“It’s not that simple,” the cultist says to the believer. “You can’t come boldly before the throne of grace. You’ve got to prove your sincerity.”

In Moses’ day, the Canaanites proved they were sincere seekers of their gods by literally burning their sons and daughters. Five-foot-high iron idols dedicated to Molech were constructed with a hole in them in which a fire would burn, causing the idol to become incandescent. Sincere worshipers would place their firstborn child on the red-hot arms of these idols in the valley of Tophet, also known as the valley of Gehenna, which is another name for hell.

Every cult and false religion is based upon man working his way up the ladder of sincerity, good works, and obedience to a system. Christianity alone is not based upon man working up to God, but God reaching down to man. “For by grace are ye saved,” Paul declares. And what is grace? It is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. It is a gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

What must a man do to be saved? Simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30–31). Period. “It is finished,” Jesus said (John 19:30). My standing with God is not about what I do to prove my sincerity, but about what He’s already done to prove His love and mercy. And all that’s left is for me to respond to His free gift of salvation.