“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

Did They Do Enough to Get Invited to the Dance?

Sunday, March 12, 2017 should be an historic day for the Northwestern University men’s basketball team. If they are chosen to participate in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, it will be the first time in the seventy-eight year history of the tournament for the Wildcats. Most, if not all, college basketball “experts” believe it is not if, but when they are selected. Coach Chris Collins is turning the program around. Sunday should be an exciting day for the team, the university and alumni, including a long list of famous alums.

Every year the selection committee pours over win – loss records, strength of schedule, “quality” wins and a myriad of other analytics to choose the sixty-eight team field. There will be debates about the last few teams that make the tournament and those who do not. Those “bubble” teams will sweat it out hoping to hear their name called. Once those teams play their last conference tournament game their tournament fate will no longer be in their hands. They will be asking themselves, “Did we do enough?”

In relation to eternity, many people ask the same types of questions, “Have I done enough?” “Was I good enough for God to let me into heaven?” “Will the good I did outweigh the bad?” The answer for everyone is no. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

No one can do enough or give enough to merit selection into eternity. It is a gift for all who believe, not do. Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Selection Sunday is a great day. Every team will celebrate when their name is announced whether it is the first time like the Northwestern Wildcats or the fifty-eighth time for another Wildcats team, Kentucky. There will be some teams sitting on the edge of their seats, wondering, “Did we do enough to get in?” You do not need to worry about your entrance into God’s family if you believe in Jesus and have faith in Him.

– Jeff Fradenburgh

(PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Dickey)