And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. — Luke 23:42-43
It was not so long ago that I remember scrolling through social media, and I came across a post where someone asked a question. They asked, “what must I do to get to Heaven?” It did not surprise me that someone asked the question, as I know a lot of people are looking for answers to things in life.
What did surprise me was the wide variety of answers that were given. There were answers that said the person must read their Bible and pray every day. I would agree that those are good habits, but they don’t grant you access to Heaven. Another said that the person must strive to live a good life, being kind to others.
As the responses continued, I read one reply that said the person must be baptized. Another said that the person must undergo religious training and be confirmed to enter Heaven. Others shared that the person must talk to a pastor, and one said the person should financially support a church.
If all of those things were required to enter Heaven, then the Bible contradicts itself in these verses of Luke’s gospel. The thief on the cross called Jesus Lord and asked that Jesus remember Him in Heaven. The thief wasn’t able to donate money, go through training, read a Bible, or any of the other suggestions that were made. By calling Jesus “Lord,” he confessed his faith in knowing Jesus was truly the Savior and Son of God.
We often make Christianity more complicated than it really is. It doesn’t take all the regulations that we want to place on it. It just takes faith. As you reflect on your life today, is your Christianity built on things you do that you believe will get you to Heaven or is it built on faith?
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