Is Sincerity Enough for Salvation?

“It doesn’t matter what you believe, just as long as you are sincere.” Many people today believe a person will go to Heaven as long as they are a sincere and good person. Often Christians are questioned on how they can believe that they are the only people who will go to Heaven when people of other religions are just as sincere, and all too often Christians do not have an answer. There are two main reasons why Christians believe they are the only ones who will go to Heaven. First, being a sincere and good person is an integral part of being a Christian, but is not sufficient enough for salvation. It is possible that someone can be sincere about the wrong thing. Even Saul was sincere about his persecution of Christians before his conversion. Second, we cannot merit our salvation. Saying that we can earn our salvation takes away from the gift of God’s grace. It is by grace Christians believe they are saved, and not by anything that they have done. Even if Christians did have to earn their way to Heaven they could not do it. Anytime we call someone a “good person” it is a human type of goodness. No one could ever achieve God’s goodness, which is absolute.