Daily Devotions
More Than Morality
Reading for November 16th: Acts 9-10
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.
Acts 10:1-2
According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, most Americans (72%) say they believe in heaven. And in this study heaven is defined as a place "where people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded."
While I am encouraged that most Americans believe in heaven (in spite of the heavy secularization of our society), it worries me that this myth remains that heaven is a place where "good" people are going to go. Cornelius was a devout man who feared God. He was charitable with his wealth and was a man of prayer. He was apparently also a good family man, encouraging his family to fear the Lord. And yet Cornelius was lost.
Why?
Because salvation is only through Jesus Christ. It's not by good works that we have done. We cannot pay off the debt of sin we owe with good works or prayers or worship. This debt can only be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21-26; Gal 2:15-16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:4-7).
Don't believe the myth so widely believed and accepted in our society today. Think about it; if all it took was doing more good deeds than bad deeds, why did God send his only Son to die for us?
Father, help us to see and understand better the tremendous debt we owe because of sin! Thank you for forgiving us this debt through the death of your only Son!
