What are you trusting in?

A. You are a good person.
1. “There is no one righteous, not even one;" --Romans 3:10

B. Well, I'm not perfect, but no one is, so I'm sure God will judge me favorably, I've got a good heart and always try to help people.

1. "there is none good but one, that is, God.” --Mark 10:18
2. "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous acts are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6

C. It wouldn't be fair for God to send me to hell.

1. "...he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” --John 3:18b

2. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” --1 Corinthians 1:18

I once had a good friend tell me that I was a self-righteous and selfish person. It hit me hard (though I was too proud to let that show at the time), and I thought about it for years and years afterward. He was absolutely right. You see, I grew up thinking that I could only be a Christian and receive salvation* by my own works, by living a good life, by following the commandments in the Bible. I have finally learned that I cannot receive salvation that way, because I can't live up to the standard of goodness in the Bible. My friend, who I thought wasn't nearly as good a person as me, or as religious, understood that 15 years ago.

Friend, I may not even know you, but we stand in the same place before God. We are poor beggars, we have absolutely nothing of value to offer. God, rich in mercy, has given us the gift of salvation, His Son, for free! Our good works cannot earn it, our sins cannot nullify it. The promise of the scriptures is wonderful and clear:

"whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." -- John 3:16

*Salvation - definition: Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption