Good People Do Go To Heaven, Don’t They?

Introduction

The love of God is greater far than some of pain can have it goes beyond the highest thought and reaches to the lower hell the guilty hair cut them with care to end his very cross be back inside and farther the love of God from this and good command to head and strong for every good saints and holy time shall pass away and mercy from kingdom fall when men on rusting hill and has also true shall fill and true until he has wrong redeeming grace to heaven praise the saints and angels O love of God promised how many stands strong and shall forever the saints and age of song could we with easy opposite and burn the sky of heart and pain where every thought on earth was live and every head must try to write the love of God above the great be hold and trust to approach the road.

It’s our morning.

Boy, is it good to be home? And now you are stuck with me for most of the rest of the year. To my knowledge, I’m only going to be away three Sundays the rest of the year. So pretty much going to be seeing me for a while. And I’m glad it is that way. Looking forward to our studies together today. In the Word. I had a good meeting in Athens, Alabama. My first ever meeting there. It must have gone well. They’ve already invited me back. That’s unusual that happens so quickly. So we must have had a good few days together with the Marion Street Church in Athens. I know Terry is in Athens, Alabama today. That’s sort of weird. that I was in Athens, now Terry is there.

Hope she doesn’t do damage to the work that I did there. Oh, she’s gonna fix it, yeah. Okay.

We’re going to be exploring a couple of questions today in the preaching. Tonight, we’re going to talk about why do Christians sin? That would be an important question to know the answer to. And the question that we’re going to be looking at this morning is, good people really do go to heaven. Don’t they?

A troubling question, perhaps. The story is told of a Bible class teacher who was teaching six-year-olds, trying to get them to understand who goes to heaven. And he asked if I sold my house and my car and had a garage sale that gave all the proceeds to the church. Would I go to heaven? And they all answered, no. So he said, if I cleaned the church building every day and kept it nice and tidy and mowed the church lawn, would I go to heaven? And they said, no. He said, What if I was kind to animals and gave candy to children and loved my wife? And they said, no. And then finally a boy stood up in the back and shouted, You’ve got to be dead.

Well, if there’s one thing that a lot of people can agree on this subject, you have to be dead to go to heaven or to be around when the Lord returns. And a lot of people might agree on that, but as far as agreement goes, it may pretty much end after that. Suppose God asks you this question. Why should I let you into heaven? What answer would you give? As good as you are, then I believe I’m speaking to people this morning who are pretty good folks. How good is good enough? Are you good enough? Well, I hope so. Is I hope so the best that we can do. A few observations as we begin this morning. First of all, if you miss heaven, you’ve missed everything that means anything.

And if you miss heaven, there will be no solace whatsoever in the possessions that you amassed while you were living. And if you miss heaven, there will be no comfort in the fun or pleasure that you had while you lived on this earth. And if you miss heaven, you will not relish any of the decisions that you made while you were here. And if you miss heaven, you will not have anything that anybody else would want. And if you miss heaven, you would likely not reject an offer for a second chance. But sadly, there will not be one. And if you miss heaven, you will have no one to blame but yourself. Sobering thoughts. The wonderful news is that God wants you to be saved. He wants you to go to heaven.

He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God would have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 4 and 2 Peter 3 and verse 9, though I quoted them in backwards order. God wants you in heaven with him, and there is plenty of motivation to want to be there with him, because in his presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures forever. Psalm 16 and verse 11. And so is heaven a realistic expectation for you? And I want you to think about that this morning. Is heaven a realistic expectation for you? I’m comforted by Acts chapter 10 of the message that was spoken to Cornelius, where it says God is no respecter of persons.

So you’re not excluded merely because there’s something about you because of your race, your ethnic background, your social standing, or your intelligence, that there’s something about you that would prevent you from going to heaven, and there’s nothing you can do about it. God is not a respecter of persons. But in every nation, Acts 10 and verse 34 and 35, in every nation, he who fears God and does what is right. Now, whatever we’re going to say about who can go to heaven, it has to include those things. For everyone who fears God and does what is right is accepted of him, the King James Version says. And American Standard says, is welcome to him. If you fear God and do what is right, God welcomes you.

He wants you, he will include you in the wonderful eternity in his presence with him. Good people do go to heaven, don’t they? Well, the essential thing that we must do is define what we mean by the question. Define what good means. Where did I get the idea for this sermon? Sitting at McAllister’s in the airport on Thursday as I was awaiting my flight to Houston, drinking some coffee and deciding what I was going to do. Martha texted me at that same time that I was there. And I’m sitting there, and you’ve got to be careful in these kinds of places. There’s a lot of people around. You could say something, and there could be a preacher sitting right next to you. And I overheard this younger woman saying to an older woman, everybody has good in them.

And so as soon as she said that, I’m okay, what’s going to follow this? And then she said, Well, even Hitler had some good in him. I thought, wow, we need some teaching on this. But that’s how people reason. Everybody’s got some good in them. Good people go to heaven, don’t they? After all, doesn’t almost everybody go to heaven. Most people believe that all good people go to heaven. That most, I mean, I’m better than most people, better than average, exceeding the norm, effective in certain areas. And we talk about people being good all the time. They’re good people. I do that about people that I mean here in Tombow. They’re just good folks, good people. We use that relatively, subjectively. What we know about them, they’re better than most, or average or seemingly above average.

They’re good folks. And most people believe that all good people go to heaven. It’s interesting that when you see the polls, it used to be around 90%, but because of our world, we’re down in the 80s now, people who believe in heaven, 80%, 85. Well, actually, it’s about 89% in some polls, but 85% of the people believe they were going to go to heaven. But how many people believe in hell? Well, that number is far lower, as low as 30%, 30 to 50%, depending on the poll that is taken. They’re not really sure these days whether hell exists, but if it does, bin Laden is there. I mean, that’s that’s sort of the results that you’ll get. Well, does the Bible use the term this way?

1. No One Is Good Except God Alone

What does the Bible say about good? What qualifies as good? The Bible talks about goodness and suggests to us that God is the standard of what is good. If you look at Mark chapter 10, we’re going to look at two passages here about goodness that I think are important as we answer this question. Good people really do go to heaven, don’t they? In Mark chapter 10, when the rich young ruler came to Jesus, said to him respectfully, Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Love the question. We had that sermon two weeks ago. The question so few people ask, at least he asked the question, what do I have to do? But I might inherit eternal life. Good teacher. And then Jesus responds, Why do you call me good?

Now, he’s going to get to the essence of the question, but he’s just talking about the way he’s addressed it. He says, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. Some have falsely concluded about Jesus’ response that he was saying, don’t call me good. Call only the Father good. That misunderstands who Jesus is. He is God in the flesh. He is good. In fact, while he lived on the earth, he knew no sin. He did no sin, he committed no sin. And so he was completely good. He wasn’t saying, oh, don’t call me good, only call the father good. And that feeds in a misconception people have about deity, and particularly about Jesus as deity, and I get concerned about that.

So when people say, Jesus is saying, don’t call me good, no, that’s not what he says. He just asked him, Why do you call me good? Because his identity is important. And he wants the rich young ruler and anyone else who is listening to understand his true identity if they can grasp it. He is indeed good, as only God is good. And that’s what he’s affirming. Do you know who it is that you’re talking to? Only God is good. And he is God in human flesh. Now, regarding us, go over to Romans chapter 3. And the conclusion of this, the reason why we cannot, then this is what the book of Romans is all about. Justification. How is one made just or right before God, which has a bearing on our question today.

And in chapter 1, Paul says, Gentiles are all sinners. Jews are sinners too. That’s chapter 2. When he comes to chapter 3, he’s wrapping all that up. And he says, in Romans chapter 3, all are charged under sin in verse 9, both Jews and Greeks. Now, there, you know, there’s some difficulties in the book of Romans, some tough passages, but chapters 1 through 3, that’s what it’s all about. Greeks are sinners, Jews are sinners, all are charged under sin. Verse 10, there is none righteous, not even one. Now, obviously, he’s not talking about those who haven’t come to the age of accountability yet, and who are innocent. But he’s talking about all adults who have been confronted with the choices and decisions of life. All have chosen to sin.

Just as Adam chose to sin. And Eve and the Garden of Eden. All has sinned. Only one has not, and that was Jesus Christ. There is none righteous, not even one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks for God. And he would say in verse 12, all have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good. There is not even one.

Only God and his will are truly good. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And so, our righteousness in comparison is, as Isaiah called it in Isaiah chapter 64 and verse 6, filthy rags. The best that we can do, we’re still presenting filthy rags. None of us is ultimately good. Now that’s what Paul is dealing with later in Romans chapter 7. Romans chapter 7. I have some questions about this text. And mostly these two verses I’m about to read. I don’t understand everything Paul is saying here. I’m still working on it. I think I have it figured out, and then I say I’m not sure again.

But Romans 7 and verse 18, for I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh. For the wishing is present in me, but the doing of good is not.

But I practice the very evil that I do not wish. Paul is talking about our struggles once we become Christians. I believe what he’s talking about in this text is his attempt to achieve goodness under the law. That under the law, as good as he would try to be, there were still occasions of failure, which meant he could not be justified before God. Because he says in verse 24, in this condition, striving to be good, knowing what good is, and not getting it done, he says, Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death. But that is not his status now, because he says in chapter 8 and verse 1, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

I do know that what he’s describing in Romans 7 is the sentence of condemnation that comes upon one who is trying to be good in a law system. Because he says, I couldn’t do it perfectly. In Acts chapter 15, he says the law is a yoke that neither we nor our fathers could bear. Our efforts at goodness fall short. Only God is good. Always holy, righteous, good. And Jesus, who lived perfectly among men. All the rest of us, there is none who is good. No, not one. And so if we’re going to establish I can go to heaven because I’m good, well, what do we mean by that? If we mean as God is good, none of us are. So then how can we be good enough?

2. God Had to Act

Even at our best, none of us are good. Well, here’s the point. It would be impossible. That’s what Paul is saying in Romans 7. Who’s going to deliver me from this body of death? Wretched man that I am. God had to do something. And that’s what the whole Bible story is about. God had to act. He had to engineer the whole process, or we couldn’t have done it. And that’s what the message of Romans is telling us. Justification under a different kind of system. Not where one has to, everyone has to perform perfectly their whole lives. There has to be a different kind of system. And so he established a faith system based upon what Christ did at Calvary to provide the justice for our sins.

He bore our sins in his body upon the cross. And so God acted and engineered a new process or a new way by which men, fallible men could come and enjoy fellowship with a perfect and holy God. But that does not argue that God has done everything in salvation, and man must do nothing. Because if that was the case, if it’s completely something that God did, then bin Laden would be saved. In fact, everyone who had ever lived since the day of Pentecost would be saved. Because God’s done it all. No. God has established conditions to receive this gift that is so described in the New Testament. Grace has appeared unto all men. Titus chapter 2 and verse 11 says, instructing us. Grace instructs. This new process, this new way of justifying man before God involves instructions that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lust and to live sensibly and righteously and godly in this present age.

So grace had attached instructions. Remember what we said earlier, God would have everyone to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. But we already know that everybody does not. Jesus has already said there’s a broad gate and a broad way that leads to destruction, and many are going in thereat. Now go, okay, just so we know that even in the book of Romans, he’s not saying that. Flip over to Romans chapter 14. There’s a certain kind of response. Even in this new system of justification by faith, there is a certain kind of response that God is looking for. And I know that because he says in verse 10 of Romans 14, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And I and as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall give praise to God, so then each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.

3. How Good? Warnings to Believers

And so as we define good, we have to ask, how good? What exactly is God looking for so that we can go to heaven? There are some warnings about behavior that simply will not be sufficient to err from the truth. In James chapter 5, verses 19 and 20, as James concludes his epistle, says, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the air of this way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sin. That’s not physical death. So I’m trying to argue this away because of their view of justification. Oh, well, this is somebody who is already practicing the truth because they’re now erring from the truth, and it’ll save their soul from physical death.

No, because everybody still dies. This is talking about spiritual death. Somebody who errs from the truth. We need to persuade them to return to the truth and the practice of it. And that will cover a multitude of sins. What about this? Those who lie and deceive. Well, that’s not good. Paul talks about difficult days coming. And then in chapter 4, he tells Timothy to preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, because some are not going to listen, having itching ears. And so those who lie and deceive, well, that’s not good, or to believe a lie. Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father, Jesus says, shall be rooted up. The blind follow the blind, both fall into the ditch. And there are those, according to Paul in 2 Timothy 3 and verse 5, that hold to a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.

So, while God has established a new system to deal with our lack of goodness, that doesn’t mean we can just do whatever we want and still go to heaven. There’s some very real pitfalls and concerns and warning. The New Testament is filled with warning after warning to believers. Don’t engage in this, don’t be influenced by this, don’t listen to him as he teaches you error. Jesus said, if you abide in my word, then you are disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Okay, well, you said at the very beginning. Are you talking about some kind of system where we, again, we do everything perfectly and then God is indebted to save us? No. But he has very real expectations of us, as we’ve seen in these passages, and many more that we can look at.

4. Absolutely Necessary: God's Mercy and Forgiveness

So the question then remains, well, how good do you have to be? What exactly are his expectations? And in the midst of answering this question, I’ll tell you what’s absolutely necessary is God’s mercy and forgiveness. Because not only have we stumbled in the past, we will stumble yet again. The New Testament talks about. Blessed is he whose sins are comfort, who has the forgiveness of his sins, Psalm 32 and verse 1. Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 9. By the love and graciousness of our God, those not good can be reckoned as good. And that’s what Paul’s talking about in Romans chapter 8. As we walk after the Spirit or walk by the Spirit, he says in Romans chapter 8.

And so several things follow from that. Okay, there are conditions attached. God has expectations. So what exactly do I need to do? First of all, we need to embrace his provisions through the prescribed means. The things that he has said, do this, and you shall be saved. Faith that leads to repentance. Faith that leads to confession, and faith that leads to baptism, that is described as conversion and renewal. Renewal is a good thing. That’s being made alive again. Or regeneration. Those are important terms. And so when the Bible talks about the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Titus chapter 3. Not on the basis of deeds that we have done in righteousness. If that was the basis of salvation, none of us could get it done.

Because we will not perform perfectly. But according to what? His mercy. Isn’t that great? Aren’t you glad you live under such a system as that? It incorporates mercy for our failures. But according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, he saved us. Conditions attached. We have to embrace his revisions. Arise and be baptized, Saul of Tarsus was told, and wash away your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord. You can’t have your sins washed away. The provision of mercy is dependent upon this response. But once you’ve done it, you can’t say, well, God, you have to let me into heaven because I’m so good. We’re still completely dependent upon him. Well, what else is involved? What does the New Testament say over and over again?

5. Present Yourself as a Living Sacrifice

I mentioned the perfect will of God in Romans chapter 12. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed. That’s what he wants us to pursue. To be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The previous verse said, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body as a living sacrifice. Are you concerned about going to heaven? Then what do you need to do? I’m not going to do this thing perfectly. So, what is God expecting of me? He expects you to present yourself as a living sacrifice. He expects you to pursue that, to understand what that means, pursue that. Model your life after the Lord who died on the cross for you.

Be a living sacrifice. And part of that is all those things that follow in Romans chapter 12. Abhor what is evil. God wants us to do that. Now, if you’re abhorring what is evil, your propensity to partake in it will diminish, right? Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. How many passages could we look at here? Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 10. The fruit of the light consists of righteousness and goodness and truth. Okay, so you set yourself to pursue goodness and what is right, righteousness. Everyone who fears God and does what is right, is welcome to Him. And so we set ourselves in the business of doing what is right, and offering a grateful service to Him, as we sung in one of our songs this morning, to cleanse ourselves from all defilements of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7 and verse 1. Cleanse ourselves from these things, Paul says in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 21, and be vessels of honor. Useful to the master. Flee youthful lusts. 2 Timothy 2 21 and 22. So many other passages that we could look at it. So it’s a remarkable and high calling to be humble and honest and teachable and faithful. And Jared and I were talking Friday night about 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 10, where the King James says, be diligent to make your calling and election sure. And it sort of speaks of it from the standpoint of what we do and what we pursue. But I like the New American Standard rendering there a lot. Where it says, to make certain of his calling and choosing you.

If you have been called and chosen in Christ, then you pursue these things. You get after this. This is what he calls us to. These are the high standards that he has for us. And so we keep pursuing them, despite the struggles that we sometimes experience in getting stuff. Do we always do this perfectly? No. Not even the wisest and most spiritually mature among us. Do it perfectly all the time. And that’s why Peter says in that context of 2 Peter chapter 1, if these qualities, as he has talked about moral excellence and faith, and godliness and self-control and brotherly kindness and patience and love, as he talks about those things, he says that these qualities are yours and are increasing. That involves the ongoing pursuit, making certain of his calling and choosing you.

6. We'll Never Be Good Enough

This is what we get after. This is what the New Testament. Yes. All such people go to heaven. We’ll never be good enough. When we’ve done all that which we’ve been commanded to do, we are still unprofitable servants. We never reach the point where we say, okay, God, I’ve done enough, I’ve attended enough assemblies, I’ve listened to enough of Tony’s sermons. No laughing place. I’ve listened to enough of Tony’s sermons, stood in enough, my Moriarty Bible classes. Now you have to accept me. I mean, I’ve been doing this for 50 years.

Bill, even longer. Have we earned or merited our salvation? It’s only that which we ought to have done. I got the whole Bible memorized. Good for you. It’s only that which you ought to have done. Excellent pursuit. Better than I’ve memorized the whole. I’m living most of it. Trying to pursue all of them. Well done. But it’s only that which we ought to have done. We’re still going to need the mercy of our God. That’s the basis of our salvation. Ultimately, the good person is only made so by the grace of God, as he or she continues to trust him, who is the only one who can deliver. He who began a good work in you will complete it at the day of Christ. Philippians 1 and verse 6, I love that passage.

So we strive together for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1 and verse 27 says.

Conclusion

As we fight against our adversary, the devil and resist him, Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 5, verses 8 through 10. Forgiven people, trusting him and making a sincere attempt to pursue goodness, really do go to heaven. I’ll tell you this is the passage that says it all.

Or be alive when the Lord comes. And in those moments, the question will be, is this a person of faith? Has it been demonstrated in the things that they have pursued, and the way they have prayed to God, the way they have persevered in his worship, in his service, trying to be all that he calls them to be, despite occasional failures. When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? Have you humbly embraced his requirements? If not, it’s time for you to comply. Grace has attached conditions and instructions. Keep on desiring his reward. And do not let your heart fail in the pursuit of it. Okay. Now we come back to the end of the very question we started with. God asked you, why should I let you into heaven?

My answer is, dear Lord and Master, I can never deserve it. Please allow me to find mercy.

Humbly trusting in him to give you the joys of heaven. Have you pursued His instructions? Have you given diligence to your faith? And if we can help you to start this path to glory, that’s what we’re here to do. Won’t you come while we stand and sing together? I gave my life to me.

I gave my life for thee.

I give thy given my life for me. What hast thou given for me?

I worth thee for what brings I hold for thee as thou for me. I halt thou for thee as thou for me, and I have brought to thee come from my home south and break my father I bring I bring to thee what has thou brought for me I bring I bring written to thee what hast thou brought for me