Mission Venture Ministries

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14) 

People have different opinions and understandings about who goes to heaven. Some believe good behavior will bring automatic admittance. Others, while acknowledging they have bad habits and tendencies, hope that their traits of generosity or being a good person will gain them entry into heaven. 

However, Scripture tells us that character and deeds do not determine our eternal state. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

We need to understand that it’s our sinful nature that forms a barrier between us and a holy God. As Romans 5:12 teaches, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” No amount of good works or moral behavior can change our unholy nature. 

Without direct help from God, we would be a people without hope – we’d find the entrance to heaven closed and would face everlasting separation from God. But our loving Father sent His Son as our willing substitute: Jesus took our sins on Himself and received the punishment we deserved. What we were helpless to do, He accomplished for us. Through faith in the Savior and trust in His infallible word, we have assurance that we will live in the presence of God forever. 

Satan’s greatest and most damning lie that seduces and ensnares people of all religions is that man must do good works to appease their god. Every religion in the world that teaches a works-righteousness salvation deceives its people because the Word of God teaches otherwise. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, thru the sufficient work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, anyone who attempts to merit their way to heaven by good works has nullified saving grace. This is what we read in Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” 

Saving faith trusts in the work of Jesus Christ. It trusts who He is as well as all that He accomplished to save sinners from an eternal damnation in hell (John 20:31; Romans 5:15-21). Saving faith is the complete transfer of trust from what man must DO to what Christ has DONE (John 19:30). This is the only faith that offers the assurance of eternal life with the Savior (Hebrews 11:1). When man is trusting in what he must do, there can never be assurance because man can never cancel his eternal sin debt or become right with God on his own.

We must believe in the person of Jesus because:

• He is the only Savior for sinners (Acts 4:12)
• He is the blessed hope…our great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
• He is the image of the invisible God…in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (John 8:24; Colossians 1:15; 2:9)
• He is the only mediator between God and man because He alone is God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God (1 Timothy 2:5)
• He is the way for those who are lost, He is the truth for those who are deceived and He is the life for those who are spiritually dead (John 14:6) 

As well as in the work of Jesus since: 

• He lived a perfect and sinless life so that God could justify condemned sinners with His righteousness (Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• He makes believers perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14)
• He testified to the truth so that truth seekers will listen to Him (John 18:37)
• He bore His people’s sin in His body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24)
• He has forgiven the sins of all believers and canceled their eternal sin debt (Colossians 2:13-14)
• He reconciles believers to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
• He redeems believers from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)
• He saves forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25)
• He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) 
• He satisfied divine justice as the perfect sacrifice for sin (1 John 2:2)
• He shed His blood to purify His people from all sin (1 John 1:7)
• He died once for all sins to bring believers to God (1 Peter 3:18)
• He offered Himself as the one sacrifice for all sins for all time (Hebrews 10:10, 12, 18)
• He saves believers from divine condemnation (Romans 8:1)
• He delivers His people from the dominion of Satan (Acts 26:18)
• He rescues believers from the domain of darkness and transfers them into His kingdom (Colossians 1:13)
• He was resurrected from the dead, giving every believer a living hope and an inheritance in heaven protected by God’s power (1 Peter 1:3-5) 

It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. That is because man thinks his good works will qualify him for heaven. Paul prayed for such people who do not know that God’s standard and requirement is perfect righteousness. “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3). 

Because of God’s perfect standard, man’s only admittance into heaven is the perfect righteousness of Christ. It is given as a gift to all who believe in the person and work of Christ (Romans 5:17). All the glory, honor and praise will be for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Please remember that no person will ever be able to boast before God (1 Corinthians 1:29). However, once we understand God’s Word and know we’re heaven bound it gives us hope and meaning to our life. Therefore, let’s go and tell others about Jesus, the source of our hope. 

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