QUIT TRYING TO WORK YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN

Born again by the Holy Spirit - the work of God:
*  John 3:3-8 (SLV) - "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus said unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water (physical birth - see v. 6) and of the Spirit (spiritual birth - see v. 6), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again.  The wind blows where it desires to, and you hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell where it comes from, or where it is going:  so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Redeemed by the Son of God - the work of God:
*  1 Peter 1:18-23 (SLV) - "Forasmuch as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain religious efforts you  received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth (believing in Jesus - see Jn.3:14-18; 6:29) through the Spirit leading to the love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently:  being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever!"

Transformed into the image of His Son - the work of God:
*  Romans 8:28-29 (SLV) - "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestine to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
*  Philippians 1:3-6 (SLV) - "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!"
*  Hebrews 13:29-21 (SLV) - "Now the God of peace, Who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen."

 

We do not deserve any of this; it is God's gift of grace to us (Eph. 2:8-9)!