Last week we looked at the platitude, “God needed another angel.”  This week we tackle this common phrase – “God only takes the best.”

It’s a lovely sentiment and we generally think fairly highly of our loved ones who have passed on, so it would make perfect sense to believe this to be true.

I am apparently in the business of raining on people’s platitude parades!  I do plan to show, through scripture, why there is virtually nothing true about this saying.  But in its place, I want to give you a deeper, more accurate view of just how God does take people to Heaven.

At the very core of this platitude is the notion that any one of us can be good enough for God to consider taking us to Himself.  As if the good deeds or kindnesses shown during this life were enough to “earn” our way to Heaven.

When we look at all that Jesus suffered as he took the penalty for OUR sins, as he died a horrific death on that cross, how can we so easily dismiss this ultimate sacrifice by thinking he didn’t have to suffer and die.  Because OUR good works, our good character, our acts of kindness should be enough.

It’s been a while since I’ve quoted my favorite Christian group, MercyMe, but look at these lyrics that reinforce this idea in their song, “Best News Ever.”

“Some say He’s keeping score.

Try hard, then try a little more,

But hold up, if this were true,

Explain to me what the cross is for.”

And while these are very true words, I try not to use MercyMe lyrics as a replacement for solid scripture!

So here’s some scripture that speaks directly to how much we contribute to our entry into Heaven:

• …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23-24

• All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.  Isaiah 64:6

• There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.  Romans 3:10-11

• All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

When we read phrases like “all have sinned,”  “righteous acts are like filthy rags,” “no one seeks God,”  and “all we like sheep have gone astray,” it seems a bit bleak, doesn’t it?

But if you look past those discouraging words, we find some words of hope sprinkled in.  Don’t miss them!  Phrases like “justified by his grace as a gift” and “the Lord has laid on [Jesus] the iniquity of us all.”

Do you see how the story doesn’t end with our filthy-rag deeds or our sin and iniquity?

I don’t expect you to survive on these little snippets of hope!  Oh no, here’s the beautiful, pre-paid gift that is the ONLY way we get to heaven.  Sure, it’s a little long compared to my usual texts, but it’s so rich that I just couldn’t end it too soon!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  Ephesians 2:4-9

THAT is the Good News.  And THAT is how we get to Heaven – through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins.  Our role in this?  More MercyMe lyrics?  Nope, more scripture.  😊

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

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

Lots of scripture in this post, but I make no apologies for that because the ONLY way to correct any wrong thinking on our parts is to hold it up to the truth of scripture.

I hope the comfort of these words fills your soul – or causes you to search your heart and see what God would have you do in response to them.  My prayer is that the Truth shines through!