Good deeds impress people, but grace impresses God.
Wilson Alvarez
Imagine we’re casually strolling together, talking about life, when suddenly—bam! A truck knocks us both straight to Heaven’s gates. Now we’re standing there, face-to-face with God. What would you say to Him? Are you sure you’d get inside?
You might reply, “Hey, I’m a pretty good person, right?” Trust me; I thought that too. But being good enough isn’t God’s standard for Heaven. I had this realization a while back, and it changed everything.
Here’s the scoop: God doesn’t judge by our good deeds. Romans 3:23 lays it out plain and simple, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That’s right, every single one of us messes up.
So, where does that leave us? Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That means putting aside our own ideas of what makes us worthy. We need to trust in God’s wisdom, not ours.
Jesus himself made it clear in John 3:3, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Being born again isn’t as strange as it sounds—it’s a fresh start through faith in Jesus. It’s like hitting a spiritual reset button.
Now, don’t worry—God’s not pushy. Revelation 3:20 gives us a gentle picture: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” He’s waiting for us to welcome Him into our lives.
The catch? There’s only one way in. Jesus clearly states in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He’s our bridge to God, our guaranteed pass to Heaven.
Billy Sunday, a famous evangelist, once said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” Similarly, just being good doesn’t secure a ticket to Heaven. It takes a personal decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Here’s the takeaway: You can’t earn your way to Heaven. The gift of eternal life is exactly that—a gift. It’s freely given by God’s grace, but you need to accept it personally.
So, here’s the big moment. Don’t wait until life’s unexpected moments catch you off guard. Pray today, right now, and make sure your heart’s in the right place with God. Simply say, “Jesus, forgive me. I accept You as my Lord and Savior.”