We endure application forms for credit cards, employment, life insurance, and driver’s licenses. We fill them out when applying for tax credits, college entrance, and passports. Sometimes they are required when applying for church membership.
So let’s push the idea of applications to another level. Think about what it might mean to fill out papers for heaven. Imagine having the technology to fax such forms directly to the front gate.
Picture the form. After name, gender, social security number, present address, phone number, and references, comes the big question. Please list qualifications:
My guess is that applications would soon pile up saying things like, “Have tried to live a Christian life… Not perfect, but have done my best to be a good person… Raised in church, and don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t believe in God…Have tried to live by the Bible… Not as good as some. Better than others…Don’t think I’m a bad person…Have tried to make amends for mistakes I regret.”
Now, with such likely qualifications in mind, listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote in his New Testament letter to the Romans about a group of friends and relatives that he dearly loved. In the 10th chapter he wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is that the Jewish people might be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Instead, they are clinging to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. They won’t go along with God’s way. ” (Romans 10:1-3 NLT).
Seems to me that Paul is alluding to how important it is to know that there is nothing we can do to merit entrance into the family and eternal home of God. That’s why he writes in the same letter, “When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.” (Romans 4:4-5 NLT).
The salvation described in the Bible is a result of accepting the Messiah whose name, Jesus, means “Savior.” He can only be received as a gift– by trusting, not by trying– by believing, not by doing (John 1:12; Galatians 3:1-3).
God doesn’t grade on a curve. He is holding no competition for a limited number of openings.
Heaven is a free offer withheld from anyone who tries to get in on their own accomplishments. Acceptance, therefore, is found only by relying on the suffering and death of Christ in our behalf.
If we understand this grace, we can list as our qualifications for heaven: 1-No personal accomplishments deserving of heaven. 2-All we can say is that we believe Christ died for our sins. 3-We have accepted Him as our Savior, and depend entirely on what He has done for us rather than on anything we have done for God. 4-We have believed Him when He promised to save all who would trust Him (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Acts 4:12; 13:38-39).
If such comments raise questions in your mind, please post your thoughts or questions here. Or if you can say it clearer, please take a stab at it. This is one of the most important subjects we could ever consider together.
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