You will NOT Get to Heaven Based On Your Works!

A lot of Christians believe their Christianity or maintain their Christianity or somehow conclude their Christianity by salvation being established, kept or preserved by works. It's human nature, as fallen as it is, to assume the responsibility of works and in many cases it can be commendable, but not when it comes to your salvation.

You will NOT get to heaven based on your works. Jesus did the work to get you into heaven. As a born again Christian, the Holy Spirit dwelling within you will cause works to come out of your life. Words, deeds, actions, but it doesn't save you. It's just evidence that you are saved.

Don't make the mistake thinking you can work your way into heaven. That's an abomination. The unsaved will be condemned by their works, while the saved are rewarded for their works. That is exactly what the Bible teaches.

We start to approach God on our merits. We have good weeks so we attribute that to how much God must love us and we must be doing good in His eyes. But that is NOT how God loves us. That's not how we relate to Him or even love Him.

Because we have a true living relationship with the LORD, that new life produces good works, but we are not saved by them. It's just proof we are saved. You don't have to work your way into heaven and any religion that tells you that is false. That is why Jesus said, "It is finished," as He hung on the cross dying for our sins. He gave His life that we might be saved.

What is required of you?

Jesus said, "This is the work, to believe on Him, whom God has sent." That is the work you are to do. Singular! From that life flows a life of works as proof that you have been saved, and have faith in Christ.

Does the return of Jesus Christ excite you? If not, why not? If you are afraid, perhaps something in your life isn't right. Will you now open your heart and give up everything for Christ today? Perhaps finally give up after all these years...your status, your religion, your position and give everything up to Jesus and humble yourself before Him? All your righteousness? Give it up!

Revelation 22:12-17 ~ "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

Why should you come? Because Jesus Christ is the reality.

Revelation 22:12a ~ "And behold, I am coming quickly..." 

No less than six times does Jesus teach us about His return, twice as a warning (Revelation 2:5,16) and four times as a promise (Revelation 3:11, 22:7, 12, 20).

Why Jesus Christ?

He is our only hope! He could come suddenly and without warning! There is nothing worth living for in this world, if we don't have Jesus. He promised He would come the first time, and He'll come back as He has promised again for the second time! When death comes to us in this life, it is merely a doorway to eternity.

Jesus Christ is the reward.

Revelation 22:12b ~ "My reward is with me, to give to every one according to his work."

This is not a verse for justification for salvation by works as many would quote and point to, when they read this. Salvation is apart from works, says the Bible. But the LORD will give rewards according to the words which the Christian, the one who has come to Jesus, has done while in this world!

You and I will be rewarded for every penny that we've invested in work of the Lord. You and I will be rewarded for every effort that we've made to tell others about Jesus and His love for them. You and I will be rewarded for every act of obedience to Christ while in this life.

Matthew 13:23 ~ "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty."

Here's a simple, but powerful self-test to determine if you are a real, fruit-bearing Christian...What "effect for Christ" have you left people? His reward will be the "complete redemption" of our person. It needs to be for God's glory and not ours!

Believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, not the Great White Throne judgment, not to determine salvation and our entrance into heaven, but to determine our rewards and our intents on our works whether for our glory or for Jesus'!

What will you do today for the glory of Jesus?

How's Your Race Going?

Last night in church, we were asked the question of what do you want to hear when you enter the gates of Heaven and meet Jesus. Do you want to hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant!" or "Just done?"

Pretty powerful statement when you think about it. All believers based on the gift of grace will enter the gates of Heaven but what else do you have to follow that up with?

"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile ,for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." ~ Romans 3:22-24

The reference to Jew and Gentile refer to all of us living on earth, God's chosen people and everyone else, are referred to as Gentile's.

We will all be judged by God, but those of us as believers will not have to face the great white throne judgment but our acts of service as believers will be passed through the fire to see if our motives were along with Gods or for our own glory.

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." ~ 1 Corinthians 3: 10-15 

Now don't go confusing this statement with thinking you have to do certain things to earn you way into Heaven, it's not about that, but more along the lines of what are you doing with your time you have left here on earth to share the word of your testimony in what God has done for your life? How are you acting like a light pointing people to Him? When people look at your life, do they see a reflection of Jesus in your life?

If not, perhaps it might require a further evaluation into your heart, your spiritual heart. The Bible speaks that we will all be known by the type of fruit we bear, what are you producing? Is there evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Can you point people to God? If someone asked you a question, would you know where to find it in the Bible and not just offer them your perspective on things?

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”~ Matthew 12: 33-37

Perhaps we are standing for Jesus but are we growing in Christ as well? We can only move in two directions forward or backwards. Standing where we are currently is not a motion. Which direction are you headed??

Can you look back at your life and see some periods of a growth in your faith?

Hard questions sometimes require a hard approach to dig deeper into our spiritual walk to see where our hearts are.

I don't know about you, but I don't just want to show up to the party in heaven, I want to have a gift in hand to give to Jesus to thank Him for all He has done for me in my life. We, as believers are supposed to be working in His ministry to make a difference, to work on building our rewards in heaven where nothing can destroy them.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." ~ Matthew 6: 19-20

I don't know about you but if you have ever been invited to a party, it feels somewhat odd if you don't bring a gift. I want something to be able to give Jesus even though He doesn't want or expect anything from us. I want to be able to give Him something when I show up for the ultimate party in heaven! I want to thank Him for all He has done for me to make a significant impact in my life.

So how is your race going? Hopefully you are heading in the right direction. You are pushing on for the prize like a runner in a race! Working toward that finish line where we will hear the words we want to hear, His lord said to him, "‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" ~ Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)