Hubby and I have just recently purchased a condo for our aging parents so that we can move them to be closer to us.
Closing Day for the condo is May 9.
On Closing Day a legal transaction will occur … a very large payment will be made (by hubby and me) … and we will be given possession of the condo.
As I have been thinking about Closing Day, I’ve been amazed how similar it is to what is required for our entrance into Heaven.
Hubby and I are very excited about this condo for our aging parents. It is bright and airy. It is roomy and spacious. It is south facing with plenty of sunshine. It has a newly remodeled, updated kitchen will all new appliances! All the cupboards have slider drawers which slide out, so you don’t have to bend or reach to find things in the cupboards or pantry.
This condo is truly a perfect place.
Now imagine that hubby and I wanted possession of this condo. We think it’s perfect. It will be perfect for our aging parents. “Please, condo people can we have possession of this condo and move our aging parents in??”
The condo people reply “No. You cannot have possession of this condo and move your aging parents in. A legal transaction has not occurred … and a large payment has not been made.”
But hubby and I are very sincere! We really really like this condo! We really want our aging parents to live there! “Please, oh please condo people. We are really sincere! We really truly sincerely want possession of this condo! Please will you let us move in??”
The condo people reply “No. You cannot have possession of this condo and move your aging parents in. A legal transaction has not occurred … and a very large payment has not been made.”
Ok, what if we do nice things for the condo community? What if we came over every week and mowed the grass? And not only that, what if we weeded the flower beds … and not only that, what if we planted some additional flowers to make it look pretty?? Then can we have possession of the condo??
The condo people reply “No. You cannot have possession of this condo and move your aging parents in. A legal transaction has not occurred … and a very large payment has not been made.”
This right here is how some people view entrance into Heaven.
Heaven is amazing! Heaven is going to be incredibly awesome! We really really want to go to Heaven.
“Please God, can I go to Heaven?”
God replies: “In order to be given entrance/possession to Heaven a legal transaction must be made … and a very large payment must be paid.”
“Ok,” we answer. “What is the payment which is due?”
God responds: “You must be absolutely perfect. You cannot have any sin or badness at all … none. You cannot have done anything wrong, ever! You see, Heaven is 100% absolutely perfect! Nothing sinful or imperfect may enter the glorious perfection of Heaven, or it won’t be perfect anymore.”
“Hmmmm” we think. “I’m living a really good life right now. I’m doing everything I know to be perfect. I go to church every week! I sometimes buy a coffee for the person in line behind me at Starbucks. I didn’t yell at my coworker at all last week. Sometimes I even give change to the people begging on street corners at traffic lights. Is this good enough??”
God responds: “What about all the naughtiness you did as a two-year-old, throwing tantrums when you didn’t get your way?
“And what about all the naughtiness you did as a 5-year old when you wouldn’t share your toys or take turns?
“And what about all the naughtiness you did during your school years when you told some lies and cheated on your schoolwork?
“And what about all the naughtiness you did in college? Etc. etc. etc. …”
“But God, I’m not able to pay that payment. I’m not perfect. I’ve done so many things wrong throughout my life! I have sinned so much! I could never pay that payment.”
God replies: “It’s ok … Jesus has paid the very large payment on your behalf.”
“Really?!?” we respond … dumbstruck!
“Yes,” God tells us. “I knew that you would never be able to pay such a large payment, so Jesus left Heaven and came down to earth to live the perfect life for you.
“Jesus lived a completely perfect life! He never did anything wrong … at all! Ever.
“In order to gain possession into Heaven a legal transaction must occur. All of your sin needs to be transferred over to Jesus, and all of Jesus’s perfection, in turn, needs to be transferred over to you.”
“How is this done??” we ask.
God answers: “Jesus completed the legal transaction when he died in your place for your sin.
“You see, the penalty for your sin was death. Your sin was so great that the punishment was death. Jesus willingly gave up his life and died, to pay the penalty for your sin. This was the payment for entrance into Heaven. This was the legal transaction.”
Imagine what if someone cared so much for hubby and me that they willingly paid the very large payment so that we could have possession of the condo for free! This is a mind-blowing thought!
Imagine that Closing Day arrived on May 9th, and someone else signed the paperwork and completed the legal transaction on our behalf in our place. Imagine that they paid the very large payment on our behalf.
This is exactly what Jesus has done for us!
In the imaginary scenario of Closing Day for the condo, all hubby and I would need to do in order to take possession of the condo … would be to receive the gift. We wouldn’t need to beg. We wouldn’t need to plead in all sincerity. We wouldn’t need to do nice things for the condo place to try to earn favor.
We would simply receive the gift, in humble gratitude … and move in.
This right here is what it looks like when it comes to gaining access/possession into Heaven. Jesus has completed the legal transaction on our behalf for us. Jesus has paid the very large payment on our behalf for us.
All we need to do is receive Jesus’s gift, in humble gratitude … and enter Heaven.
We don’t need to beg God for entrance into Heaven. We don’t need to plead in all sincerity. We don’t need to do nice things in order to win favor and earn our way into Heaven.
We simply receive Jesus’s payment on our behalf for us … in humble gratitude.
When our final “Closing Day” arrives (so to speak) our soul will separate from our body. Our body will decay and go back to dust … and our soul will stand before God our Maker.
God will ask us: “Do you have the very large payment?” And we will turn to Jesus Christ, who will be standing right there by our side. And Jesus will answer: “I’ve paid the price on their behalf. Payment has been made in full.”
God will ask: “Has the legal transaction occurred?” And Jesus will answer: “I’ve completed the legal transaction on their behalf. It is finished”
God will ask us: “Have you received this gift on your behalf?”
And if we have indeed received this gift, we will answer: “Yes! Yes, I have! Thank you Jesus!”
And God will say to us: “Enter! Welcome to Heaven! Welcome Home!”
