“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26
As a child, I remember several occasions in which I would be attempting to do something complicated, but without having much success. Stubbornly, when my mother or father offered to help, I would refuse their aid, stating defiantly, “I can do it myself!” I never could. Eventually, I would humbly seek one of my parents for their assistance to complete whatever task was at hand.
Sometimes I am the same way with God. In today’s verse, the disciples lamented to Jesus that there was no way a man could get to heaven, and He basically told them that it was God who provided the way for man to get to heaven. There was no work a man could do that would merit his entrance into the presence of God. It could only happen through Christ Himself.
- Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
- Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
For man to think he can earn his way into heaven is erroneous and prideful. Mankind cannot do anything to make himself “good enough” to go to heaven. Isaiah 64:6 states, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Jesus Himself stated in John 14:6 that there was no other way to God but through Him. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The disciples were right to be concerned, but upon hearing that God had provided the way, they could rejoice knowing that what God had promised, He would do.
One way God said to get to Heaven,
Jesus is the only way.
One way to reach those pearly mansions,
Jesus is the only way.
No other way, no other way,
No other way to go.
One way God said to get to Heaven,
Jesus is the only way.
(from “One Way” – author unknown)
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” – Romans 11:6
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God’s gift of eternal life in heaven is just a prayer away!