I overheard a conversation about heaven and how to get there. Two actual statements that were made caught my attention. They were: "If there is a heaven then I'll be there, I'm a good person, you know I'm nice and I don't hurt anyone." The other was a response to that: "Sure, I'm gonna be where all my friends are."
Well the second statement may actually have validity, but not the way the person perceived.
There is only one way into heaven, through Jesus. The bible tells us that. And anyone who would try to dance around that is trying to find "fairness" in God. But what is fair.
Fairness is when everyone has the same opportunity.
And those who didn't take the opportunity wouldn't get the prize. All God asks is that we accept His invitation. And that invitation comes in the form of Jesus. But if you don't RSVP then when you get to the party your name won't be on the list. But if you do respond then you know the guy at the door. There is no waiting in line. No hoping that you'll get in. You know that you will be there because when you received your invitation you responded. It's like going to a nightclub and walking past the line that wraps around the block right to the front door and the guy at the door looks at the list and guess what?, your name is on it so you go right in. Meanwhile some guy who likes to go clubbing (for those of you who may be past this era that would be like hopping form
shindig to shindig) sees the line and tries to get in on his popularity or his ability to dance. But he gets up to the front and the guy at the door says," Sorry buddy, I don't see your name on the list."
If you show up at the door and you think that you're going to get in because you've always been the life of the party and everyone always liked having you around, or if you think you deserve to go in because you can dance better than anyone else than you'll be in for a shock. You see that wouldn't be fair. To allow one person into the party because they were "good" partiers would mean that entrance into the party depended on what you could do for the host. But it is all about what the Host does for you.
When you accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ then you know the guy at the door, your name is in the book, reservations have been made and as it tells us in the word, Jesus has prepared a place for you at the table.
That's God's way, like it or not. Accept it or don't, the choice is yours. The bible says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt 7:13-14)
Heaven is God's. Only He can let us in. Not one of us deserves it. It is a gift. That's the beauty of it. That's grace. To believe that we can figure out another way in is to take away from grace. If we do that we miss the point.
The reason why we, as Christians, love grace so much is because we have felt it. In order to have felt it we had to get to the point where we say to ourselves, "I'm not perfect, I make mistakes. I want to accept Jesus' invitation because, not only do I need to but, I want to. I want to enjoy all that He has promised me. I want to feel that grace, that amazing grace (oh no I feel a song coming on) that only He can give. That total acceptance and love that only He can give." When we look in the mirror and see ourselves for what we are we realize how great His love is for us and then, and only then can we reflect that love to others.
So that every day we can live in the victory of His love and walk knowing that we know the guy at the door.
SDG
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