Here Is How Not To Get To Heaven

Galatians 2:16 - "…nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified."  NASU 
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• Try Working Your Way There 

Some people believe what will happen on Judgment Day is God will have a set of scales and He will place all of your "good deeds" on one side and all your "bad deeds" on the other and whichever one is the heaviest will determine your eternal outcome.
 
We are not going to be allowed entrance into Heaven because of our "good deeds".
 
In 1964 J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers had a hit song entitled "Last Kiss" I have included some of the lyrics of the song:
 
            Well, where oh where can my baby be?
            The Lord took her away from me.
            She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good,
            So I can see my baby when I leave this world.
 
These lyrics may be romantic but theologically they are horrible. God gets blamed for taking her away because of his carelessness while driving. Then he has to be good to get to heaven to see her.
 
Well, nothing could be further from the truth. You CAN NOT be good enough to get to heaven. No one and I mean no one is going to get to Heaven because of their good works and if you try, you will fail. 

• Being Justified Opens Heaven's Door 

Paul says justification comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We will get to Heaven by having faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, not what we have done or plan on doing. We can't be good enough to get to heaven, but Jesus Christ was good enough to get us there.
 
Here is how one of my college Professors, Jack Cottrell, explains justification:
 
[The meaning of justification: It is the same as having the debt of penalty for your sins forgiven. It is a legal term. It refers to standing before the Judge of the universe in the divine courtroom and having him declare, “NO PENALTY FOR YOU!”
 
This happens not only on the future Judgment Day. It is happening now, and will be happening throughout our lives as believers. This is why we have assurance of salvation. We know we are justified; we know our sins are forgiven. It is not a question of how good we are, but how forgiven we are. It is hearing God say, “No penalty for you! No condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! No hell for you! No fear for you!”] 

• Choice Is Ours 

The way to Heaven is by allowing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to atone for our sins. When we allow His sacrifice to justify us then we will know when we die we will be allowed to enter Heaven. This is called "assurance" of our salvation.
 
The choice is ours.
 
We can depend on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ or we can do like the lyrics of the songs says try being good enough for God to allow us entrance into Heaven.
 
Gal 3:24-27 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
 
The people who try to obey laws are trying to get to Heaven on their own merits. Paul says the purpose of the Law was to lead us to Christ and it is our faith in Jesus that will bring about our Justification.
 
Think About This:
 
Choice, not chance, determines your destiny.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word