We do not accept cash, credit, debit, or check.

There are lots of things you can earn.

You can earn a reputation.

You can earn a living.

You can earn a promotion.

You can earn a swift kick to your rear.

But you can't earn your way to heaven.

There is a woman with coiffed hair. She dotes on her children, she meticulously plans to read five chapters of her Bible every morning. She never misses a single sermon. She bakes pies for newlyweds, she visits the sick, she works in the local soup kitchen. She does all of this with a tally book in hand. Being hospitable: check. Working for a charity: check. Loving: check. Sunday School: perfect attendance.

She is gripping her tally book quite tightly, her fingers like forceps around its carefully documented pages. When she dies she wants to keep careful hold of this tally book, so she can show it as admittance at the pearly gates. She has proof of her works. She has earned a free pass into heaven.

Or so she thinks.

I see this scenario far too often. This woman is running in circles, she is missing the point.

Going to heaven is not something we earn, like a reputation, or a pay raise, or a boy scout medal. We cannot pay for it in cash, check or debit.

We need to stop trying to earn our way to heaven. We'll come up short every time.