1. Among those who entertain false hopes, perhaps the largest class are _those who expect to be saved by their righteous lives_. These persons are easily known by such sayings as these, “I am doing the best I can.” “I do more good than evil.” “I am not a great sinner.” “I have never done anything very bad.” Gal. iii. 10, is an excellent passage to use, for it shows that all those who are trusting in their works are under the curse of the law and that there is no hope on the ground of the law for any one who does not “continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” James ii. 10 is also useful. Gal. ii. 16, and Romans iii. 19, 20 are very effective by showing that by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in God’s sight. Matt. v. 20—All these passages show the kind of righteousness God demands and that no man’s righteousness comes up to God’s standard, and that if a man wishes to be saved he must find some other means of salvation than by his own deeds. It is sometimes well in using these passages to say to the inquirer: “You do not understand the kind of righteousness that God demands or you would not talk as you do. Now let us turn to His word and see what kind of righteousness it is that God demands.” There is another way of dealing with this class, by the use of such passages as Luke xvi. 15; Rom. ii. 16; 1 Sam. xvi. 7. These passages show that God looks at the heart. Hold the inquirer right to that point. Every man when brought face to face with that, must tremble because he knows that whatever his outward life may be, his heart will not stand the scrutiny of God’s eye. No matter how selfrighteous a man is, we need not be discouraged for somewhere in the depths of every man’s heart is the consciousness of sin and all we have to do is to work away until we touch that point. Every man’s conscience is on our side. Matt. xxii. 37, 38 can be used when a man says “I am doing the best I can, or doing more good than evil.” Say to him, “You are greatly mistaken about that; so far from doing more good than evil, do you know that you have broken the first and greatest of God’s laws?” Then show him the passage. Heb. xi. 6, John vi. 29, show that the one thing that God demands is faith and that without that it is impossible to please God, and John xvi. 9, shows that unbelief in Christ is the greatest sin. John iii. 36, shows that the question of eternal life depends solely upon a man’s accepting or rejecting Jesus Christ, and Heb. x. 28, 29, that the sin which brings the heaviest punishment is that of treading under foot the Son of God. Before using this latter passage, it would be well to say, “You think you are very good, but do you know that you are committing the most awful sin in God’s sight which a man can commit?” If he replies, “No,” then say “Well let me show you from God’s word that you are;” then turn to this passage and read it with great solemnity and earnestness.