A Physical for the Christian Soul

This is the way many people believe that they will get to heaven. It sounds fair doesn’t it? As long as you aren’t an axe murderer, rapist, or child molester, you’re good. On the surface this looks good, but let’s dig deeper and ask:

How hard do you have to work?

What are the right things?

Who makes these types of decisions?

For instance, the Aztecs believed child sacrifice was a “right thing.” Will killing innocent children to appease God get them into heaven? They thought so.

Muslim countries that adhere to shia law believe women should wear burkas, not work nor drive. Westerners see this as oppressive and not the right thing to do. What’s one to do?

The Bible guides offers a clear answer to these questions. Warning: this answer is counter-intuitive. It cuts against our pride and the good old Protestant work ethic.

There is nothing we can do or offer God to get to heaven. It is all up to him. Consider, “he saved us, not be of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…” (Titus 3:5) or “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God is the one making the decisions through his mercy, not our works; through a gift of his grace, not through anything that we can offer. It’s all about him, his desires, and his will.

The Bible tells us that our even best works are “polluted garments.” (Isaiah 64:6) This is a very nice way of saying “menstrual garments”, as the original readers would have metaphorically understood. Think about that for a minute. When the light of God’s perfect glory shines upon our best efforts, they don’t reflect what we believe what they reflect. Rather it reflects every bit of its imperfection.

So, even if you work really hard and do all the “right things” as you define them, you remain in the same boat as those who don’t lift a finger and do bad things.

Discouraged? Feel that justice has been thrown out the window? Check out this post.

What are your thoughts? How have you explained this to others?