Wednesday, Jun 11, 2008

Performance or Promise

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I met Chloe and her boyfriend in Pismo one afternoon. They were sitting on a bench on the boardwalk enjoying the sunset. Chloe gave me a few minutes to ask her some questions. This podcast starts from me giving Chloe the, “Good Person Test.” But before I got to the it, I had asked her this “What If?” question:

“What if someone broke into your families house and hurt one of your family members. Then the criminal was arrested and brought before a judge. The judge had all the evidence that would put the criminal in jail the rest of his life. But that day the judge was in a good mood and decided to just let the criminal go free. How would you feel about that?”

Chloe said what any of us would say. She said, “that wouldn’t be fair – the guy should have to pay for his crime.” She said that she would have wanted the guy to go to jail. I agreed with her.

Then later in the conversation Chloe told me that she had a Jehovah’s Witness upbringing. We talked about Judgment Day. Chloe didn’t seem too concerned about it because she figured that she would just “go back to dirt” – Annihilation –Soul-sleep. The initial “What if?” question worked out well because I think she understood that if God just annihilates sinners (back to the dust) in the end, He would not be giving them (the criminal) a just punishment. He would be giving them relief. I also hope she understood that this is totally contrary to God’s true nature. God is unswervingly just and His justice demands a just punishment for the infinite crimes we’ve all committed against Him.

Like many religions, the JW’s don’t believe what God’s Word clearly teaches – a literal eternal punishment for sinners. Is it any wonder she wasn’t all that concerned about her plight? So sad!

She continued to make comments like, “I’m kind of cool off on religion.” Can you blame her?

“Religion” to Chloe means, “I must obey to be accepted by God.” In essence, that’s what the little girl has been taught. Listening to this again I should have quoted Eph 2:8-9 and really expounded on the grace of God in saving sinners. She just seemed so reluctant to continue the conversation. More and more I believe people need also understand the difference between religion and the Gospel – they are NOT the same.

Think about it, the “I must obey to be accepted by God” is Galatians 3:10-12 is it not?

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Galatians 3:10-12

Totally the opposite of performance religion, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ – truly, it is Good News. The gospel says that a sinner is saved from the wrath of God and is justified (made right with God) by grace alone, through faith alone, in and by Jesus Christ alone. Instead of “I must obey to be accepted by God” the Gospel (promise) brings mercy to a repentant sinner through faith and now the redeemed says, “I’m accepted therefor I obey.”

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14

Please pray for Chloe and her boyfriend.

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