Bible in a Year:
By grace you have been saved, through faithand that is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Jerry was a good man, the pastor said at Jerald Stevens memorial service. He loved his family. He was faithful to his wife. He served his country in the armed services. He was an excellent dad and grandfather. He was a great friend.
But then the pastor went on to tell the friends and family gathered that Jerrys good life and good deeds were not enough to assure him a place in heaven. And that Jerry himself would have been the first to tell them that!
Jerry believed these words from the Bible: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (6:23). Jerrys final and eternal destination in lifes journey was not determined by whether he lived a really good life but entirely by Jesusthe perfect Son of Goddying in his place to pay sins penalty. He believed that each of us must personally accept the free gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (v. 23).
Jerry was a good man, but he could never be good enough. Watch Rasool Berrys Jesus, the Good Man devotional video. He, like us, had to learn that salvation and righteousness arent the results of human effort. Theyre gifts by Gods grace (Ephesians 2:8).
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Thank you.