FEBRUARY 20 DEVOTION BIBLE READING: EPHESIANS 2:8-10
Through the years I have met a lot of religious people...I define a religious person as one who believes that it is by their effort that they will someday make it to heaven. I have met these people in every denomination and movement I have come in contact with. They sincerely believe that if their good deeds are greater than their bad deeds that they will merit heaven and eternal life. They have bought into the human psychological way of thinking that man is innately good and you just need to develop that good and that is all that is needed. These religious people spend all their time trying to be good and acceptable enough, as they attempt to gain heaven. The problem is they cannot ever be good enough.
The Scripture says, "the soul that sins, dies." It also says, "that all have sinned..." We are all sinners and as such we are separated from God without any hope in ourselves to gain heaven. The truth is left your own devises we would create a system where we could feel good about ourselves and set up our own standards, so that we could just meet them and declare we are going to heaven...that's religion. God has not called us to religion, but to a relationship that is through His Son Jesus. Jesus did for us what is impossible for us to do...He paid for our sins on the cross, so that they could be completely forgiven and we could have a relationship with God. Only Jesus makes it possible for anyone to go to heaven...only Jesus can give us eternal life. There is not enough goodness in us to merit eternal life, because God requires perfection and only Jesus meets that requirement. On the cross Jesus died for us, through His Resurrection we are guaranteed that His sacrifice was acceptable to God. What is our part? To put our faith and trust in Jesus for whom He is and what He has done...we are to believe in Him as Lord and Savior. I trust you have done that, for that is the only thing that guarantees eternal life and a home in heaven.
Please share your thoughts.
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