I’m not sure if I’m going to write a column about faith today. Usually, when I do this, I will be inspired by church courses, and today, the pastor is ending the series of articles on the book of Revelation.I touched it Before, But that is a book that usually arouses my disgust. It always makes me feel wild and ominous, a little overwhelming.
Of course, I am familiar with the Bible—I have read it from beginning to end several times in my life. But I am not a theologian, so I tend to avoid trying to write from this perspective. Today’s service is as touching and meaningful as usual. I appreciate the pastor’s method of solving a problem full of extraordinary images and uncomfortable topics. A tricky topic is in the hands of capable people, I invite you to watch the service linked below.
Passing through the service is not the point I want to talk about. There was a moment—two sentences—at the end of the sermon that really caught my attention and inspired the urge to write this article. We have come to an end—our moment of liquidation—our book of life is being read and reviewed, and we are asked to take responsibility. What does this moment mean to us?
The pastor quoted CS Lewis as saying:
There are two kinds of people-those who say “your will is done” to God, or those who ultimately say “your will is done” to them.
A clear reminder that the right to choose is still in our hands: do we accept God’s grace and realize that it is through him-and only him-that we can be saved and be welcomed into his kingdom? Or do we insist that we know more, or simply reject his proposal, or bet that we can make a counter-offer and accept some conditions, but not all of them?
What motivates us to believe that in the final accounting, excuses and reasons will offset violations? If we are mostly kind, will God agree with this “little mistake” here, or if we fill the rest of our lives with good deeds, will God agree with this complete disobedience here? Pure arrogance? maybe.Although my instinct tells me this is also related to deep-rooted disgust exist Responsibility-a multi-generational clue that goes back to Adam pointing to Eve and Eve pointing to the snake.
It’s interesting, isn’t it, we so easily accept “the devil asked me to do this” as a rationalization-seeking forgiveness based on our claims of inability to do anything against evil-but evading the most important revelation: God’s grace overcomes It all- if We choose to accept.
What is ultimately preventing us from doing this? Those juicy temptations are before us? Or a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to accept God’s conditions?
In today’s sermon, the pastor also Quote Author and pastor Joshua Ryan Butler:
Jesus’ question is not, “Are you qualified to enter my kingdom?” His question is: “Will you let me heal you?”
Whether we allow ourselves to be fooled (or fool ourselves) believe it depends on us Yes Is it good enough—say enough prayers and do enough good deeds—to win our way into heaven? In the process of doing so, tacitly accept failure, because we know that deep down, we can never do or say enough?
If we do, we are looking at it upside down and/or backwards. Because it’s not like that at all. It is not our responsibility to heal ourselves.
Instead, we turn to the great physician and sign the informed consent form: I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I know that only through you and you can I be welcomed into heaven. My task-my responsibility-is to let my words and deeds reflect this.
