Why Do Good Men Go To Hell?

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. - Luke 18:14

    The thinking of natural man concerning Christ, salvation, and himself is in complete opposition to the Word of God. This parable reveals a vivid picture of all men’s depraved conception of salvation when left to themselves. The Pharisee believed that he was good enough to be justified before the holy God. This Pharisaical principle originated in the fall of our natural father Adam and is passed on to all of his posterity.

    Self-justification is the first and most clearly revealed product of unbelief. This damning virtue of fallen man flows like a river through all false doctrine. The object of all falseness is to glorify man and abase the glory of Christ. This is the heart and soul of all free will, Armenian doctrine. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, not good folks. He came to call sinners to repentance, not righteous people.

    The first thing a sinner will confess concerning himself when Christ is revealed to him is that he has no goodness and cannot justify himself before God. The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner (Lk 18:13). It is amazing how poor sinful creatures suppose themselves to be good when Christ himself said, there is none good but one, that is, God (Mk 10:18). And again, there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Rom 3:12).

    Man is so much in darkness and wrapped up in his own righteousness that unless God in grace and mercy calls him from the cold, dark tundra of spiritual death, he will perish in his own filth. There is no way that a sinner can be justified before God and enter the kingdom of heaven by his own works because God requires perfection. I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:20). To be clothed with the righteousness of Christ is our only justification and acceptance before God (Phil 3:9; 2 Cor 5:21).