Our Spiritual Passport to Heaven

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. —Romans 5:1

What is the spiritual passport we need to get into heaven? It’s not a heart stamped “Catholic.” If your heart is stamped “Catholic,” you are not going to make it into heaven. It’s not a heart stamped “Baptist.” If your heart is stamped “Baptist,” you are not getting into heaven. Nor are you going to be welcomed into heaven if your heart is stamped “Church of Christ,” or any other denomination. Only a heart stamped “Forgiven” will be welcomed into heaven. That’s all that matters: being forgiven of our sins. No other stamp makes a difference in the presence of God. The Bible has a word for being forgiven. It’s the New Testament word justified, which means “to be declared righteous.” Justified is a legal term that refers to what God does for us when we trust in Christ as Savior. When we put our faith in Christ alone for our salvation, God justifies us—He declares us “not guilty” based on what Christ did for us on the cross. Romans 5:1 says, “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The only way we are allowed into heaven is by being forgiven of our sins.

There are not many ways to heaven; there is only one way to heaven, and that is through faith in Christ. I realize that is an unpopular statement today. Many people think there are other routes to heaven. Billionaire Warren Buffett donated 85 percent of his net worth to charity, saying, “There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way.”  I commend Buffett for his generosity, but he will be surprised when he discovers that he cannot donate his way to heaven. There is only one way to heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.

What “stamp” is on your spiritual passport? Have you been forgiven of your sins through your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior?

God, thank You for making it clear in Your Word that the only way to be welcomed into heaven is through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Give me the courage to speak Your truth and opportunities to share the gospel today.

Excerpt from A Place Called Heaven Devotional: 100 Days of Living in the Hope of Eternity by Dr. Robert Jeffress, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group © Jan. 19, 2021. Used by permission.