Every religion in our world today stresses the importance of the need to do something in order to obtain the approval of a divine being, the forgiveness for wrongdoings, or the attainment of spiritual peace within. The Bible, however, is very clear in its emphasis that there is nothing that we are able to do to please God, that we are spiritually bankrupt. Over and over again, the scriptures point out how that eternal life and forgiveness with God is a GIFT – a gift that comes from God, not from us. That is really why the gospel is really all about good news – there is a divine solution to a tremendous problem that we are unable to fix ourselves.