Are we good enough for Heaven?
Clt (C for short) said his epiphany was that Jesus hung out with all sorts of people – and I agree, literally He hangs out with all sorts of people (you included) who society judges as bad or good:
adulterers, thieves, liars, prostitutes, social outcasts such as lepers and the bleeding woman, the demon-possessed, extremists (at least one Zealot called Simon), smelly people like tanners and fisherman and also the upper crust – the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and Sadducees, scribes, believers like the privileged and wealthy like Joanna, the one who supported him; Pilate’s wife - the one who defended him against Pilate; Joseph of Arimithea – whose grave he briefly occupied; and Nicodemus who came to him after dark so he wouldn’t be kicked out of the Temple, Jesus mingled with Jew, Gentile, slave, free, men, women, and children.
Therefore . . . you are good enough for Jesus to hang out with. You (non-practicing Christian) and I (practicing Christian) are probably worse than some and better than others. Pull out that Gideon’s Bible from your last hotel stay just to confirm I am not fabricating all this.
On the other hand, no one is good enough for hanging out with Jesus for eternity if you are measuring yourself according to God’s standard of holiness, He alone is Holy! “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3.23 I believe that Jesus Christ is the only one who can make all of us good enough. Read Hebrews 10 and believe.
In the Evangelical Presby church I have been going to – St. Patrick Church, the emphasis is not that we do works to earn salvation, but is that we do works out of gratitude for the gift of salvation – because we love our Savior. To do works, out of gratitude and love pleases the Father as much as it pleases you when your lovely son obeys. Gratitude for the great gift of Jesus sacrifice. We all deserve death, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6.23. Jesus who is the standard for justice, not only forgives all of our failures from beginning to end but also justifies us as if we had never sinned Amazing! “. . . and by Him, everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses Acts 13.39 (New King James Translation). This is who Christians are in-Christ. “An already, but not yet” identity that will be fulfilled when we are transformed when Jesus returns. We are sinners redeemed by grace, all in the process of being transformed as we surrender bit by bit areas of our lives, our minds, our hearts.
P.S. I read quite a few translations, love the Amplified Translations because it gives you a few words to expand the meaning. More of a direct – word-for-word translation. Many young Christians love “The Message” a paraphrased street language version that gets across the meaning.
My friend C – Most Protestants believe you are good enough because of faith – which is the gift of God, and grace – which is also the gift of God. Martin Luther’s great epiphany as a Catholic and German professor of theology, priest and monk was that verse I was quoting from Ephesians 2.8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (see Hebrews 11 for what faith is.) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. It is human nature to compare yourself and say that I am better or worse than so and so. Remember Jesus told the disciples to stop it!
The Catholic church condemned Luther for challenging the practice of indulgences; the authority of the Pope (because it’s written that we shouldn’t call anyone Father except God and Jesus Christ is our intermediary not the priest (see Hebrews) and drawing people to God through translating the Bible into common English because he was a teacher. He said it should be read by the common man (he never intended to be called a heretic, to suffer and testify and be excommunicated from the Catholic church – he was a Catholic priest and teacher through and through. Luther just called for reformation, not for breaking away. He never intended for there to be wars – The German Wars devastated Europe in the 16th century. The changes in the church and the new denominations are a result of calls to reformation in the universal church; a challenge to problems, ancient heresies, and apostasies that keep reappearing since the book of Acts.
How’s that for a brief lesson on a bit of Church history and theology C?
Blessings on you C in your search – “Ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find: knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.” Matthew 7.7
Can’t believe you already tackled Revelation, so you will see that there are all flavors of churches – including the lukewarm church in Rev 3. So you will probably also recognize Jesus as the door that is open to heaven and “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him, and he with me.” Rev. 4.4
C, He knows you and wants a relationship with you and all of us, where he can hang out and eat with us! For eternity . . . That is what I believe. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3.16-17
Peace, grace and happy Friday with your wonderful child!
Tania
