Throughout the Book of Romans we come to learn how God works to justify those that have been accepted as righteous in Jesus Christ.  The just shall live by faith.  It is in no way anything that man can do, it is all God, at work in us when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, the key to the gates of heaven is based on the free-will of man to choose his destiny.   Many choose without knowing they made a choice.  Many live lives that are extremely good, never doing anything wrong, thinking that they are acceptable.  BUT, the Bible clearly says, Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  That’s everyone.  And I know for sure that there truly are good people on this earth that have hardly ever done wrong and are upstanding honest citizens and would certainly be a good candidate for Heaven, but the more you read the Bible you will understand how totally against wrong-doing God is!  There will be no spec of sin or wrong-doing let into heaven. 

 

The Book of Romans walks through the entire process of how God cleanses our filthy, sinful bodies and makes them right, to go through those gates.   But that is just the beginning; sanctification is a work in progress.  Prayerfully ask God to help you grow and ask for wisdom when studying His Word.  He gives generously to all without reproach, James 1:5.  Bible knowledge will give you the bases for Faith, and Faith will give you the basis for growth.   Growth in your Spiritual Life will be aided and hastened by the Holy Spirit, and when He is doing good work in us absolutely nothing else on earth could be better. 

 

Without the Bible knowledge of God, His creation, His desires, His work throughout time, His standard, and His Love for us, those who profess belief in the Christian God will never keep their balance above the pleasures of the world and will surely fall in. On the other hand, those who study and love the Word of God will be firm enough in their stance to withstand the traps of those trying to pull them into the world.