Any self effort or striving to obtain approval, acceptance, significance or love from God is worthless. For the crucifixion and resurrection restored our relationship with God in the here and now (no, the point was not going to heaven, that is merely a bonus) and the righteousness we have is that of Christ Himself - a gift and not of our own efforts - and there is no improving upon that. Thru Christ, we are accepted by God, not in spite of our flaws but with them and our significance is wrapped up in the knowledge that we are passionately and unconditionally loved by God. There is nothing - NOTHING - that we can do to make God love us more, nor anything we can do to make Him love us less. For God's love is not like the love of man - it does not shift or change - for it depends on who He is not who we are.
I know this is "pretty basic" but we all need a reminder now and then.
