Many people in the world today believe they are going to a "Better Place" (namely "heaven, to be with the Lord") once they die, and for no other reason than they were GOOD persons who TRIED to live a "GOOD Life" while on earth.

They believe that this "Good" (by human standards) Life they tried to live is what has been pleasing to God and is an absolute necessary requirement for opening heaven up to them. Therefore they believe that it will be by this good life of theirs (with a smidgeon of faith thrown in) that will force God to welcome them with open arms after they die for at least trying.
(And may I add: "Woe to the person who tries to tell them otherwise!")

To most people; including many church-goers, what they believe or don't believe seems to play little or no part in their gaining heaven, while "going to church, doing for others or trying to be good" most of the time seems to be their goal and primary motivation for entry on into heaven and God's presence.

During the funeral service even their ministers tell everyone that they (no matter who "they" are or what "they" have done) went on to a "Better Place" anyway and are now resting in peace there with the Lord!
(...and who are "we"; who may know the score, to dare state otherwise?!)

And so, most people think that when they die they'll go to heaven for no otherr reason than simply because they weren't "Bad" people, like Hitler or mass murderer and other "Bad Guys" who certainly will not go.

It's obvious that what needs to be seen here is the truth! This is what the Scriptures say...

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Rev 21:8

Well the world got it half right, because all of the "Bad Guys" are not going to heaven!!!
But what it failed to take into consideration as one of the things that is sure to keep one from gaining heaven doesn't rest in ones merits of being bad or good, but it rests in their lacking ... "Faith". These are The Unbelieving!

Now if what the Scriptures say is true, then that leaves out over three quarters of the world's population (or around four + billion people) from going to heaven at all, if for no other reason than simply because THEY DO NOT BELIEVE = THE UNBELIEVING!

The "Unbelieving" is anyone who is not trusting/resting in Christ and His accomplishments to save them, but in themselves, their religion and/or their accomplishments to save them, help save them, or help keep themselves saved.

So, even though many of them have also tried to be "Good" by trying to live up to the universal golden rule of Love God (or Love Allah, Krishna, Buddha, etc., etc.) and love your neighbor as yourself, they will ALL end up in hell anyway "IF" they are found to lack Faith in Christ! Being good or bad doesn't cut it - having faith in Christ (apart from works) does!

Many people "Believe" that Jesus Christ was indeed an actual and Good person, but that He was only one of a long line of Prophets and/or Good Persons who came along to show us the way to heaven by setting an example for us to follow, through living the golden rule and/or how to achieve Godhood for ourselves.

Yet it is written:
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:22-23

We all "Fall Short" of gaining the glory of God! "We" cannot achieve it!!!

Jesus Himself says...
...Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Mark 10:18

So if the only begotten Son of God; who chose to live as a man, refused to call Himself "Good" while on earth, who are we to call ourselves and what we do... "Good"???

Again Jesus says...
...for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matt 9:13

Does that mean that there are righteous ones on earth who don't need saving???
Not according to the Scriptures...

For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:23

It is written that the only requirement needed for salvation is "Faith", and even this faith is not something that we try and muster up but it comes from God via a revelation of His Son...

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt. 16:16-16

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:8-9

So in one sweep, we see how "FAITH" in Christ is the ONLY ingredient necessary in ones being saved. From it (because even our ability to "Hear It" in the first place originates from the word of God) flows all that is necessary to walk in and maintain that faith we heard when we first believed... faith that automatically brought us God's Saving Grace as seen in the face of Christ.
Therefore, by "OUR" trying to be good enough to gain heaven in the hope that by it "WE" might gain heaven stems from nothing less than unbelief and fits under the catagory of "SELF-WORKS".

These "Works" are what a man does in order to try and win favor with (i.e. "Appease") God and are all being done because of Unbelief in the Savior who has won the victory without us even lifting so much as a finger to help... if only we would hear the Gospel, understand, believe and receive it - and the rest will follow.
"Works" is the kind of "man-made faith" that likes to give the man who does them "Boasting and Bragging Rights" before God.

Therefore... If anyone believes that entry into heaven is also based upon the efforts of the individual to go to church, stop smoking, give to the poor, try and be good, etc., and all for the purpose of trying to live up to the golden rule then that person is an island unto himself and has no need of Christ! They've cut Him off - Christ is useless to them as they are to Him... all because of their own unbelief!

Such a person has merely taken Christ and uses Him to set an example for them to emulate and follow, who, while He was on earth also preached on the importance of doing "Good Works"!
The truth is that He preached on being "Perfect" (Matthew 5:48) ( a far cry from being merely "Good"), before He died on a cross.
So this "Picture" they have of Christ stems from the same unbelief (lack of faith) that the Buddhists, Moslems, Muslims, etc. have of Him.

There is only one "WORK" that God will recognize:

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:29

In conclusion: "Self-Works" done to help save or try and save ourselves stink of Unbelief, and will be harshly met and dealt with by God's wrath.

Being and doing good is fine and well, BUT Trying to be Good for the purpose of gaining heaven and God stems from unbelief - unbelief in Christ (all that He is, was and will be) and unbelief in His Finished Work (all that He's done!) - the kind of unbelief that fails to come and "Rest" In Him and upon His finished work and be still.
While on the cross, Jesus said: "It Is Finished". And it is and was... forever!

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

May every blessing in Christ be yours,
Biff