Doorway to Heaven
September 17, 2007This is apparently the sermon theme at church for the next couple of weeks: talking about “who is going to be saved” and “how to assure yourself that you are going to be saved”.
This is the first time I think I’m going to strongly disagree with our pastor’s sermons. I’ve had issues with the topics one of the other people who teaches on Sunday but usually I feel like our pastor hits home for me much of the time.
I’m sure his point is wanting us to recognize that belief in Jesus’ death/resurrection and the ultimate gift of God’s grace is the key for Christianity. What I believe and accept is true for me, and many others, but is it the only way? I’ve said before that this is an element of faith I struggle with. As Christians, of course, we want it to be the way, because it justifies our religion and interpretation of the life of Jesus. But any steadfast believer in his faith is going to insist that his way is the way as well.
Maybe if Christians actually lived the life Jesus wanted them to live, with acceptance, forgiveness and grace instead of with judgment and exclusivity, then they might just find others wanting to have that same peace in their lives. It is what brought me back, knowing that I was loved, accepted for who I am, that what happened in the past is truly that- in the past- and I can move forward knowing that there is grace and forgiveness in God.
My thoughts…
- I never heard him say anything about “assured” salvation in the sermon.
- I don’t need to “justify” anything about my faith. We are justified by Faith. Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,…”
- I’ve said it to you before (and it was mentioned on Sunday) that yes, it’s the Only Way. You don’t need to like that fact, and you can belabor it as much as you’d like, but despite what some of the people in the video said “being good” is not the qualifying act for getting into heaven or being saved. Yet, I don’t jam my beliefs down anyone’s throat. I’ve long ago learned that I can’t force anyone to do - or believe - anything.
- I knew you’d have a problem with this sermon series.
In reply….
-I didn’t say that “being good is a qualifying act”
-I know there is no “assured salvation”- that was just me rolling my eyes at the sermon series.
-I’m not asking you or anyone to justify their Christianity. But anyone who is a steadfast believer in their religion/faith could say the same thing that they are justified by Faith. Based on my understanding (and I’ll admit it is very limited), Judaism, Christianity and Islam all believe their scriptures are the word of God spoken to them through a prophet or in Christianity’s case the Son of God manifested in Jesus. Isn’t the Torah in essence the Old Testament with a few additional books? Doesn’t the Quran reference several of the same historical events the Bible does? Even most Buddhists believe their scriptures are the word of Buddha himself. All have one God. I won’t get into paganism or other multitheist or nontheist beliefs because I do believe firmly in there being one God.
Now, then, I’m not a theologian nor have I ever studied theology, unless you count the really stupid “World Origins” class I had my freshman year while I went to “That College” so disdained by your alma mater
But what is the point of grace and forgiveness if we can’t trust that God will continue to be full of grace and forgiveness even at the point at which we see Him face-to-face. By saying that if you don’t select X before you die seems to imply that God won’t give you the opportunity to confess and be forgiven in the end. And that sounds like the mean Old Testament God, not the loving New Testament God.
Maybe I should make this another post because I haven’t even gotten to my conflicts over the interpretation regarding a “select few” and the “doorway being like a hobbit’s door”….