I do agree with you that our goal/aim should be to walk blamelessly before the Lord, in fact we are admonished to several times in scripture. But to base our acceptance into heaven on how much good we have done is basically saying "Jesus, your death on the cross wasn't good enough, I've got to add to it". There is nothing we can add to it.
I have seen and know people that I think you are getting this perspective from though, they continue to live sinfully (knowingly sin) and say "oh it's okay because I'm saved and God will forgive me." When I see people with that attitude, I have to wonder are they truely saved (I know, not for me to decide, that is between them and God).
Think of the gift this way (not sure if you have kids, but if not think hypothetically). You go and buy a gift for your child because you love them and you are a good caring parent. You then say to your child I have this wonderful gift I want to give you but in order to receive it you have to go do ........list of chores... No, you give that gift to your child freely. That is God's gift to us, the change in our lives to live Godly, good lives should be evidence or fruit of that gift that we have been freely given.
Sorry for the long post but I want to add this story......Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl.
One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50.
How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. "Okay?"
Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.
Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.
Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.
How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere-to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands.
The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!
Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Goodnight, little one."
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to her father.
"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."
Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. "Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box.
Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so he can give us beautiful treasure.
Isn't God good?
*****All the things we have to offer are really cheap when compared to Jesus' death on the cross and everything we try to do to attain righteousness is cheap in comparison.
Cristy
I have served in a few ministries--even led the lector ministry (the laypersons who read the scripture readings OT/NT during mass). I have been easing down on my church ministry and moving more towards home ministry and community ministry....I will be starting my second season of Team in Training and we begin homeschool semi-officially this year as my oldest is beginning Kindergarten. I say semi--b/c compulsary age isn't until 6 here which is the equivilant of 1st grade. I am so looking forward to learning faith from the child's level. I've heard all the grown-up stuff and sometimes it is just nice to hear it on a more elementary level. So my Bible study this year will be from the Children's Bible.
My heart is breaking for my friend, her family, and her dh's family. They are all completely torn up and his wife is not handling the news well at all which I can completely understand! So would you please pray for all of them to have some comfort during this tragedy? Oh, would you also please pray for several of my friends whose DHs are still in Iraq? Thanks!
