What do you think you have to do to get into heaven? If I had a dollar for every time, I heard that question, I could quit working. And honestly, the answers I’ve heard have been pretty disappointing.

Sincerity alone doesn’t guarantee we’re walking in the truth. People can be genuinely kind and well-meaning, but without a real relationship with God, sincerity falls short of salvation.

“I think you just have to be a good person and be kind to everyone.”

If that were true, no one would make it into heaven—no matter how hard we tried. Sin would never allow us to be that perfect. That kind of thinking also suggests we could earn our way in, and that’s far from the truth.

Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” I’ve met plenty of kind, giving people, but when I ask what their relationship with God is like, the answers are often, “I don’t have one,” or, “I’m not invested enough.” Many even turn down salvation when it’s offered to them. They might be humble and generous, but without the Holy Spirit, they’re still not saved. The Bible is clear—the only way to be saved is to confess and openly declare that Jesus is Lord.

It sounds simple—and it is. God didn’t make joining His kingdom complicated, because His heart is for everyone to be saved. But we’ve complicated it. People have twisted God’s Word, taught false doctrine, and led others away from Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7:15 (NLT) warns us, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” If more people truly read this verse, they’d be able to recognize when someone isn’t preaching the truth. But too often I hear people say they want nothing to do with God because of a bad experience with a church.

Here’s the truth—God isn’t interested in empty religion. He wants relationship. He wants your mind, your heart, and your soul. Deuteronomy 6:5 (NLT) says, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”

Don’t be tricked or fooled. Be the one warning others about false prophets, not the one being warned. Stay rooted in God’s Word, and you’ll always be able to tell the difference between truth and a lie. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Sincerity Is No Guarantee for Truth”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.