We are all alike under sentence of death. We all deserve to die; we all alike deserve eternal condemnation.
We know we have done wrong, but we look around at one another and easily find someone who has done far worse than we have. So we think we're not that bad. There are really evil people who deserve horrible punishment, but not us. We've done some things wrong, but we're not really evil, just mistaken from time to time. We think we're actually mostly good.
Because we look around, to the left and to the right, in front of us and behind us, near and far, and we find someone worse than us. But we never look up to the God who made the universe, to the God who owns all creation, to the God who made us and owns us. We never look to Him and see how we're doing compared to Him.
He is holy and righteous and never does wrong. Understand, punishing the wicked is not wrong but right! When we see how He wants us to treat one another, we find we've not done well at all. When we see how we should be treating Him, we find we've really done very badly!
Jesus called the men of His day a wicked generation (Matthew 12:39 and others). He said, "If you who are evil know how to give good gifts..." (Matthew 7:11, NIV). Knowing how to be nice to people we like does not make us good, it just shows we know how to do some things right. But we're still characterized by evil and as evil—because we don't live in and by God's ways.
And if we're willing, we see that we do deserve judgment and condemnation. And if we're willing to admit our failure, our determination to live by what we think is right, if we're willing to see how evil we are in light of God's goodness and holiness, then we can cry out to God for mercy!
And we'll find Him standing with open arms, ready to forgive all our evil, ready to cleanse away all our wickedness, ready to clothe us in His goodness and righteousness. That's why Jesus had to come down out of heaven, leaving His Father's side, not just to teach us what is good and right, but to offer Himself in our place, to take the punishment we deserve on Himself, to suffer and die to pay for our crimes against God.
If we but admit we are wrong, admit we must turn away from our own ways, from our wrong ways, if we turn to God and plead with Him for forgiveness, we will receive it. More than that, He will remake us into people who are holy and righteous and desire to live holy and righteous lives.
God's forgiveness is for any and all who will turn away from their own evil ways and turn to Him to learn His holy and righteous ways. Not only does He make us new, but He stands ready to teach and enable us to walk in the ways that please Him!
After His death and resurrection, Jesus told His followers, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47, NIV). Repentance is the admission that you have violated God's commands and God's ways and you are ashamed of your wrong behavior and ready to make it right. If you repent, you will be forgiven because of Jesus, because of His death on your behalf. And you will be given new life, because of Jesus' resurrection, His rising from the dead by the authority granted Him by His Father and by His perfect, righteous, holy life.
He is now seated at the right hand of God Most High, awaiting the day His Father sends Him back to us to claim this planet, this world as His own kingdom. Those who have believed in Him, turned away from their own wisdom and ways to His wisdom and ways, will reign with Him forever and ever. Those who ignore Him, reject Him, busy themselves with other things, they may see His return, they may even live in His kingdom for a thousand years, but at the end, they will be cast into eternal darkness and torment because they did not love and honor the precious Son of God.
As the Apostle Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers, said 2,000 years ago: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:19-21, NIV).
So I plead with you, surrender yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn away from your evil ways; receive Him as your Lord and Savior; learn His holy ways and do them. Jesus will gladly pardon and forgive your sin; He will gladly change you and make you His own dear child and friend. He is God, and He came to bring you back to Himself. Listen to Him, believe Him, learn from Him to live life as God intended.
Read and believe all the Bible teaches. Pattern your life and your thinking after God's instruction in the Bible. Yes, there are better translations; choose one that faithfully renders the original Hebrew and Greek texts into modern English. There are several: The New American Standard Bible, the English Standard Bible, older editions of the New International Version, the New King James Version and others! Read one, then read another. Read them all! You'll need to read the Bible over and over again, and do what it says in order to truly understand all of it. You will not get it all in the first reading, nor should you try. It will take time to get to know God as your dearest and best friend and Lord. Read the Bible daily, chapter after chapter. Read it in order. And focus on one lesson to practice that day. Don't worry about all the things you don't yet understand. They'll come as you persist day after day to learn anew how God wants you to live, as you learn who God truly is. You can come to know God better and better; He wants you to know Him, but He only shows Himself to those who trust, submit to and obey Him.
Meet regularly, daily if possible, with other followers of Christ who are serious about knowing Jesus and His teachings, and conforming their lives to His instructions. Not just people who like to talk about what the Bible teaches, but those who work to put it into practice! Stay away from the churches and so-called Christians who turn God's gracious kindness into permission to live immoral lives (Jude 1:4). God's love for you and kindness toward you is given to save you from your former evil ways; you must not continue to walk in them, but learn to live righteous and holy lives as God teaches in the Bible (Titus 2:11-14).
Feel free to contact me. I'd be glad to help you as best I can. Read through the articles one by one under Growing with Christ to develop valuable habits that will help you grow in your understanding of God and how to live as His child.