The Holy Spirit
Have you ever heard somebody saying he is a footballer, but he doesn't play in a team? There are people who say it's possible to live a christian ('good') life but without the Spirit of Jesus. Anyone who says "I'm not a Christian but I live by the Sermon on the Mount" has not read it. Jesus said that just looking at someone lustfully is as bad as adultery; being angry is as bad as murder. No human being could live to these standards. Father God recognises this. God is light, sin is darkness. Darkness can't exist in the light. That's why we can't get to heaven by our own efforts. When Jesus died he took our sins. The sky went dark to symbolise what was happening. Father God turned his back on Jesus because he was carrying our sin. But that wasn't the end. Jesus rose again. When we ask Jesus into our life, we swap our darkness for His light. We don't get to heaven by being good, but by recognising that we can never be good enough and accepting God's help.
This is true not just of becoming a Christian. We need God's help to live the Christian life day by day. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. Living the sort of life that pleases God is described as The Fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is produced naturally by a tree. When we are filled with the Spirit, good behaviour begins to come naturally. Trying to earn the right to go to heaven by good works is like driving Fred Flintstone's car. The Holy Spirit is the engine that God provides. Will we 'do it my way' or accept God's gift of his Holy Spirit?
