If my good works won't earn me a spot in heaven, will my evil works earn me a spot in  he** - well, you know? God doesn't want anyone to perish or to be separated from Him which would be he** - well, you know. God sent Jesus to save us. God is patient as evidenced that it's been 2000 years since Jesus was bodily here the first time. He is coming back - His followers believed his second coming would be soon - most of us don't think 2000 years as soon.  So why the delay in Jesus coming back? 2 Peter 3:9   The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to  perish , but everyone to come to repentance. God is slow, patient, delaying judgment because He doesn't want anyone to perish. He is waiting for us all to come around to accept his amazing gift. I don't mean to say that He will wait forever - just that He isn't ready to pull the plug yet. There have been times when I wonder o...

Ephesians 2:8 (NIV 1984) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Have you thought about this before?  I haven't. Until today.  What exactly is the "gift of God"?  Seems to me it could be grace. That is certainly a gift of God. That's what grace is, an undeserved gift. Maybe the gift refers to the word saved. We are saved. That is certainly a gift from God for it is through the gift of his son, Jesus, and the death and resurrection that we are saved. Without that atoning gift, there is no salvation. Perhaps it is the word faith. That is the gift of God. I feel like I have faith that was gifted to me. I participate in increasing it but it is from God that I have faith and that I want to learn more and practice more to increase my faith. I think it should say gifts, because it is all three that God gives to us. Our sins are already forgiven, whether we accept it or not.  That's grace - a gift of ...