Earning Your Way To Heaven?
Are you earning your way to Heaven? And if so, how are you doing it? What if you’re wrong?
What if a man murdered someone else, and then is caught, arrested, and put on trial? His defense attorney says, “This is basically a good man. His good deeds out weight his bad.”
The prosecuting attorney says, “He is a murderer and here is the proof. He should go to prison.”
Defense attorney says, “But this man who did murder is a nice guy. He gives to charity, sings in the church choir, he is a pillar in our society. He’s a great husband and father.”
But because the man is a murderer, he went to prison. All the good he did in his life didn’t matter.
Right now many of you are saying, “I didn’t murder anyone, so I’m OK. I’ll still get into Heaven.” But there is one problem with this thinking. This is what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”
So now, how many of you believe you’re good enough? Remember in this society, once a murderer, always a murderer. Just like once a sex offender, always a sex offender.
By the way Jesus also said, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Mathew 5:27-28
Face it, there is no way you can earn your way into Heaven. But what if it was given to you as a gift? Would you accept it? Your sins must be paid for somehow. After all, if you don’t go to Heaven, you will go to Hell.
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
Jesus came to pay our way into Heaven. It is a gift. We can not earn it. John 1:1-5 and John 1:14 explains that Jesus is God. He loves us enough to go through, being mocked, punched in the face, spit upon, whipped. Imagine having the whip digging into your back and ripping away bits of your flesh. Imagine having a crown made of thorns shoved down on your head. Now there is blood and sweat running down stinging your eyes. Then in front of everyone you cry out in pain, and yet no one helps you. You’re in pain because nails are being pounded through your hands and feet. And then more pain as the weight of your body tears at holes in your hands as the cross they just nailed you to is being righten up in the ground. And as your family and friends watch… you die.
Also keep in mind that Jesus could have stopped this anytime He wanted. Matthew 26:53-54 says:
“Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”
He Is Risen – The Graffiti Bridge, on Facebook
This is how much God loves us. Then three days later He rose from the dead, physically with His own body.
So you have a choice. You can try to earn your way to Heaven, and you will fail. Or you can believe in the Lord Jesus. Ask Him into your heart and to forgive your sins.
Ephesians 2:8-9
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
My Thoughts 