Everyone wants to be sure. We want to know that we are “at ease” with God, so people have created different ways to secure acceptance of God. But do these shortcuts work to heaven?
Maybe you're saying to yourself, “I'm a good person. I help others, I go to church, I believe... that must be enough, right? “But God looks at it differently.
11 shortcuts to heaven that don't work
1 ️ ⃣ “You just have to be a good person. “
Great that you help others, but even the best person is not without sin. The Bible says clearly: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
2 ️ ⃣ “I know my sins and I have peace. “
Admitting a mistake is important. But if we're just doing it as an empty ritual, with no real change of heart, it's not enough.
3 ️ ⃣ “I belong to the church, so I'm safe. “
Faith is not about membership in a saints club. You can go to church all your life and yet not know God personally.
4 ️ ⃣ “Don't think, just believe! “
God does not want blind followings. Faith isn't about turning off the brain, it's about deciding to trust God.
5 ️ ⃣ “I'm not perfect, but I'm not as bad as others. “
Comparing ourselves to others does not make us better before God. God does not judge us by how we feel about others.
6 ️ ⃣ “I'm actually a pretty good person. “
We don't want to admit to ourselves that we struggle with the little ones, so we set our own rules. But reality doesn't change just by embellishing it.
7 ️ ⃣ “I feel spiritual, so I'm on the right track. “
Feelings are not evidence of truth. Even jumping off a skyscraper can be euphoric -- until impact.
8 ️ ⃣ “God bless me (with success, money), so I have to be on the right track. “
Wealth or success are not necessarily signs of God's favor. Even evil people can thrive.
9 ️ ⃣ “Mainly spread positive vibes. “
Biblical faith is not a placebo. It's about meeting the living God, not a sense of harmony and attunement to the universe.
🔟 “I'm honest, so I'm in OK. “
You can be honest and still believe a lie. The biggest crimes were often carried out with sincere intent.
1 ️ 1 ️ ⃣ “My parents were religious, so am I. “
Faith is not hereditary. Just like you don't become a car by being born in a garage, you don't become a Christian just because your parents were religious.
“God has no grandchildren. God has sons and daughters. Faith cannot be inherited. “
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Which way next? New birth
Jesus says clearly, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This is not about improving our old selves. It's a whole new beginning. Rebirth. And just as a child does nothing for his birth, neither can we in any way force ourselves or deserve God's acceptance.
“By grace you are saved by faith, and it is not of you, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
God wants to adopt us. They are eager to give us a new identity, a new home and a heritage. He's not looking for perfect people. He sees broken people who are fighting -- and he says, “That's my baby. “
What if I disappoint?
It's natural to fear that if you fail, God will reject you. But the Bible says otherwise: “Beloved, we are now children of God.” (1 Cor. Jan 3, 2)
Now, now. Not when we deserve it. Not when we're perfect. Not until we've gone through all 11 shortcuts to heaven. It's now.
God will not reject you if you make a mistake. You are his child not because you are good, but because he loves you. And love doesn't give up so easily.
How to become a child of God?
Maybe you've been looking for acceptance all your life. You try to be good enough, to deserve love, to find your place. And then God comes and says:
“You are mine. You belong to my family. “
He's not waiting for you to fix everything. They don't rate you on performance. He just loves you — the way you are. For “to those who have received him and believe in his name, he has given power to become children of God” (John 1:12).
You don't have to hide anymore. You don't have to fight for your worth or look for spiritual shortcuts. Just accept God's love.
