Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9:

V8: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is God’s Gift—”

In Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9: Paul states we are saved by Grace through Faith, not by works, so that no one can boast.

We can’t boast our way into heaven, it is all about Grace.

You may be surprised at that, heaven is a  free gift, but that is the only way it can be. If it were offered to us on the basis of our personal achievements or merit the standards would be so high no one would get in.

God requires sinless perfection to enter into heaven.

We all sin, and any sin will block entry into heaven. I sure we can all say we don’t do any of the big sins like murder, but our thoughts are so often sinful. Telling a lie is a sin. Lust is a sin. Un-forgivenness is a sin. Gossip is a sin. Get the picture the truth is we have all sin.

There appears to be no hope on that basis which there is not, but for one of the most well known scriptures in the Bible; John 3 verse 16:

“For God loved the world in this way; He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believed in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

God is both Merciful and Just, but the things of the world are never merciful and just. The answer to the dilemma of entry into heaven is in John 3 verse 16:

God punished His Own Son, Who is The Word Of God {John 1 verse 1} and Who created everything. The Creator,The Son died for His creation.

Issiah 53 verse 6: “We all went astray like sheep: we all turned to our own way: and the Lord {God The Father} has punished Him {The Son} for the iniquity {sin wrong Doings} of us all.”

Christ Jesus, God’s Son {Our Lord and Our Friend} took our place, when we get to the court rooms of heaven and hear our short comings in life {wrong doings} that would block our way into heaven, because we stand before a sinless God.

We will hear the words, from Our Lord and Our Friend, They have accepted me, They belong to Me. They have confessed their short comings {sin wrong doings} and have accept me as their Lord and Savior , Redeemer and Friend. They have become joint heir in Me.

We get into Heaven, by the sacrifice that Christ Jesus paid on the Cross. We get into heaven because we are In Christ Jesus, and covered by His righteousness.

The gift of eternal life is ours In Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Our Friend. Doesn’t that make us all want to share the Good News about Our Lord and Our Friend even more.

The  wonderful Hymn states; “Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

Amazing it is, how amazing we might never fully appreciate until we stand before the courts of heaven to hear our fate for the rest of eternity.

God Bless.

O F J