Monday, October 20, 2008

You're a Failure ... but that's the good news

Putting selfishness aside to "be a good person" and "live right" won't save you.

Neither will piety, righteousness, going to church, reading the Bible, "being religious" or doing good works.  So forget about it.

You may have just finished a best-selling book and feel suddenly creative and empowered, with lots of fresh new ideas regarding your personal plan for life and eternity  ... but no matter how sincere, complex or heart-felt,  your personal whimsies (however fascinating) amount to nothing.

When it comes to confronting eternity let's face it, you're a failure: it's gonna happen and there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.  

And duh, unless you've died and been resurrected, then you lack first-hand Experience.

So where do we get off pretending our opinion matters, when the reality is that eternity is beyond our control?

--   --   --

The gospel, the Good News, is that because Christ died for our sins Salvation is Free ... costing nothing ... because in his infinite wisdom God knew that if salvation was left up to each individual to decide for themselves, then every one of us would fall short to be condemned and lost.

Compared to Christ, we'd all fail and perish ... and we prove our shortcomings, by sinning, every day.  

--   --   --

I'm glad my salvation doesn't depend on me, because despite my best efforts I'm a failure.  Every day and every way.  So I have nothing to brag or be proud about.

But even though I  fail and disappoint, my faith abides and becomes even more secure in Christ .... who never fails, never falters ... and never falls short.