All religions, save one, require the work of man to gain entry to paradise, eternity or heaven. That one exception is Christianity. Other religions feature man working his way to god while the central theme of Christianity is God coming to man, in the person of Jesus Christ.
Why would God do such a thing? He was motivated by love. John 3:16 shows this love very clearly: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
As Jesus ministered here on earth for a short three-and-a-half years, He showed and taught God’s love over and over again. He was not forcing His love on anyone but He clearly communicated it unceasingly.
In the gospel of John we read of many amazing things that Jesus did and taught. In the first 15 verses we see Jesus feed the 5,000 (which is the only miracle told in all four gospels). Verses 16-21 we find Jesus walking on the water without sinking simultaneously blowing the minds of the apostles!
Then, in a fairly long teaching section, Jesus cuts to the chase for the myriads of people crowding around Him. It is the day after Jesus fed the 5000 and they haven’t yet been able to find Him, so they form something akin to a posse and track Him down on the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus tells them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” Jesus acknowledges their real reason for seeking Him out, but He does not leave it there; He tells them what they really need to hear; “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal” (John 6:26-27).
Of course this gets their attention; like all children of God, they desire deep in their heart to gain or earn eternal life. So they ask Jesus, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” They seem more than happy to engage in some grand activity to earn God’s favor for eternal paradise, hoping somehow they can rise to the occasion or do just the right thing.
Jesus responds with something for which they were totally unprepared: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” The work of God for eternal life is not work, but faith.
Man does not earn His way to heaven through work, but simply by believing in Jesus whom God sent to earth out of His heart of love for a stubborn and evil world. To most of the world, this is unfathomable.
The bottom line is that we do not make the first move toward eternal life or paradise, but rather God does, so we can experience His life while here on earth and for all eternity.
Have you come to the place where you have done the work of God for your salvation? For faith to take a foothold in your life all one needs to do is believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved.
It is not rocket science, nor is it work, but it is faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished here upon the earth out of a heart of love, where He made the first move toward you.
God has done the work and we receive the benefits. So “work” for your salvation by receiving God’s gift of love to you through Jesus Christ.