|
Wisdom Story
A man dies. He goes to heaven. The Apostle Peter meets him at the gate. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need one-hundred points to get into heaven. You tell me the good things you did on earth. I give a number of points for each item. This depends on how good it was. If you reach one-hundred points, you get in." "Okay," says the man, sure that he will easily reach one-hundred points.
The man tells Peter, "I was married to the same woman for fifty years. I never once even thought about cheating on her." Peter says, "That's great. You get three points!" "Only three points?" asked the surprised man. Peter says, "Yes, three points."
"Well, I attended church all my life and supported it with my tithe and service." "Wonderful!" says Peter. "That's certainly worth a point." "One point? Golly," replies the man.
"How about this?" he proceeds. "I started a soup kitchen in my city. And I worked in a shelter for homeless veterans." Peter spoke, "Great! That's good for two more points." "Two points!" yelled the angry man. "At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
"That's right! Now you've got it!" said Peter.
Scripture~Romans 4.3-5 (WE)
3What do the holy writings say? It says, "Abraham believed God. And God said that he was a good man."
4When a person works, his pay is not a gift to him. His pay belongs to him.
5But no person can work to put himself right with God. It is God alone who makes a bad person right. The one who believes in him-even a bad person is put right.
|
|
Comments
Heaven, spiritually, is not a physical place we are to wait for. The material symbols of such a physical place, set within the context of time and locality, are signs pointing to a spiritual and eternal Paradise more real than a purely physical and local one could ever be.
We stand at the gate of Paradise daily. Christ invites us into the bliss of this Beauty of Love, Joy, and Peace.
While works evidencing grace are an essential trait of a graced life, prepared to enjoy Heaven, a person is graced only as good works flow from grace.
Without prior inspiration of grace, there is no graced life, or graced person. Ungraced-good, regardless of how good, can never prepare us to enjoy the spiritual Paradise. This Reality is Loving Union with God, in Christ, by the blessed Holy Spirit.
Suggested Reflection
Define grace. Avoid theological definitions. Put it into everyday language.
In what sense is Heaven an inward and spiritual experience of God? If you do not agree with this understanding of Heaven, defend your opposition to it.
How do you balance an emphasis on works and grace in love for Jesus Christ?
See next page for Purpose of OneLife and reference to a couple of the writer's written works.
Continued... |
