God’s Laws, the Court of Heaven, and Our Need for Jesus

Good morning, everyone. I want to talk to you today about something incredibly important: God's laws, why they matter in our lives, and most importantly—how we need Jesus Christ to be saved and get into Heaven. Now, I know laws can be a bit dry or even intimidating, but bear with me, and we’ll make this clear and relatable.

Imagine, for a moment, that you’re standing in a courtroom. Not just any courtroom, though, this is a heavenly courtroom. And not only that, you’re the defendant. Your life is on trial, and the judge is none other than God Himself.

God’s Law: The Ultimate Standard

We all know what laws are here on Earth. Traffic laws, civil laws, criminal laws—all of these are in place to keep order and justice. Without laws, things would be chaotic. There’d be no consequences for actions, and society would crumble under the weight of anarchy. Well, just like we have laws here, God has His own set of laws—the Ten Commandments, the moral laws that He established in the Bible, and the laws of love and righteousness. They’re perfect, holy, and just.

God’s laws aren’t there to make life hard. They’re there to show us what is right, good, and holy. They tell us how to love Him and love others, and how to live in harmony with the world around us. The Bible says, "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44). In other words, God wants us to live according to His righteous standards, which are the best for us and the world.

But here’s the problem: none of us can keep God’s laws perfectly. None. Zero. Zip. We all mess up.

The Courtroom Scenario: Our Works Can’t Save Us

Let’s go back to that courtroom. You’re the defendant, and you’ve just been accused of breaking several of God’s laws. Perhaps you’ve lied (break one commandment), maybe you’ve stolen (another commandment), and, if you’re really honest with yourself, you’ve probably coveted things you shouldn’t have (yep, there’s another one). You might even have used God's name in vain at some point. The list can go on, and on and on.

Now, imagine you’re standing before the judge, and you start listing all the good things you’ve done in your life—"But, Your Honor, I’ve volunteered at church! I gave up my lunch for a homeless guy once! I helped my neighbor mow their lawn!” None of this is bad, but here’s the truth: your good works can’t cancel out the bad. Not even close.

In a real court of law, if you broke the law, you don’t get to just say, “But Your Honor, I did some good stuff too!” and expect to get off scot-free. Imagine a murderer standing in front of a judge, saying, “But, Your Honor, I helped an old lady cross the street last week!” The judge wouldn’t let them off the hook. The law is the law, and justice must be served.

This is where it gets serious. God’s justice is perfect. And if we were judged solely by our works—our deeds—no one would make it to heaven. The Bible says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). No matter how many good things we do, the bad things still count. They create a debt, a stain, an imperfection. The law demands justice. We all fall short.

Enter the Savior: Jesus Christ

Here’s where the good news comes in: Jesus Christ, the ultimate lawyer, steps in to defend us. In this heavenly courtroom, Jesus is not just an advocate, He’s the only one who can take our place. Why? Because He is the only one who lived a perfect, sinless life. He kept every law of God perfectly. He never lied, never stole, never coveted, and loved His neighbors and enemies alike.

So, how does this apply to us? Jesus took on all our sins, our failures, and our imperfections. He paid the price for our sins when He died on the cross. In that moment, He took on the punishment we deserved—so that we wouldn’t have to bear the weight of our sin on Judgment Day.

The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He offers us the ultimate defense—one that works every time. If we accept Jesus as our Savior, He takes our place in the courtroom. We get His record of perfect righteousness, and He takes our record of sin.

This is not about what we can do, but what Jesus has already done. Our good works don’t get us into heaven. Only Jesus can do that.

The Judgment Seat of Christ: The Final Verdict

Now, let’s take a look at the final judgment. Imagine the day you stand before God. There’s no defense lawyer left to hire. No amount of charity work, no good deeds, no trying to be a "better person" will be enough to earn you a spot in heaven. But here’s the twist: if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior, God’s verdict for you is already sealed. The judgment is final—and it’s a verdict of “not guilty” because Jesus has taken your punishment.

In Revelation 20:12-15, we read about the great white throne judgment. Those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior are judged by their works, and because they are imperfect, they are found wanting and separated from God for eternity. But for those who belong to Christ, they stand forgiven, their sins washed away by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

The Takeaway

So, what does this mean for us today? It means we need Jesus. It means we can’t get into heaven by being good enough or doing enough good deeds. We need to accept Jesus’ gift of grace. We need to trust Him, not just for salvation, but for everything. It’s through Him that we receive forgiveness, and it’s through Him that we have access to eternal life.

Let me ask you: are you trusting in your own works to save you, or are you trusting in Jesus? The choice is simple, but it’s also the most important decision you’ll ever make. Because in that heavenly courtroom, the only thing that will matter is whether you have Jesus as your advocate.

Let’s pray together:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to take our place and pay the price for our sins. We admit that we have fallen short of Your perfect law and that we cannot save ourselves. We humbly ask for Your forgiveness and place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Help us to live lives that reflect His love and grace, and to share the good news with those around us. Thank You for the gift of eternal life in Jesus.

In His precious name, we pray.

Amen.