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November 27, 2005
The Question: A life worth living
What makes for a successful life? What is it for which we are held accountable? What does God require of us? Who of us will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?
As I consider this question, I wonder, will I one day hear God say these words about me? Or, more to the immediate point, does God approve of me and my life now? Am I doing well? How do I know?
Does God expect that I work faithfully as a member of a local church? That I tell others about him? That I tithe? That I not tell off-color jokes? Or smke cigarettes? Or do none of these things make any difference?
Years ago, I read somewhere that some guy studying such matters said that in a typical church, the hardest workers were those with the most guilty consciences, or who sought most to show they really were good people. Is that really true? Are we all working off some sort of guilt trip?
I am reminded of a story of a guy who died, and upon arrival at the Pearly Gates, was asked by the Duty Angel, "How many points do you have?"
The man was puzzled, and said, "Points? I don't know anything about points. But I was a lifelong member of my church, never missed a service."
The Duty Angel said, "Well, that's good. It's worth 15 points. But you need 200 to enter heaven."
The man was dumbfounded. He never heard of this, so he said, "Well, I taught Sunday School (30 points, allowed the angel) and I was a deacon (minus 10, sighed the angel). Beyond that, I just don't know what to say. Basically, I have just trusted Jesus to save me, because I believed what He said."
"HALLELUJAH!" shouted the angel. "That's IT! That's ALL you need! There's your 200 points! Come on in!"
As I think of my life and my priorities, and my relationship with God, I like to say that God owns my heart. And in general, that's true. And yet, I am well aware that there are areas that I hang onto, unwilling to give them up.
Someone asked me, can a Christian not have Jesus as the leader of his life? Good question. I think, however, the answer is not yes or no. All of us retain some measure of control and autonomy. Most of us resist total, absolute abandonment of ourselves to God. So then the question, it seems, is at what point am I a true follower of Jesus? after all, we have all heard it: "If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all."
Posted by Larry Baden at November 27, 2005 03:38 PM
Comments
I am not surprised by the results of the study that you referenced above.
I think we have a tendency to value ourselves...and others...by the "good works" that we/they do.
It is true that we have heard countless times that our own righteousness is as dirty rags...cannot get to Heaven via our own good works...etc...but, I think for the majority of us, that really does not quite sink in since we suffer from that malady...the human condition.
It is like the old warning of...if it looks too good to be true...well...it is too good to be true.
Posted by: BH at November 29, 2005 10:18 PM
