Good News – January 2012 – Grace & Truth Magazine
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Access Denied!
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in,” the guard told me. It was Thursday evening, and I was at the local medium-security prison, standing at the first guardpost, just inside the lobby door. I was there to speak at evening chapel, which I had been doing once every month for about a year. Apparently I had not maintained my medical records properly. There was a test that needed to be redone every year, but I was unaware of this requirement.

It didn’t matter to the guard that I never missed my monthly appointments, and had never been denied before. In fact, that particular guard had admitted me a couple of times before! It didn’t matter that I was healthy, and probably didn’t need the required test. It didn’t matter that I knew the inmates and they knew me. It didn’t matter that I was honest. Only one thing mattered – my access depended on a requirement of the prison that had not been met.

As I turned to leave I thought about what is required to be admitted to heaven? It won’t matter how many good things you did. It won’t matter how much time or money you donated to charities. It won’t matter how many times you attended church. It won’t matter how honest and upright you were. Only one thing will matter – your relationship with Jesus Christ.

God’s only requirement for heaven is salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6 NKJV). Does God accept any other way? The Bible says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Your access or denial to heaven is determined by this alone. Jesus is the only way. Are you trusting Him as your Savior?

Do you want to learn more about salvation? We can tell you more.

By Tim Van Ryn