Eternity assurance

It's great to read our Bible everyday, to get refreshed, to learn new things. "The Word for Today", written by Bob Gass, explains passages, bible verses. You can, if you wish, subscribe and receive these online from UCB. Here is a part, a sample:

You couldn't afford it!



"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 18:18



The rich young ruler was educated and respected. He'd already achieved the 3 P's of success: power, prosperity, and posterity. He was a bottom-line guy who had cut to the chase and asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life ?" Even the way he worded the question suggests that he thought he could get eternal life the way he'd gotten everything else in life-- by self-effort. So when Jesus replied, "Sell all that you possess... he became very sad, for he was extremely rich"( Luke 18:18:22-23). He'd mistakenly assumed that heaven was just a payment away. But it's not!
Paul says, "What the law was powerless to do... God did by sending his own Son"( Romans8:3). Only a cold-hearted God would sell salvation to those who can afford it! That's a hard concept to grasp, since we've always been rewarded for our performance. But just as you wouldn't impress the space-shuttle crew with your paper airplane, or you wouldn't display your crayon sketches before Picasso, so your character and good works don't qualify you for heaven. Eternal life costs more than you can afford. That's why you don't need a resume---you need a Redeemer!
Money wasn't this man's problem, self-sufficiency was. It wasn't his big income, it was his big ego! And it's not just the wealthy who've difficulty grasping this; so do the educated, the strong, the good-looking, the popular, even the religious.
To receive salvation you must first declare that you're spiritually bankrupt; that your cupboard is bare, your reputation worthless, and your options gone. You can't approach God demanding justice---you can only come pleading mercy. So come to Him today!!!

Taken from "The Word for Today" UCB, Bob Gass.