Seal the deal

'Having believed, you were marked ... with a seal' Ephesians 1:13 NIV

Seal the deal

People have ideas about getting into heaven that are not taught in the Bible. At funerals we hear how 'Old Ermitrude always watched Songs of Praises' as if Aled Jones will put a good word in for her at the pearly gates. Some people say, 'I'm a good person - if there's a God, I'll be all right'.

But heaven doesn't have an entrance for 'good' people - it's through the sinner's door people cross the threshold. Other folks believe that heaven's here, on earth. If a world of heartbreak and selfishness is the definition of Heaven, it's time to get a new dictionary. Nope, Jesus said, 'I am the road, also the truth, also the life. No one gets to the Father apart from me' (John 14:6 TM). The road marked Jesus is the only route to heaven. Stake your life on Jesus and you're promised eternity with Him. He doesn't need your good works, your Christian catchphrases and passwords; He just wants you.

If you've given yourself over to Him, 'you were marked ... with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit ... guaranteeing [your] ... redemption' (vv. 13-14 NIV). No ifs, no buts, no maybes. Redemption; that means He bought you for a price. Jesus' death on the cross paid the price for your sin and bought your ticket to the afterlife. The deal is sealed. You don't have to worry about impressing God to get your name on the guest list - Jesus has got you covered.