23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:23-26

Many wealthy people think all the good they’ve done with their wealth will earn them a seat at The Banqueting Table.

The super intelligent believe that they know more than the Almighty God and that there will be no consequences for their sins here on earth. In fact, they don’t believe in sin the way we might, unless it affects them.

The common Joe too thinks that if he does enough good he will go to heaven.

They all define good in different ways. For some it’s giving money. For others it’s helping others. Still others believe that “doing the golden rule” will earn them a spot.

People in other religions believe that their works will help them get to heaven.

They are all using faulty standards. They have no measuring stick to gauge whether they’ve done enough good or given enough money to earn their salvation.

But the standard is so far above us, that’s impossible to attain. The standard is perfection, and since we’ve all sinned, we can’t get to heaven on our own.

(To those who say Christianity is a crutch. It’s actually worse than that. It’s more like a stretcher. We absolutely can’t get to heaven hobbling in).

In verse 26, Jesus acknowledges the truth and alludes to the answer, God.

Elsewhere, He’ll be more specific.

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through me. John 14:6