One day we're going to die, then what? Can we bank on an afterlife based on our good deeds? Our moral track record? Are we just going to hope for the best?
The big problem with the 'I did my best' and 'I meant well' theories is this: If we had the innate or even the transcendent ability within us to be acceptable on our own, why the sacrifice of Jesus? Does it make any sense that God would send his Son to die just for the people that couldn't be bothered to make the effort to be good enough?
It boils down to this: What do you think God is primarily looking for, obedience or trust? If you believe it's the former, then why didn't He just make us robots?
If you think it's the latter, then why not trust Him and accept the gift that He sent?
so I just accept jesus and the rules go away?maybe i could use a saviour...
Why do you need Jesus? Well, if you were never coming face to face with the living God, you might not. However, as the probability of a Creator looms ever larger, it seems only prudent to consider the 'what if'.
If there is a God and He has certain standards, what then? Do we just show up at the front door, scuff our feet and say, "I did what I could?", then hope for the best? What if that wasn't good enough?
If the wages of sin are death, can we just refuse our paycheque at this point? If He made the law, it seems unlikely that He's going to be making exceptions just because we 'meant well'. (Especially if He offered a solution and we rejected it.)
Part of the answer lies in the question: What does God want out of this? Why create us? As robots he could program us with a strict set of rules. So why not create robots? It would be much easier, more predictable and far less messy.
The answer is that God is about relationship. You can't have a relationship with a robot. God desires to have fellowship with us and that relationship also extends to heaven. We are given free will to accept or reject citizenship there. But, how does He reconcile that with our sin? After all, the wages have to be paid somehow.
Jesus, providing a sacrifice that is sinless in itself, is uniquely able to atone for our sins. All that God requires is that we accept the gift. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, our choice is to open that door or hide behind it.