In the Red Zone
One of the biggest losses we can experience doesn’t happen overnight—and it isn’t always obvious. It comes quietly, wrapped in success, applause, and achievement, while something far more valuable slips away.
In today’s blog, David Decker challenges us to look beyond worldly wins and ask the question that every soul must eventually answer: What are you trusting in for eternity? With clarity, conviction, and Scripture-soaked truth, David reminds us that gaining everything this world offers means nothing if it costs us our soul—and that salvation is not achieved, but received through Christ alone.
Jack Welch served as General Electric CEO from 1981 to 2001. During his tenure, GE’s value increased roughly 4,000%. A $10,000 investment at the start of his leadership would have grown to more than $915,000 by the time he retired. Fortune Magazine named Welch “Manager of the Century” in 1999.
Welch ran GE with ruthless efficiency. He demanded that every division be number one or two in its industry—or be sold or shut down. More than 200 factories closed as a result.
Upon retirement, Jack Welch wrote a book called Winning. As Welch made public appearances, he realized from people’s inquiries that what they wanted to know more than anything else was how to win.
Welch even related a question an audience member asked about whether Welch felt he would go to heaven. Jack Welch nimbly side stepped, answering, “Well, I sure hope that’s long-range planning!”
I admire his nimbleness. But I wonder what the real answer would be? Jack Welch made millions for stock market investors. But what about his personal life? Jack Welch was divorced twice and married three times. Welch developed a personnel policy of yearly eliminating the bottom performing ten percent of all employees, regardless of absolute performance. Those first two wives must have been underperforming!
Years later, GE collapsed from its pedestal. In 2018, the company was removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average after more than a century. Welch’s legacy is now debated.
So how do the scales of justice balance for Jack Welch? Mr. Welch passed away in 2020. Did he make it to heaven, the good outweighing the bad? While it’s entertaining to consider Mr. Welch’s final destiny, there’s a question that is far more interesting.
Where will you go when you die?
You can be the CEO of a vast corporation or a humble cubicle dweller. Regardless, one day you are going to have to answer that question. The Bible has a caution: For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36
You can achieve everything you ever wanted—wealth, success, recognition, influence. But if you gain the whole world and lose eternity, the Bible is brutally honest: you have failed.
A Spiritual Survey
Over the last 25 years, I’ve asked hundreds—maybe thousands—of people where they believe they’ll go when they die. Most hope heaven is the destination. Very few are certain. But the Bible says this:
These things have I written … that ye may know that ye have eternal life… 1 John 5:13
Let’s make sure you are 100% certain of your destination. Consider one of my favorite passages in Ephesians 2:8-9:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace means gift—something unearned and undeserved. Salvation isn’t achieved. It’s received.
But what are we saved from? In this case, we’re being saved from having to go to Hell! Why talk about that? Jesus talked more about Hell than Heaven. We know in Heaven, no sin gets in. We know that because Genesis 18:25 says, “shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
God is the Judge
God is the Judge of all the world. He is perfect and holy and cannot have sin in His presence.
"You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness". Habakkuk 1:13a
When we die, God will not compare us to other people, but compare us to Himself and find us lacking. Consider Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
That’s the bad news, but the verse continues:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith…”
Faith is the answer! But faith demands an object. To have faith means to believe, trust or depend. In this case, we believe in, trust in, depend on, have faith in that when Jesus went to the cross, He didn’t just die for the sins of the world, He died for your sins and mine. But he didn’t stay in the grave. Three days later, He rose again, proving He was God, conquering sin, death and Hell. It is the greatest story in history. And it is motivated by God’s love for us:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Think about this. If there was some other way we could get into heaven – church membership, religious rituals, moral effort – then God is either stupid or cruel or both. Because why would God let His Son die on a cross if there was some other way we could get to Heaven? Instead, Jesus himself said there is no other way:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Among Jesus’ final words on the cross were these in John 19:30: “It is finished” – not, “the rest is up to you!”
Mere knowledge is not enough. Consider James 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Salvation isn’t intellectual agreement: it’s trust – depending entirely on Christ alone.
Are you ready to be saved?
The Bible says the wages of sin are death. Jesus took that punishment in our place. He was the substitutionary sacrifice. There is nothing you must do to be saved.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us …” Titus 3:5
Romans 10:13 says this: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Life After Salvation
Salvation forgives your sins—but it doesn’t eliminate your capacity to sin. Christians still struggle.
Jesus said: Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3
The word repent is often misunderstood. It doesn’t describe sinless behavior. It means a change of mind.
Scripture says even God repented. Consider Jonah 3:10: And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them….
That’s not regret, it’s a change of mind.
Biblical repentance means changing your mind about what you’re trusting in. Turning away from self-reliance, religion, good works, or moral effort—and placing full trust in Christ alone.
It’s not Jesus plus you. It’s Christ alone.
Repent and Believe
Earlier, we asked a simple question: What are you trusting in to get to heaven?
If the answer is anything other than Jesus—now is the moment to change your mind.
I hope in reading this, you have trusted in Jesus alone for your eternity. I would love to hear from you at saved@davidjdecker.com. It would be an inspiration, and I promise to pray for you.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV
In this episode of the Significant Women podcast, Carol McLeod talks with entrepreneur David Decker about faith, resilience, and living for what truly matters. David reflects on a Super Bowl experience that shaped his perspective on perseverance and purpose, and shares how servant leadership, strong relationships, and putting God first lead to real fulfillment. He also offers practical encouragement for sharing faith in simple, everyday ways, reminding listeners that God can use anyone to make an eternal impact. Tune in for your dose of game day encouragement!