“The LORD also said to me, ‘I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Leave me alone so I may destroy them and erase their name from under heaven. Then I will make a mighty nation of your descendants, a nation larger and more powerful than they are.'” Deut. 9:13,14 NLT
I am a little shocked by how many verses connected with the word “Heaven” tie in to the theme of judgment. I suppose I shouldn’t be; Judgment belongs to the Lord and it is His tool to ensure the eternal purity of His Kingdom. Still the thought that many will be blotted out of memory from under Heaven is a little shattering. It is even more shattering to realize that those whom God was about to blot out in Deut. 9 were not “sinful, wicked, reprobate Canaanites.” He was referring to His own back-slidden people freshly delivered by the supernatural hand of God from slavery in Egypt!
That sobering thought echoes down through the ages until it is picked up again in Hebrews 10
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ” Hebrews 10:28- 30 NIV
I know it may be unpopular to speak of this but I am convinced there are people today who think of themselves as Christians who are going to be turned away at Heaven’s gates because they’ve trusted in their church membership rather than Jesus’ blood. Some will stand before God with a list of good works and find out that their charity counted for nothing because it was not founded on the cross. Some will expect entrance into Heaven even though they refused to follow Jesus because they gave large donations to the church or worked hard in their community. To them Jesus will say: ”I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Ma 7:23 NIV
Entrance into Heaven is not based on what we do or don’t do (though a by-product of the Christian life is righteousness). It’s not based on how much we give or how frequently we go to what church. It is based on totally selling out to Jesus and trusting that His death on the cross takes away our sins! Everything! Everything! Everything! in real Christianity flows out of that watershed truth. Basing our hope in anything else only promises that we will be among the blotted out!
Reinventing the We'll 
Very true. Do not trust in my good deeds, my activity in the church, my position on certain committees…the fact that a number of people like my blog..sigh..lol… sometimes we forget and think that we are “doing” fine…a very good reminder that it is all for the blood of Jesus! thank you!
Once we get the horse in front of the cart though then it is blessing even in battle. Just so many of us want it works and then Jesus rather than Jesus producing the good works in us which God prepared in advance for us to do! Eph.2:10
Pastor J, this is quite the message today, one we all need to know. Lord, open the eyes to those who believe good works is the only way to Heaven. Lord, I pray they will have a revelation in their hearts about the son of God and that it is only through Him that we get to the Father. Thank you, God for giving us Your son, Jesus Christ for our sins. A-men!!!
Oh and once we get to the Father through Jesus what great and awesome blessings!
Thank you, Pastor J
“Entrance into Heaven is not based on what we do or don’t do (though a by-product of the Christian life is righteousness). It’s not based on how much we give or how frequently we go to what church. It is based on totally selling out to Jesus and trusting that His death on the cross takes away our sins!”
Amen. Thank you for the clarity with which you wrote. Praying He will use these words to bring more into His kingdom.
God be praised!
Blessings
ann
Thanks Ann! May God hear your prayer and direct my words!
Thank you, Pastor J, for writing about the tough stuff too . . .the not so popular messages that really have to be heard and understood. If it was by works, wouldn’t we always wonder if we’d done enough and live in fear that we hadn’t? Where would the peace be in that? So thankful that we can be assured of our salvation, and then let Him work out of us as He wills and pleases.
God bless you with a great Sunday!
A-men! When you put the horse in front of the cart things run right and there is great peace and productivity isn’t there? 🙂
I am soooooooooooooooooo thankful that no matter what I do, there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to earn my salvation.
I am soooooooooooooooooo thankful that Jesus has already DONE all that is needed, and that He called me to Himself . . . ALL of Him and NONE of me.
What an amazing Saviour!
So true and even my righteousness ends up being His work and only my cooperation! How amazing!