Bounced from Heaven Like a Rubber Ball
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
“The law is for the self-righteous, to humble their pride. The gospel is for the lost, to remove their despair." – C.H. Spurgeon
Can you imagine the audacity?
Thinking you can earn your way into heaven has to be the absolute height of pride, arrogance, ignorance, or all three. After all, there is only one requirement for passing through the pearly gates… and it is sinless perfection. Now name me one person – other than Jesus – who meets that criteria?
That’s right, the answer is zero, nada, zilch, and none.
The Bible is very clear. God is holy and He cannot allow sin (or sinners) to be in His presence. And so, our only hope is to be washed in the Blood of the Lamb. When that happens, God the Father sees us through the eyes of God the Son. In other words, when He looks at a born-again believer, He sees Jesus.
You can try your luck trying to barge through heaven’s gates relying on your own merits, but I am telling you that you won’t get your toe through the front door let alone your whole body. Instead, you will be bounced like a rubber ball from heaven to hell, because that’s where self-righteous people will spend eternity.
On the contrary, broken people who are painfully aware of their own sinfulness and, as a result, have thrown themselves at God’s mercy at the foot of the cross are escorted into heaven like VIPs. Personal faith in Jesus unlocks heaven’s door… and personal pride bars it forever.
The choice is yours, my friend. Do you want to depend on Christ’s righteousness or yours? Before you make that all-important decision, try reading the following verses first.
“There is none righteous, no, not one…” Romans 3:10
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
