Justified by Faith

Do you think people can "earn" their way into heaven? Why or why not?


Christianity is different from any other religion in the way it views death. Hinduism says your spirit is reincarnated in another body and you pay for previous wrongs. Buddhism is based on reincarnation and the fact that another consciousness emerges after your death. Followers of Islam believe there is life after death that consists of sensual rewards and horrific punishments.

So how is Christianity different? The biggest difference with Christianity is that Jesus offers eternal life through an intimate relationship with the living God. But this kind of life can’t be earned.

This is a rather unnatural concept in this world. Seldom do we see things of this significance just given away. Every so often someone gets lucky and gets the keys to a new car. But the keys to heaven – that’s just crazy.

We are trained to perform an action and expect a reward. It’s like a dog doing tricks. When the dog sits and shakes at just the right time, it gets a treat. How about giving the dog a treat even when it doesn’t deserve it?

Now we’re talking about grace. Grace is given when it’s least deserved. God’s grace is given to every believer despite their actions. When someone repents of their sins and commits to living a life that honors God, it is God’s grace that allows them into heaven.

In Galatians 2:16, Paul points out how justification comes not by our good works, but by our faith in Jesus. “Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”

We can’t earn our way into heaven. It’s by God’s grace that we have been saved and welcomed into His kingdom.