foundational truths:
- How exceedingly sinful mankind really is.
- How perfectly holy and righteous God is.
Until these two truths are understood, it is impossible to appreciate the good news of the gospel.
To illustrate this, consider the following story.
Imagine that God, the perfectly righteous Judge, has convened His court to judge the entire human race. The sentence for guilt is death.
Yet, before judgment begins, God extends an extraordinary act of mercy. He announces that humanity may choose just one nation, and He will judge the entire world according to the righteousness of that nation.
Immediately, the leaders of every country set aside their political differences and gather. For months they study history, crime statistics, justice systems, acts of compassion, moral standards, and every other measure they can think of. They carefully compare nation against nation, searching for the one people who best represent humanity.
Finally, after long deliberation, they reach a unanimous decision and present their choice before the righteous Judge.
The Judge turns to the head of that nation and extends yet another merciful offer:
“Choose one individual from your nation—dead or living, anyone at all—and I will judge the world based on the righteousness of that one person.”
Immediately, cabinets convene. Records are opened and examined. Histories are reviewed. Families are consulted. Every available measure is used to evaluate human character.
At last, one man is presented.
By every standard and metric, the world agrees: this is the most righteous person in the world, the one most worthy to represent the human race.
A projector screen then begins to display the record of his life—from birth to the present moment. Every action, every word, every thought is exposed before the Judge.
Then the Judge turns once again to the man and extends yet another act of mercy:
“Choose a single day of your life—your most righteous day. Better still, choose your most righteous hour, even your most righteous minute. And I will judge humanity based on that one minute.”
The man reflects and selects what he believes to be the most righteous minute of his life.
The world watches in silence, convinced they have chosen rightly. Hope rises—they believe this man will stand for them.
Then comes the moment of judgment.
The Judge looks directly at the man. His eyes burn with holy wrath, and His voice thunders across the court:
“GUILTY!”
The courtroom trembles.
Then the Judge declares:
“Even your so-called righteousness is as filthy rags before Me.”
One by one, the world begins to understand what this was really about. It was never about finding the best of them. It was about showing what even the best cannot bear.
If this man—carefully chosen, universally affirmed, the highest standard of human goodness—cannot stand… then what hope remains for anyone else?
Until a person truly understands how guilty they stand before a righteous God, they will never grasp the depth of their sinfulness or their desperate need for grace.
Let us consider what the Bible says.
1. Man is a lost sinner
Scripture is unambiguous in its assessment of humanity:
- Romans 3:10-12, 23. 10 as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not one. 23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
- 1 John 1:8 — “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Isaiah 64:6 — “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”
- Ecclesiastes 7:20 — “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
The testimony is consistent: no one is righteous in themselves.
2. The consequence of sin is divine judgment
Because of sin, humanity stands under the righteous wrath of God and faces eternal consequence:
- Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death…”
- John 3:36 — “…he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
- Romans 1:18 — “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…”
- Ezekiel 18:4 — “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
- Revelation 20:14 — “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
The seriousness of sin is not merely moral failure—it is judicial guilt before a holy God.
3. Man cannot save himself
Scripture also removes every ground for self-justification:
- Romans 3:20 — “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
- Galatians 2:16 — “A man is not justified by the works of the law…”
No amount of moral effort, religious devotion, or good works can erase guilt before God’s standard of perfect righteousness.
There are, broadly speaking, three groups of people who answer the question, “Are you certain you will go to heaven when you die?”
One group is uncertain, quietly hoping that their good deeds will somehow outweigh their failures. Another is confidently convinced they are acceptable before God because of their own righteousness.
Both stand, whether they realize it or not, in the dock before the righteous Judge. One clings to fragile hope; the other rests in self-assured delusional pride. But neither has a righteousness sufficient to withstand His judgment.
Yet there is a third response—one that does not rest in self at all, but looks entirely outside of oneself. Those who belong to this group, and those who desire to be among them, are the ones who will receive the grace to be unfolded in Part II.
Kanayo Ikeh 