Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” Matthew 11:20, 22, 24, 28-30 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.11.20-30.NIV

When God came to earth to live among us as one of us He invited us to Himself with the promise that He is gentle and humble. He invited the weary of the world’s ways and means for achieving worth, success, and significance, to come to Him for rest from the endless performance track that men and gods men make create for us. God promised that His ways were easy and His burden light for those who came to Him for rest for their souls. Yet, God rebuked the responses He was receiving to His message from many who listened warning them that their judgment and condemnation would be greater than what would be received by those people who only were warned by God’s prophets instead of God Himself. What does this mean? Trying to earn salvation is burdensome and too great a task for any man. Those who try will be broken by their attempt or remain deceived by their arrogance that they are truly good people. God gives salvation, pardon from sin, and eternal life in His kingdom, to all those but only those who come before Him in humility and ask for it because they know they can never be good enough to earn it. Jesus’ work in coming to earth, dying on the cross, and being raised from the dead is the work that is appropriated to all those who come to Him for eternal life. But when we come to God for eternal life, we must love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and not think that His gift is without cost. To give us the gift of pardon He spent  His life, He therefore expects us to spend our lives in gratitude and service for His unconditional love and grace given to us. We give our lives to Him not to earn heaven but to demonstrate the heaven given to us by God through Jesus is within us.