On the Road to Heaven | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: On the Road to Heaven | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Powers
08/25/26
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Hello, fellow pilgrim.

Hello, to you, fellow pilgrim. It looks like we’re both headed for the same place.

Yes, it looks that way.

I don’t mind telling you I’m pretty nervous. How about you?

I'm not really nervous. I feel grateful, and humble.

Wow, good for you.

Hey, do you mind if I ask you about that big ledger you’re holding?

Oh, this? It’s just something I came up with to keep track of how I was doing, on earth, before I died. I thought it might help, when I face judgment.

A book? Did someone tell you to do that? How does it work?

No, it was my idea. When I read the Bible, I felt overwhelmed by how many things God tells us to
do - and not to do. I tried so hard to follow all His laws, but I kept failing. So I kept this ledger. Every time I broke one of God’s laws, I wrote it down. And then, when I did something good; to make up for the times I broke His laws, I wrote that down, too.

Fellow pilgrim, that seems like a lot of work.

Yes, I admit it was. But I wanted to show the Lord how hard I tried to live according to His laws. C’mon - nobody’s perfect. But I did my best to show I followed a lot of His instructions for how to do good, too. I just want to be sure to get accepted into heaven.

Fellow pilgrim, that’s impressive, but I must tell you that’s not how it works.

Well, I didn’t know how else to keep track of how well I was doing. As I said - I wasn’t perfect - but I did my best to do as many good acts as possible, to atone. Here’s the proof.

Pilgrim, the things you have done are surely worthy of praise by those still on earth. But, in heaven, only God’s standards of perfection are acceptable. God’s Son, Jesus died because His life was the only acceptable atonement for our sins.

But, it can’t be that easy! Surely, a life of good works must be enough to enter this holy place.

No matter how sincere our hearts may be when we perform good works, no human actions can atone for sin. When our works come from a grateful heart, in service to God, they project Glory onto God. But, regardless of our actions, only those who trust in God, and who accept His atonement as the payment for their sins will be allowed to stay here with Him.

Well, surely you have some sins of your own, Fellow Pilgrim. If you can’t use a record of your good deeds to offer to God, what do you plan to say? I'm curious.

I will bow before Him and say that Jesus is my Lord, and that His death and resurrection are my only hope. Jesus’ death covers all my sins, and I believe that - because of Jesus - my name will be found in the Book of Life.

And that’s all you plan to say?

That’s what God’s Word promises, and I plan to trust in those promises.

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Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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