“Jerry was a good man,” the pastor said at Jerald Stevens’ memorial service. “He loved his family. He was faithful to his wife. He served his country in the armed services. He was an excellent dad and grandfather. He was a great friend.”

But then the pastor went on to tell the friends and family gathered that Jerry’s good life and good deeds were not enough to assure him a place in heaven. And that Jerry himself would have been the first to tell them that!

Jerry believed these words from the Bible: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (ROMANS 3:23) and “the wages of sin is death”(6:23). Jerry’s final and eternal destination in life’s journey was not determined by whether he lived a really good life but entirely by Jesus—the perfect Son of God—dying in his place to pay sin’s penalty. He believed that each of us must personally accept the free gift of God, which is “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (V. 23).

Jerry was a good man, but he could never be “good enough.” He, like us, had to learn that salvation and righteousness aren’t the results of human effort. They’re gifts by God’s grace (EPHESIANS 2:8).

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 CORINTHIANS 9:15).

How is it freeing to know you’ll never be “good enough” to get into heaven? How will you approach someone who believes their good works will earn a place for them there?