Rick Warren: Christians Need Grace, Not Good Works, to Get Into Heaven
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The only way for Christians to get into Heaven is through God's grace, Pastor Rick Warren explains in a message posted on his Daily Hope website Monday.
While some Christians might think good works or dedication to their faith guarantees automatic entry into the afterlife, Warren argues that no person has "a chance of getting into Heaven by [their] own effort."
"You'll never be good enough to get into a perfect place. You stopped being perfect a long time ago," Warren, who is the senior pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, adds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The megachurch pastor goes on to say that the requirement of grace is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions.
Warren writes that while "you can summarize every other religion with the word 'do,'" Christians are different in that they do not have to "earn their way" to God.
"The Bible gives an opposite plan. The Bible says you get into Heaven by accepting what has already been done for you — that Jesus died on the cross 2,000 years ago for you," Warren explains, adding, "everything that needs to be done has already been done. Jesus did everything. It's a free gift."
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