Daily Verse: Matthew 21:31

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

This verse seems to highlight the fact that we are not “admitted” into heaven based on our worldly cleanliness or performance…rather we are welcomed based on our faith alone. Jesus states above that individuals that have lead an arguably detestable life will get into heaven before those that have lived a “clean” life…simply because those undesirable individuals chose to repent and put their faith in the Lord…while those more desirable individuals chose to reject the message of Christ. This is very interesting because it runs completely contra to our society, where we judge and accept based on external appearances and chosen paths of life. We are used to determining the value and worth of a person based on wealth, success, and social status…we don’t tend to look at the person’s heart. Yet that is exactly what our Lord does…he looks at a person and says “I don’t care what you have done in the past…I don’t care what mistakes you have made or filth you have resided in…All I care about is where you are now…and your desire to repent of your sins and accept my Son as your Savior. Do that and you are good in my book…and you have a place with me in Heaven.” That’s incredibly merciful! Now this doesn’t mean we can live a life of sin and hope to get it “right” in the end, just before our last breath. Rather as people who have received the message of the Gospel, we should allow it to influence and direct our lives today…for God knows our hearts and our true intentions…he knows whether or not we are sincere in our faith or just putting on a front. And besides the eventual gift of Heaven, living this life close to God’s plan will most certainly pay unlimited dividends on the road ahead. We are called and blessed to be believers in Christ. To God be the glory!