My wife and I wanted to go to Hawaii and I was really close to having enough frequent flyer miles for a free ticket. Crystal had more than enough miles, so I called the airline and asked if we could use some of her "miles" for my ticket.
The woman on the other end of the line replied, "I'm sorry Mr. Silva. Miles are nontransferable. You must acquire them personally. This program does not allow you to benefit from someone else's commitment to the program."
God's gift of salvation is like that. If I could give one of my unbelieving friends some of my faith to help him believe, I would. But I can't because the rules of heaven are similar to my frequent flyer program. God doesn't allow you to benefit from someone else's faith or commitment.
It is not possible to get into heaven because your parents are Christians, or because your spouse or best friend is a believer. You must make the commitment yourself!
The woman on the other end of the line replied, "I'm sorry Mr. Silva. Miles are nontransferable. You must acquire them personally. This program does not allow you to benefit from someone else's commitment to the program."
God's gift of salvation is like that. If I could give one of my unbelieving friends some of my faith to help him believe, I would. But I can't because the rules of heaven are similar to my frequent flyer program. God doesn't allow you to benefit from someone else's faith or commitment.
It is not possible to get into heaven because your parents are Christians, or because your spouse or best friend is a believer. You must make the commitment yourself!
2 Thessalonians 1:11 says...
"Therefore we also pray always for you that our God
would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all
the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith
with power."
"Therefore we also pray always for you that our God
would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all
the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith
with power."