"The One that God sent speaks God's words. And
don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves
the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it
away--a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts
the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also
why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't
see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at
that." (John 3:34-36 MSG)
I often cry for people who don't trust in Jesus.
Jesus paid the price, but they prefer to try to earn their own favor through
their good deeds. Are they simply too proud to accept a free gift? Too proud
to admit that Jesus did what they cannot do? Is this why so many fall into
the trap of legalism?
The problem is, none of our good deeds will ever
bring us closer to Jesus: "And that is also why the person who avoids and
distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he experiences of
God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that." (John 3:36 MSG)
Why is it that people seem to prefer to try and
earn God's favor, when this is so foreign to what Jesus taught? Remember:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax
collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you
that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like
this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to
heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I
tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles
himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14 ESV)
That poor Pharisee thought he was doing everything
he needed to be saved. He was sure that it was the tax collector, that
horrible sinner, who was doomed, not him. But Jesus never said that we could
be saved by our deeds. Jesus said it was the tax collector, the one who
humbled himself before God and admitted he couldn't do anything to save
himself, that went home justified.
Humility. It's all about humility!
Interestingly, Jesus never said he was, or acted
as if he was, better than anyone else – Even though He is the only one who
never, ever sinned! He never said we could get to Heaven through our good
deeds, and He is the Saviour! Instead, He said: "Not everyone who says to
me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who
does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that
day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive
out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them
plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23
NIV)
What doesn't make sense is that we would pass up
such a beautiful gift in order to try to get to Heaven by our deeds! Instead
of following Jesus, so many chooses their own way to be saved. But this will
go nowhere!
One year I had a student that had significant
behavioral problems. She took notebooks from other students and destroyed
them. She found herself in the Principal's office as a result, and the
principal sent her back to the classroom to rewrite all of the work she had
destroyed. Some of the students, however, whose work had been destroyed,
began to rewrite their own papers so she wouldn't have to. They didn't
condemn her, instead they reached out to help her.
I ask you: which one showed love? Was it not the
ones who humbly not only forgave, but also reached out to help the girl who
had destroyed all of their work? When we truly follow Jesus, when we allow
His grace to infiltrate every part of our being, when we truly appreciate
the profound nature of His gift of grace to us, we will find that we WANT to
show love!
May we remember: "And that is also why the person
who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he
experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that." (John 3:36
MSG)
It is way better to follow Jesus. He cares, He
loves, He never put people down. He is our Savior. No one else.
Rob Chaffart