While in college, God was showing me that academics, activities, and athletics could not fulfill me. Even though I had an ideal relationship with my boyfriend and a strong faith in my religion, I was unsatisfied. Life seemed to lack true meaning and purpose.
Then I began to notice the convictions of my resident director. Her standards were higher than mine and she talked to others about God. She made me feel uncomfortable, since I compared myself to others to gauge how good I was.
It was not wise to compare myself with others (2 Cor. 10:12). There is coming a day when I will stand before God and God will judge me as well as all of us (Hebrews 9:27). On judgment day I will not be compared to others, but instead will be judged according to God’s Law, the Word of God (John 12:48). Had I broken God’s Law?
Countless times I had lied. It didn’t matter if I hadn’t told the whole truth or said a little white lie. It didn’t matter how big or small the lies were – they were all examples of lying. I had transgressed this commandment of God (Exodus 20:17). His Word, the Bible says that all liars shall have their part in the Lake of Fire, hell (Rev. 21:8).
There were things that I had taken that did not belong to me. Regardless of the value of the items or how much or little, I was guilty of being a thief. The Bible says that thieves cannot enter God’s kingdom, heaven (1 Cor. 6:10).
The Bible says, The LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain (Ex. 20:7). I had used God’s name as a curse word and therefore I was guilty.
Jesus explained that when a person looks at someone with lust, it is as the sin of adultery in the heart. I had broken this commandment and so I was guilty of adultery. The Bible tells us that adulterers would not be allowed into the Kingdom of God, heaven (1 Cor. 6:9).
Jesus also said if you have anger or hatred in your heart toward another, it is the sin of murder in your heart (Matt. 5:21-22). There were times that I had a strong disdain for fellow man. I was guilty.
When judged by only a few of the commandments of God’s Law, I was a lying, thieving, cursing, adulterous, murderer at heart. Would I be innocent or guilty on Judgment Day when I came before God, the Righteous Judge? I would be guilty. Would I go to Heaven or Hell?
“Heaven” would have been my reply before I began to see what God said in the Bible. I had thought that I was a pretty good person in comparison to others. In fact, when I felt unsure of whether I would go to heaven, I began to raise my standards and set good habits.
Every morning, I read my Bible and prayed. However, I was unaware at the time, that I was an unclean thing and that all my righteousnesses were as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
I tried to distance myself from sinful vices, but my self-discipline was not good enough to get victory over sin. Unknown to me at the time was that my sin was earning me eternal death (Rom. 3:23). I was unrighteous, had sinned, and came short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10,23). I fell short of God’s holiness. I could work and work at being good yet still not ever match God’s glory, His level of perfect holiness.
I even began attending church whenever the doors were open, but God showed me that even my devotion to my religion was not able to help me change or merit heaven. For God’s Word says that we are saved (from sin’s penalty – hell) through faith (in Jesus, not a religion); and that not of ourselves: it is a gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). This gift of eternal life can only be obtained through God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). God goes on to explain that it is not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saves us (Titus 3:5). Unfortunately, at that time, I was still trusting in my own goodness and my righteousness to take me to Heaven.
Then, God brought someone to teach me the Bible. One thing particularly struck my heart. After reading Hebrews 4:12, I realized that God’s sees my heart. In comparison to others, I was a good person, but before God I was GUILTY. For the first time in my life, I saw myself the way God saw me; as a guilty sinner on a slippery slide to hell. None of my good deeds nor my faith in my religion could help me climb the slick slope away from destruction. I realized my righteous acts could not take me to Heaven. I needed to let go of the trust that I had in these deeds and take Jesus Christ by the hand by trusting in Him alone to save me from the penalty of my sin, hell. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
That night, God did not reveal all my sins, but the sin he did reveal to me, I was willing to let go and turn from my sin to God (Acts 14:15). I knelt in prayer and admitted to God that I was a hell-deserving sinner, and I turned from my sin in repentance and by faith received the gift of eternal life by trusting in Christ alone to save me.
Jesus Christ who knew no sin died for us that we could be made righteous through His blood that he had shed on the cross for our sins (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Pet. 1:19). For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God (1 Pet. 3 :18). Jesus suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty of sin for everyone. He was the innocent dying for the guilty, like me.
On that night I became a child of God (John 1:12), my sins were blotted out (Acts 3:19), and my name was written in heaven (Luke 10:20). From that moment on, I no longer desired to live life like I had been living. He changed my heart and gave me a new desire to live for Him (2 Cor. 5:17).
I had wondered why, when I had everything good that life could offer, I could be left unfulfilled and unsatisfied, but then I discovered that only having a meaningful relationship with Christ can give real meaning and purpose in my life. It is because I was created to bring Him glory (Rev. 4:11).
It is a fact that one day we will all die and be judged before God (Hebrews 9:27). From that point on we will live in one of two places, Heaven or Hell forever. Where will you spend eternity? Are you prepared to give an account of your life before God?
Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6) He is our only way to heaven. Please contact me if you are interested in learning more from the Bible how to know God personally and have a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. Email me at thelanges2000@gmail.com or text me at (701)-630-9268. I have free resources available to help. For a free online video Bible study called “The 7 Steps to God”, visit https://7stepstogod.org.