Each of us has a relationship with God whether we recognize it or not. God created each of us and He has total control over us and our lives. What’s amazing though, is that he gave us free will to make decisions and choices.
Check out Luke 23: 32-43
The criminals on the cross beside Jesus as he was being executed each had a decision to make as they watched.
One thief hurled insults at Jesus and never acknowledged his own sin or that Jesus was the Messiah. God will be his JUDGE!
The second thief recognized that death was a just punishment for his sins and also recognized that sinless Jesus had done nothing wrong and was actually the Messiah that had been promised throughout scripture which had been prophesied for thousands of years.
Because he believed in his heart that Jesus was the promised savior and also confessed with his mouth that he was guilty of sin, Jesus told him that today, he would be with Him in paradise. God is his ETERNAL LOVING FATHER!
Check this out though—What really jumped out at me today about the second thief is that he did nothing else. He wasn’t baptized, didn’t take communion, didn’t help the needy, didn’t attend church, he did nothing else to earn (on his own) his way to heaven.
GOD DID IT ALL!
What we must understand is that beyond having faith that Jesus is our savior, that we are sinners, that he died on the cross for the payment of our sins, that He is alive and God raised him from the dead, there is absolutely NOTHING that we CAN do and there is NOTHING that we CANNOT do to get to heaven and eternal life in the presence of God our creator!
If you have a desire to understand this more thoroughly, please check out this video. It really gets down to the finite details in the written word of God. Because we are all very busy, I will recommend starting at the 38 minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPj201moFzgdrXQNrDyqdNg/videos
Living Healthful 