“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.” — 2 Thessalonians 1:8
One Way Into The Body
Most religions teach this idea that when you die, God will take all your good deeds and evil deeds and put them on a scale. If your “good works” outweigh your “bad works,” then God will accept you. He will slam the door of hell and grant you entrance into eternal Paradise. But that’s not what the Bible teaches.
According to the Bible, there is no scale in Heaven, only a Savior! Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul declares in Ephesians 4:5-6 that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
There is only one way to become a member of the body of Christ. That is to come to the one and only God and Father, who is over all, on His terms of initiation; place your faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ; and be baptized by the Spirit. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Salvation is deeply personal between you and God. When you stand before God, it will be a single-file line! You must take action before it’s too late! Remember, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to
devotionals@sportsspectrum.com.
