It Comes Down to Faith

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
If God were to judge each of us by His laws, we would all be condemned because every single person has broken His law.  But God has made a new way whereby anyone can escape: through faith in Jesus Christ.  In the end, this will be the great divide: Those who believe in Christ on one side and those who do not believe on the other.  One side will inherit eternal life and the other will perish.  It can not be any clearer than that.  Why would it be so easy to inherit eternal life?   So that those who refuse have no excuse.  God could  not make it any easier.  Even a young child can do it.  If God gave his only Son so that we could be saved and we refuse to believe that testimony, what hope is left?

The great truth of the bible is we are justified by faith alone.  God does not accept us because of our own goodness, but because we believe in the one who is good.  God declares us free of the penalty of sin through this faith.  With this faith, the greatest sinner will be declared righteous.  This is the good news.  God loves you and has given you His Son in your place to pay the price of your sin.  The response by which we receive these benefits is to believe it from the heart.  "For with your heart you believe and are justified" (Romans 10:10). 

On the other hand, no one who does not believe will be justified according to this word.  "Whover does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son".  There is no other way.   We all start out condemned and move into forgiveness through faith.  It is the good news.  God so loved he world including you and I.