Do you remember the story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18? He came to Jesus and said, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ Even the way he asked the question suggests he thought he could acquire eternal life the way he’d gotten everything else – by self-effort. He mistakenly thought that heaven was just a payment away, but it’s not. Only a cold-hearted God would sell salvation to those who can afford it. Eternal life costs more than we can afford. That’s why we don’t need a résumé, we need a redeemer. To receive salvation you must first acknowledge that you are spiritually bankrupt, your cupboard bare and your reputation worthless. You can’t approach God demanding fairness or justice – you can only come pleading for mercy.

Source: The UCB Word For Today, 13/6/2012