Can we get to Heaven just by being good?

In Paul’s writing to the Galatians he says that “a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 2:16)  In other words if we do good works, help the needy, bind up the wounded, go to church, say rote prayers and  have not faith in Christ we are not justified, made clean, vindicated, or pardoned.

He’s actually talking here about being a Jew. The Jews had the law, the prophets, and the scriptures as opposed to being Gentiles to whom Christ did not come to start with. He was a Jew, born into the law then after he left Peter, who he called to be the prophet and administer over the church had a vision that opened the door of salvation to all – to the Gentiles.

I remember an individual Edward and I talked to who was a Jew, (we knew him well enough that he invited us to his Jewish wedding.) We gave him materials to read about Christ and his ministry and about our church. So he said, “Hey, I have this video I want you to watch. It’s about one of our great Rabbis.”

 We were glad to do so. What a disappointment. Indeed this Rabbi did a great work among the people, but there was not one word about Christ. Not one word that Christ had provided food, or jobs or blessings of any sort. No examples of conversions, belief, faith or testimony to the atonement of Christ. It was indeed dry bones with no substance to feed the soul.