What we believe and its impact on entry into heaven is of utmost importance, or I wouldn't write this. I stand with Erika Kirk wholeheartedly, and she is doing a lot of well needed good for our country, but recently she made a comment that has me concerned for her and for others who believe similarly. The comment she made in regard to her husband's killer is as follows,
"I’ve had so many people ask, ‘Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?’ I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"1
Erika, if you somehow end up reading this, I want to encourage you that the last time your ledger was brought into view before God was when Christ took full ownership of it as His and carried it to the cross (Rom. 8:3-4). The only thing that will keep you from heaven, the only thing that will keep anyone from heaven, is retaining ownership of our ledgers.
The fact is, our ledgers disqualify us from heaven already. The standard has been set in scripture (Gal. 3:10), and we've already failed (Rom. 6:23). If we are to be sized up according to our own ledgers, our own merits, we are in fact disqualified already, even the best of us, like the Kirks. The Apostle James addresses those who cling to our ledgers this way:
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. - James 2:10
Nothing less than perfection is required to get into heaven, and the standard for what is perfect is God Himself (Mat. 5:48, 1 Pet. 1:16). Now, this may be discouraging, but hopefully in a good way. For the quicker we realize we're disqualified already will we seek to exchange our ledger with Him who is offering you His.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Therefore, we are no longer qualified by our works, but by Christ Himself. Just as He was condemned for our ledgers, we are justified by His! Inasmuch as Christ stood before Pilate in the full wickedness of us, we will stand before the throne of God in the full righteousness of Jesus Christ! Just as Christ bore our shame, our guilt, and our sin, we will stand in His glory, His innocence, and His righteousness (Rom. 8:17, 14:4, Jude 24-25). Hard to believe, I know, but that is the love of our God! Christ has made you as worthy of His blessings as He made Himself worthy of your punishment. Therefore, we not only do not need to shrink back at His return but can, with exceeding joy, look forward to it! Like Paul said of Himself, so we are:
"And [I] may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith" - Philippians 3:9
Having the ledger of Jesus Himself, if anyone wishes to disqualify you from heaven, they actually have to find a problem with His righteousness. Should they ever decide to bring yours back up, remind them that it's no longer yours, but was imputed to Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. - Colossians 2:13-14
Our "eye for an eye" debt has been paid in full. It's not that God let us get away with sin; it's that Jesus took every ounce of the punishment due us.
Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh - Romans 8:1-3
When we arrive at the gates of heaven, I expect them to be flung open post-haste. Not because we earned it, perish the thought, but because I'm fully confident Jesus did and imputed it to us. We are no less than children of God (1 John 3:1) embodied in the full accomplishments of Jesus Christ. If even Satan himself wanted to contend with our entry, he would have to contend with Jesus Christ Himself, and on Him, he has nothing (John 14:30).
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. - Romans 8:34
Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen. - Jude 24-25
---------
1.) Yahoo! News as read on 09/29/2025: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/erika-kirk-says-she-doesnt-124305816.html also on: https://media.benedictine.edu/erika-kirk-put-christian-marriage-and-forgiveness-in-the-spotlight