Once in a while, you come across a really good example of why the gospel is foolishness to the world. We can have lots of highbrow in-house conversations about why the world doesn't like the message of Christianity - be it packaging, judgementalism, not having a drummer, whatever. The reason I see most often is nothing to do with any of that, not really.
I read a discussion the other day sparked off when a non-Christian realized that their Christian friends believed that, just because they didn't believe in Jesus Christ, they would go to hell.
They were considering whether or not to remain friends with them, because this was just such a very offensive thing to believe about someone. The bulk of the conversation was about how deeply wrong it seemed that a murderer could believe in Christ and go to heaven, but a very good person who only rejected Jesus Christ would go to hell.
It's like the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, from Matthew chapter 20:1-16. Like the workers who were content until they saw what was given to others, they found it unacceptable that the Owner of the vineyard was the One who decided what was fair and just.
They were right - the gospel is an enormously offensive thing. It only goes to illustrate how backward our priorities are as fallen beings - we think so lightly of scorning and rejecting our loving and merciful Creator, who holds our lives in the palms of His hands. The world has absolutely no problem with God being forgiving and kind, and that good people go to heaven. That's not contentious in the least.
But that God accepts the most reprehensible sinners on the basis of something that has absolutely nothing to do with their inherent worth - that He would forgive the child-murderer on the same basis that He would forgive the socially responsible Anglican - this strikes modern sensibilities like a rotting chicken carcass on the Sunday dinner table.
That's why salvation is all of God. There is nothing reasonable about it to the spiritually dead. It's not going to win you friends and influence people in this world, that's for sure. It should give us confidence to share the truth with others, though, because they will only ever believe if the Holy Spirit has gone before us into hearts - and He assures us that He will.
8/14/2007
...the power of God. 1 Cor.1:18
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6 comments:
This is so true. And I think the reason why it's so offensive is that we have collectively lost sight of the underlying sinfulness of every fallen human being, whether it's manifested more openly (like your murderer example) or less openly (like the unconverted churchgoer).
I've only ever heard one sermon on the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, but the preacher spent a significant amount of time emphasising that it was completely up to the owner to hire *any* of the labourers (ie *nobody* /deserves/ to be taken on by the householder, or brought into the service of the Lord). Whether they turn up early and look like promising employees or not.
So while you can't assume from outward appearances that anyone's certain to be saved, it does gives a full certainty that nobody is beyond the reach of saving grace - as you say, it's not the worth of the sinner that's taken into consideration (however that might be measured) - the reasons why some sinners and not others are saved are all internal to God and his sovereign good pleasure.
:-)
This sort of ignorance comes from a low view rather a no view of scripture.
Very good words. That's nailing it down.
"There is nothing reasonable about it to the spiritually dead."
Always good to remember these are walking corpses we are sharing with.
But God ...
I should acknowledge the help of DJP on this one - cheers Dan!
It all comes back to hanging on to the belief that *I* can't be all that bad. Surely God wouldn't condemn *me*. Just that guy over there. Now he's really bad.
Which also boils down to wanting to be my own God. Deciding what IS OK and what IS really bad.
Libbie,
sorry if I'm talking too much, but have you heard of Ralph Erskine? - a Scottish minister in the early 1700s. I picked up a book of his today (the luxury of being on holiday!) and just wanted to share this excerpt with you - still thinking of the second-last paragraph in your post. He says:
"... it is grace that does it, without the consideration of any condition or qualification in us. Sovereign grace is a thing that can neither be promoted by our goodness, nor hindered by our badness. Free grace ... looks neither to the worthiness nor unworthiness of the receiver; neither to his merit, nor demerit.
... And here is the most inviting encouragement to a lost sinner that can be: that as he has no worthiness to plead for him, which if he had grace would be no grace, so his unworthiness is no bar against him, for if it were, then grace would be no grace also in this respect: for if your worthiness did work it, then it would not be the work of grace; or, if your unworthiness did hinder it, then it would not be the doing of grace; yea, grace would never do anything at all, for all are unworthy."
So there you go, your doctrine is as sound as the soundest eighteenth century scots :)
Cath
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