Too many of us have this idea that what we really need to get into heaven is a Jesus stamp in our spiritual passport. So we spend all kinds of time, money, emotional, mental and physical energy in an effort to earn it. We talk a lot about grace, but after a bad week, spiritually, we feel guilty going to church because we KNOW that God doesn’t really love us much. Or we have a great week, spiritually, and we walk in with our heads held high because we KNOW that God will be impressed with our success. In both cases, we’ve missed the point entirely.  Good or bad, when God looks at us, he sees Jesus.  The perfect love He has for the Son is the perfect love He has for us.

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the of righteousness of God in Him.”        2 Corinthians 5:21

You do NOT need a Jesus stamp in your passport to get into heaven. You need Jesus’ own passport! THAT’S what the gospel is really about. God doesn’t look on you with a critical eye, gauging your value based on the quality of your work each week.  Likewise, he doesn’t look on you and assume you’re okay because you got His son’s approval. He looks at you and sees Jesus.