From Kindergarten to my senior in high school, I grew up in a very small non-denominational Christian school. In junior high, I had a spiritual experience at a Christian concert and accepted Jesus as my savior. As I progressed through my youth, I worked so hard to say and do the right things to please the people around me. I know now it was a false conversion. I said the right words, but my heart did not change. There was a lot of pressure on us as kids to be the perfect Christian. In my college years, I ran from anything to do with church. No matter how hard I tried, I never felt good enough.
The first 2 years of married life were a mess. We almost split up due to our own selfish desires to be “happy.” It was only by the grace of God we started going to church, and God’s grace interceded. My focus was no longer on me and my happiness. We joined a community group at our church in Austin, and those men had a profound impact on my walk with Jesus. My heart had shifted from a “say” or “do” the right thing mentality to a heart of surrender.
You and I cannot be “good enough” to earn salvation. This is the difference between what the Bible teaches and what all other world religions teach. Millions of people will spend their lives in futility as they work to earn a spot in paradise.
The Bible says: Confess with your lips that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and you will be saved.