Ticket to Ride

For some people their belief that they can get to heaven is based on the belief that they can attain heaven by their own goodness.

Many major religions and too many Christ-followers hold the belief that goodness earns you a ticket to the best ride of all: heaven. But Christians who draw their understanding of salvation and heaven disagree strongly with this idea. So what does the Bible say about this all-important question?

1. Sin is universal in the human race. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 From Genesis to Revelation sin is an overwhelming theme. Humanity’s inability to be good expresses itself time and time again. Sin ultimately is the rebellion and failure of man to be good. Sin began in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and that sinful nature has been passed down through countless generations since our very auspicious beginnings.

A human being is a fallen creature with a mind corrupted by sin (Romans 1: 28) blinded by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) and gripped by a seared conscience (1 Timothy 4:2). Based on this, every member of the human race is born into sin. This includes even those people who think of themselves as good enough to get to heaven. No one is excluded from this problem.

2. Sin resulted in universal spiritual death. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered, the world, and death

Through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12) Universal sin resulted in spiritual death—a condition scripture refers to as “in trespasses and sin”(Ephesians 2:1) Just as physical death separates the soul from God.

Jesus knew that humans, in their natural state, were spiritually dead. So He drove home the necessity of new birth to Nicodemus, the inquiring Pharisee. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) This is the only cure for our condition of spiritual rigor mortise.

3. Salvation is not by goodness but by grace In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accord with the riches of God” In essence, grace is God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. Without Christ and his propitiatory death on the cross we have no standing before God. Our right-ness is seen as filthy rags before God.

Sadly, anyone devoted to man-made religions, cults, or any of the various isms that teach reliance on human goodness as ticket to the ultimate ride of heaven, are deceived. We are all sinners unable to save ourselves. Unless we trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, we no hope of life eternal with God.

Goodness and service pleasing to God flows naturally from a regenerated and forever grateful Christian life. Goodness is not a means of salvation, but the result of it, showing up in the conduct of anyone who has accepted the gift of eternal life. The assurance of heaven by faith in Christ changes us into different people who manifest the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit, including goodness.

Your ticket to heaven, was already signed, sealed, and delivered long before your birth by the loving, gracious sacrifice of the Son of God. All you have to do is accept the ticket.

Why is goodness the result of salvation but not the means to achieve it?

Thank you for joining us on this journey. A new adventure starts Sunday, Finding the Kingdom of God with Indiana Jones.