If you were to ask many people from different religions if they knew how much good living, good works, good giving and or sacrifices, and how many prayers were enough to guarantee their place with their God in heaven or its equivalent after they die, there would be many who, if they were honest with you, would say that they don’t know. However they continue to struggle and hope that in the life after death their good works might outweigh the bad things in their lives, and so perhaps get them the desired place with their God. They can never tell you what is enough that will bring them the total assurance of a perfect place with their God.
But does that have to be the case? Is there no one who will know for certain what is enough with God to know where they are going after they die?
To know what is enough for any requirement you need to know:
1. The Person,
2. What work is required and to what stated standards,
3. Where and when the work is to be done.
The Bible in Hebrews 1:3 “Who (God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ v2) being the brightness of his (God’s v1) glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Who knows God and what He requires?
When referring to God, Job 37v16 says “Dost thou know … the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” So God has a perfect knowledge of all people and things.
John 10:15 Jesus Christ (v7) said, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” So we are informed that with His perfect knowledge God the Father knows the Lord Jesus perfectly and with exactly the same perfect knowledge the Lord Jesus knows the Father.
John 13:3 “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands …” So out of God’s full knowledge He is happy to commit the great responsibility of all things to the Lord Jesus Christ to handle.
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 11:27 “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son.”
So not only does the Lord Jesus, the everlasting Son of God, know God and His requirements perfectly, but also God perfectly knows the Lord Jesus and has happily committed everything to Him to handle. “All things” would include an originally perfect creation of the universe. We, and various scientists today, believe in creation. The hypothesis of Evolution has too many unanswered questions. Then there is the maintaining of the universe which God says, in the Bible, in Hebrews 1:3 that Christ is “upholding” (or carrying) all things which includes the universe. This shows something of the immense power of the Lord Jesus.
Also we learn in Hebrews 1:3 “Who Being” which refers to what the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was everlastingly in Himself in heaven before becoming a Man in time.
“The brightness, or the radiance, of God’s glory” which here describes God’s character. This means that all the perfections that are found in God the Father shine brightly in the Christ as well in time.
“and the express image of His Person” means that Christ was the exact representation of God’s actual nature or Person. Therefore when Christ became a Man He was God manifest in the flesh.
Where And When The Work Is To Be Done?
“When he had by himself purged our sins” or “When he had by himself cleansed, or made purification for, our sins.” Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, …” and so, because of our sins, we are unclean or dirty before God.
However we read, “When He had” which shows that this work of making purification for sins has already happened. So when did this work of making “purification for, our sins” happen? 1Corinthians 15:3-4 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; v4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” In 1 Corinthians we find that Christ took the punishment and paid the penalty for our sins When He died on the cross outside of Jerusalem. How many sins did Christ die for? When writing to Christians in Colossians 2:13 we read “… having forgiven you all trespasses.” So this is an example to show that there were no sins left over after the cross for Christ to bear the punishment for. This is further confirmed to Christians in Ephesians 4:32 which says, “… God for Christ’s sake hath (past tense) forgiven you.” 1John 2:2 we read that Christ death is “for the sins of the whole world.” So every Christian has every one of their sins forgiven and cleansed before God with no exception because of one Person, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, and for no other reason.
The verse ends with “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” which automatically shows that Christ rose from the dead. The Lord Jesus himself said in John’s Gospel 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life {which is a voluntary action}, that I might take it again {another voluntary action}. v18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power {authority) to lay it down, and I have power {authority} to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” So the Lord Jesus had a power and authority that no other human being had. The Lord Jesus had the authority as to when He would die and the authority as to when He would rise from the dead. He used that authority responsibly and beneficially for you. God the Father was also involved because Acts 13:32-33, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. v33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, …” In the Bible to go to the right hand of the Majesty of high is a position of honour (see Hebrews 1:13), a position of delight (see Psalm 16:11), a position associated with power (see Matthew 26:64) and of universal dominion (1 Peter 3:22). God the Father is perfect and is love and says in 2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is … not willing that any should perish” (and perish here means sadly “to go to hell”). Revelation 21:27 says concerning what is heavenly, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, …” Consequently do you think that God the Father would be satisfied if any sins were left unpaid for or uncleansed? Of course He would not.
Now as Hebrews 1:3 says, “Christ sat down (a place of satisfaction because of a completed work) on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” therefore God must be satisfied that Christ’s death on the cross was for the full payment for all our sins.
Consequently the Lord Jesus Christ, including His work of dying and rising again, is enough for God to forgive and cleanse you, give you eternal life and accept you into heaven.
Two Responses Needed
So that you can receive these everlasting spiritual gifts or blessings, there are two responses needed from you.
God says in Acts 26:20 “But shewed … that they should repent” which is to change your mind about continuing in sin. Why go on in that which underneath leaves you unsatisfied and unsure about your future? Why go on in that which you probably enjoy quite a bit but will bring God’s everlasting judgment on you? Don’t go into everlasting punishment and regret.
“Turn to God” by believing that when Christ died on the cross He satisfied God’s right demands about your sins. Believe, or rest in or trust, that Christ took your place and your punishment so that you can go free and be made fit for heaven. Acts 16:31 “And they {Paul and Silas v15} said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” Nothing that you can do will ever add to the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross nor add to God’s acceptance of you.