Inspiration Thursday

We live in a society that tells us there are multiple ways to get into heaven. It reminds me of the current trend in children's activities...everyone gets a trophy. If you are a participant in this life, and you haven't committed some horrible act, then you go to that place that you consider to be heaven.
Others believe that religion is absolutely essential to gain access to eternal life and that religion must be filled with a variety of rituals, ceremonies, rules, etc. Failure to follow the rules will place your eternal destiny in danger. Finally there are those who don't believe in anything, or so they say. According to them, there is no God. When you live, you live and when you die, you die. The only thing that matters is how you live this life.
The Bible teaches us that all three of these viewpoints are false. Humans have a soul and that soul will live beyond the grave. Where that soul spends eternity depends on one single decision. What do you do about the person of Jesus Christ? Christ himself has told us that everyone is not going to heaven. Christ said, in John 3:16,18, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life...He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Furthermore, the Bible teaches us that no amount of good deeds or religious ceremony will get us into heaven. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are all descendants of Adam and Eve. The same sin nature that was present in them is alive and well in us.
Finally, there is only one way. Again, Christ Himself tells us, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Personally, I don't see any loopholes or escape clauses in that statement. Have a blessed day.