For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “the righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17
Good Enough for Heaven
Are you good enough for God? Have you done enough good and avoided enough of the bad to be on God’s good side? How do you know for sure? Will all the good and kind things you have said and done be enough in the end?
Talk about a stressful set of questions! There is a reason people like to put off thinking about this kind of stuff. It can make a person anxious, nervous, and stressed. Our answers to these questions can never provide confidence or assurance that we will be saved in the end. Going through life with all that in the back of our minds is exhausting. With these questions unanswered, we can find no rest for our souls.
There is a better way. The Bible says, “The righteous will live by faith.” We actually don’t need to worry about these questions. The answer is, no, we aren’t good enough. But that’s not the main takeaway from this verse. We may not be good enough, but that does not matter because we have one who was good enough for us: Jesus. Jesus was good enough for me and you and the whole world. He lived a perfect life in our place and died to take all our sins away.
Whether or not we make it to heaven in the end does not depend on our level of goodness. Rather, it depends on Jesus’ perfect level of goodness for us. He was perfect in our place. We are saved because of him. So rather than stressing about whether or not we are good enough, we are now free to live by faith, trusting in Jesus and his life and death for us.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I know that on my own I cannot ever be good enough. Thank you for removing that pressure from my life by being my perfect Savior. Enable me now to live my life for you. Amen.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – righteousness that is by faith from first to last. Romans 1:17
True Religion
According to Google, there are an estimated 4,000 to 10,000 distinct religions in the world. On the surface, they can all seem quite different from each other. When it comes down to it, though, all of them, with one exception, depend to some degree on the person to do the right things at the right time. All these thousands of religions can be lumped together under the category of ‘works righteousness.’ Do the right stuff. Say the right things. Avoid the really bad things. Work your way towards perfection. Keep after it, and eventually you will get where you need to be.
Our religion is different. Biblical Christianity says that we cannot possibly do enough to be saved. Our works are not good enough because the standard is perfection. God’s standard for heaven is to be perfect. To be righteous. And this is not a future standard. It is what God requires of us today and every day. Our righteousness does not and cannot save us because it is not a perfect righteousness. In fact, it never will be.
Thankfully, someone else does have perfect righteousness. The Bible says that righteousness comes from God, not from us. There is one person who lived a perfectly righteous life for us. God provided righteousness for us through Jesus. He came to this world to do what we could never do. He came to earn our righteousness. He came and lived a perfect life in our place. Through faith in Jesus, we are saved. This is Christianity in a nutshell. We are saved through faith in our perfect Savior who lived and died in our place.
So, is your righteousness going to save you, or is Christ’s righteousness going to save you? You can only pick one. Put your trust in your Savior, who was perfect for you.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you are my righteousness. Thank you for being perfect in my place. Help me to place all my trust and confidence in you and what you have done for me. Amen.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16
Salvation is One Hundred Percent Jesus
‘I believe in Jesus, and I am a good person.’ ‘I believe in Jesus, and I have never killed anyone or stolen anything.’ ‘I believe in Jesus, and I give lots of my time and money to various charities.’ Jesus and something else, is a common religion in America today. If you were to ask someone why they think they will make it to heaven the answer is often, ‘I believe in Jesus, and …’
It is easy to think that way. In all areas of life, we are quick to want to add our own contributions. We want to do our part or pay our own way. We want to feel good about ourselves. We want to know whether we carried our own weight or held up our end of the bargain. All this is also true when it comes to getting into heaven. We want to feel like we did everything we could.
But there is a problem. ‘Jesus and …’, is not the faith of the Bible or of Christianity. The gospel of salvation is Jesus and only Jesus. We are going to heaven always and only because of what Jesus has done for us. He lived a perfect life in our place and died an innocent death to take away all our sins and rose from the dead to give us eternal life in heaven. That’s it. We cannot add anything to that. It all has been done by Jesus, for us—one hundred percent! This salvation is for all who believe in Jesus—free of charge. Nothing further required.
So, when someone asks about why you think you are going to heaven, take yourself out of the equation. Only Jesus saves. Only he can provide the confidence we need that we are saved. Our salvation is one hundred percent Jesus and zero percent us. And we would not want it any other way.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, my salvation is entirely dependent on you. Help me not to look at my own efforts but to know and believe that you and you alone are my salvation. Amen.
Women serve in world missions In the same way that women actively served in the work of the early Christian church, WELS is using women’s gifts to share the gospel with other women in situations […]
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Upcoming webinar offers tips for intentional ministry recruitment On Nov. 11, 2026, at 7 p.m. Central, WELS’ five ministry recruitment counselors will be hosting a webinar called “Generational Differences and Ministry Recruitment: The INVEST Framework.” Using the acrostic […]
1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, [1] by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God—which is your appropriate worship. 2 Also, do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you test and approve what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Humbly Use the Gifts God Gave You
3 So by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think in a way that results in sound judgment, as God distributed a measure of faith to each of you. 4 For we have many members in one body, and not all the members have the same function. 5 In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace God has given us. If the gift is prophecy, do it in complete agreement with the faith. [2]7 If it is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. 8 If it is encouraging, then encourage. If it is contributing, be generous. If it is leadership, be diligent. If it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully.
Guidelines for Christian Living
9 Do not just pretend to love others. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love. Think of others as deserving more honor than yourselves. 11 Do not be lagging behind in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, as you continue to serve the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope. Endure trials patiently. Persist in prayer. 13 Share with the saints who are in need. Be quick to welcome strangers as guests.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who are rejoicing; weep with those who are weeping. 16 Have the same respect for one another. Do not be arrogant, but associate with the humble. Do not think too highly of yourselves.
17 Do not pay anyone back evil for evil. Focus on those things that everyone considers noble. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, maintain peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” [3] says the Lord. 20 But:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For by doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. [4]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Footnotes
Romans 12:1 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female.
25 For I do not want you to be uninformed about this mystery, brothers, so that you are not conceited in your opinion of yourselves. There has been a hardening of part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. [1]
The Paradox of How God Shows Mercy
28 In regard to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But, in regard to election, they are especially dear for the sake of the patriarchs, 29 because God’s gracious gifts and call are not regretted. 30 For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy due to their disobedience, 31 so also now they have become disobedient, so that by the mercy shown to you they may be shown mercy too. 32 For God imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how untraceable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his adviser?” [2] 35 “Or who has first given to God that he will be repaid?” [3] 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
11 So I ask, “Did they stumble in order to fall permanently?” Absolutely not! Rather, by their trespass, salvation came to the Gentiles to make the Israelites jealous. 12 Now if their trespass meant riches for the world, and their failure meant riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean!
13 I am speaking to you Gentiles. For as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I am going to speak highly of my ministry. 14 Perhaps I may make my own people jealous, and so save some of them. 15 For if their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, what does their acceptance mean other than the dead coming to life?
Gentiles Should Not Become Proud
16 If the part offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you—a wild olive branch—were grafted in among them and share in the rich sap from the root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast that you are better than the branches. If you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, but the root is supporting you. 19 Then you will say: “Branches were broken off so that I am grafted in.” 20 That is true—but remember that they were broken off because of unbelief, and you remain in place by faith. Do not be conceited, but stand in awe. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you. 22 So take note of God’s kindness and his severity: severity on those who have fallen, but God’s kindness on you—if you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you also will be cut off.
Some Jews Will Be Grafted in Again
23 And if they do not remain in unbelief, those branches will be grafted in again, because God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?
1 So I say, did God reject his people? Absolutely not! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people whom he foreknew—or don’t you know what Scripture says about Elijah, how he was pleading with God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life.” [1]4 But what did God’s answer tell him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [2]
5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. [3]6 Now if it is by grace, then it is not the result of works—otherwise grace would no longer be grace. [4]
God Planned a Way to Recover Some Hardened Jews
7 What then? Israel did not receive what it was striving to get. The elect did, but the rest were hardened. 8 Just as it is written:
God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, right up to the present day. [5]
9 And David says:
Let their table be a trap and a net, and a snare and a retribution for them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so they do not see, and let their backs be always bent. [6]
Footnotes
Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10
Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
Romans 11:5 Literally according to an election of grace
Romans 11:6 Some witnesses to the text add and if it were the result of works, it would no longer be grace—otherwise work would no longer be work.
The Majority of Jews Rejected Justification by Faith
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, have obtained righteousness, a righteousness that is by faith. 31 But Israel, while pursuing the law as a way of righteousness, did not reach it. 32 Why? Because they kept pursuing it not by faith, but as if it comes by works. [1] They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 Just as it is written:
Look, I am putting a stone in Zion over which they will stumble and a rock over which they will fall. The one who believes [2] in him will not be put to shame. [3]
Prayer for Israelites to Believe
Romans 10
1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 Indeed, I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but it is not consistent with knowledge. 3 Since they were ignorant of the righteousness from God and sought to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness from God. 4 For to everyone who believes, Christ is the end of the law, resulting in righteousness.
5 Indeed, Moses writes this about the righteousness that comes by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” [4]6 But the righteousness that comes by faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” [5] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” [6] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” [7] that is, the word of faith that we are proclaiming. 9 Certainly, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and it is with the mouth that a person confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” [8]
12 So there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord is Lord of all, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 Yes, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [9]
Israel Rejected the Message God Sent
14 So then, how can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one about whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news of peace, [10] who preach the gospel of good things!” [11]
16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who believed our message?” [12]17 So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ. [13]
18 But I ask, did they not hear? Of course, they certainly did.
The sound of their voice went out to all the earth, and their words to the farthest parts of the world. [14]
19 Yet I ask, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says:
I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; I will make you angry with a nation that does not understand. [15]
20 And Isaiah also boldly says:
I was found by those who were not looking for me; I became well known to those who were not asking for me. [16]
21 But about Israel he says:
All day long I stretched out my hands to a people who disobey and oppose me. [17]
Footnotes
Romans 9:32 Some witnesses to the text read by works of the law.
Romans 9:33 Some witnesses to the text read And everyone who believes.
Romans 9:33 Isaiah 28:16
Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5
Romans 10:6 Deuteronomy 30:12
Romans 10:7 Deuteronomy 30:13
Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:14
Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
Romans 10:15 Some witnesses to the text omit who preach the good news of peace.
Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
Romans 10:17 Some witnesses to the text read by the word of God.
.JPG)
937-849-9374
peaceofoursavior@gmail.com
In the same way that women actively served in the work of the early Christian church, WELS is using women’s gifts to share the gospel with other women in situations […]
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“Closing down [an] organization isn’t failure; it is just a symptom of the laws of organizations. Organizations have a life span.” Retired Pastor Mark Jeske passed along that observation in […]
The biennial meeting of the Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Forum, which consists of leaders of WELS and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), took place October 19-20, 2026, at the WELS Center […]
On Nov. 11, 2026, at 7 p.m. Central, WELS’ five ministry recruitment counselors will be hosting a webinar called “Generational Differences and Ministry Recruitment: The INVEST Framework.” Using the acrostic […]