“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8–10, ESV)
“In one of his sermons, A. C. Dixon told of an incident that took place in Brooklyn, N.Y. A detective who had been looking for a local citizen finally tracked him down in a drugstore. As the man began to make his purchase, the officer laid his hand on the citizen’s shoulder and said, “You’re under arrest; come with me!” Stunned, the man demanded, “What did I do?” The detective calmly replied, “You know what you did. You escaped from the Albany penitentiary several years ago. You went west, got married, and then came back here to live. We’ve been watching for you since you returned.”
Quietly the man admitted, “That’s true, but I was sure you’d never find me. Before you take me in, could we stop by my house so I can talk to my family?” The officer agreed. When they got to his home, the man looked at his wife and asked, “Haven’t I been a kind husband and a good father? Haven’t I worked hard to make a living?” His wife answered, “Of course you have, but why are you asking me these questions?” Her husband then proceeded to explain what had happened and that he was now under arrest.
He apparently had hoped that his record as an exemplary husband and father would impress the officer. Even so, he was still an escaped criminal. Though he was “right” with his family, he was all wrong with the state of New York.” (10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
I contend that there are a lot of Christians who are doing a lot of right things, but who may be wrong with God. Let me explain.
Lou was a great dad and a good friend. He attended worship almost every week, was an active member of several groups in the church, and well-loved among those in his church. He was a hard worker, who had a decent job. He was generous to a fault. However, Lou had one big fault. He lived to gamble. Once a year, he would travel to Vegas. Usually, the trip would cost him several thousand dollars. Every day, he would buy a lottery ticket before work. He faithfully checked the lottery numbers, the odds on sports games, and more. He had a local bookie with whom he did a good amount of business.
Among all Lou’s family and friends, he was a great guy. However, as Lou aged, his gambling habit began to eat away at his savings and retirement accounts. When a downturn at his place of employment caused his salary to drop, Lou’s family felt the pinch. Their savings began to drop further. Because Lou did the budget and books for the family, he hid most of the costs and continued gambling, though at a lesser rate. The family still had its head above water financially, but the strain began to show on Lou.
At this point in Lou’s life, he believed his relationship with God was great. He had enough money to pay his bills. He was kind and loving to others. He paid his debts. He was a good citizen. He gave in the collection plate. He was trustworthy and honest. However, what Lou did not realize at the time was that his relationship with God was non-existent. It wasn’t his gambling that was the problem with God. Lou based his relationship with God on the belief that in his life he did more good than harm. His good deeds more than covered his mistakes. His giving to church and helping of others more than made up for his gambling and other vices. Lou didn’t realize at the time that his relationship with God was based more on his own good works than on the grace of God. Lou didn’t live his life as a servant of God. He lived with the belief that on a scale of good and bad, he was a good person. He believed that because his good works outweighed the bad, that alone should earn him a place in heaven. Huge mistake!
Paul clarified this mistaken belief system in his letter to the Ephesian church found in our Bible. In Ephesians 2, Paul stated emphatically that you are “saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). God’s “grace” is what gives you a chance to go to heaven. Your place in heaven is “NOT THE RESULT OF GOOD WORKS”. Good works are a sign of faith, but do not earn you grace with God. Good deeds don’t get you to heaven, God’s grace is what matters.
Human beings are “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:9). The good works should be a result of God’s grace, not to make things right with God. You don’t trade your good works for God’s grace. You can’t ever do enough to get into heaven. Your faith in God and good works are an outgrowth of your relationship with God. If the relationship isn’t there, how can you earn your way to heaven? Yet, there are many Christians who think that because they went to church, because they did some good deeds, because they were “nice”, they deserve a place in heaven. This is not how faith works. Without a relationship with God, how can you ever earn enough grace from God?
Be careful that you never base your future in heaven on the number of good deeds you’ve done in your life. Stay away from the notion that if your good deeds outweigh the bad, you must be right with God. God’s grace can’t be earned. First, get your relationship with God squared away. Repent of your sin. Commit yourself to God’s calling. Seek God’s direction for your life. Then, and only then, will your good deeds matter in the eyes of God.
By the way, Lou did turn his life over to God in Christ. He made a commitment to Jesus one night at an altar. I witnessed him do it. Thereafter, he gave up gambling for good. He didn't stop gambling to earn a good relationship with God, he did it out of the love of Jesus. To others, he seemed like the same old Lou, but he was not. From that moment on, Lou was a true child of God.
Quietly the man admitted, “That’s true, but I was sure you’d never find me. Before you take me in, could we stop by my house so I can talk to my family?” The officer agreed. When they got to his home, the man looked at his wife and asked, “Haven’t I been a kind husband and a good father? Haven’t I worked hard to make a living?” His wife answered, “Of course you have, but why are you asking me these questions?” Her husband then proceeded to explain what had happened and that he was now under arrest.
He apparently had hoped that his record as an exemplary husband and father would impress the officer. Even so, he was still an escaped criminal. Though he was “right” with his family, he was all wrong with the state of New York.” (10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
I contend that there are a lot of Christians who are doing a lot of right things, but who may be wrong with God. Let me explain.
Lou was a great dad and a good friend. He attended worship almost every week, was an active member of several groups in the church, and well-loved among those in his church. He was a hard worker, who had a decent job. He was generous to a fault. However, Lou had one big fault. He lived to gamble. Once a year, he would travel to Vegas. Usually, the trip would cost him several thousand dollars. Every day, he would buy a lottery ticket before work. He faithfully checked the lottery numbers, the odds on sports games, and more. He had a local bookie with whom he did a good amount of business.
Among all Lou’s family and friends, he was a great guy. However, as Lou aged, his gambling habit began to eat away at his savings and retirement accounts. When a downturn at his place of employment caused his salary to drop, Lou’s family felt the pinch. Their savings began to drop further. Because Lou did the budget and books for the family, he hid most of the costs and continued gambling, though at a lesser rate. The family still had its head above water financially, but the strain began to show on Lou.
At this point in Lou’s life, he believed his relationship with God was great. He had enough money to pay his bills. He was kind and loving to others. He paid his debts. He was a good citizen. He gave in the collection plate. He was trustworthy and honest. However, what Lou did not realize at the time was that his relationship with God was non-existent. It wasn’t his gambling that was the problem with God. Lou based his relationship with God on the belief that in his life he did more good than harm. His good deeds more than covered his mistakes. His giving to church and helping of others more than made up for his gambling and other vices. Lou didn’t realize at the time that his relationship with God was based more on his own good works than on the grace of God. Lou didn’t live his life as a servant of God. He lived with the belief that on a scale of good and bad, he was a good person. He believed that because his good works outweighed the bad, that alone should earn him a place in heaven. Huge mistake!
Paul clarified this mistaken belief system in his letter to the Ephesian church found in our Bible. In Ephesians 2, Paul stated emphatically that you are “saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). God’s “grace” is what gives you a chance to go to heaven. Your place in heaven is “NOT THE RESULT OF GOOD WORKS”. Good works are a sign of faith, but do not earn you grace with God. Good deeds don’t get you to heaven, God’s grace is what matters.
Human beings are “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:9). The good works should be a result of God’s grace, not to make things right with God. You don’t trade your good works for God’s grace. You can’t ever do enough to get into heaven. Your faith in God and good works are an outgrowth of your relationship with God. If the relationship isn’t there, how can you earn your way to heaven? Yet, there are many Christians who think that because they went to church, because they did some good deeds, because they were “nice”, they deserve a place in heaven. This is not how faith works. Without a relationship with God, how can you ever earn enough grace from God?
Be careful that you never base your future in heaven on the number of good deeds you’ve done in your life. Stay away from the notion that if your good deeds outweigh the bad, you must be right with God. God’s grace can’t be earned. First, get your relationship with God squared away. Repent of your sin. Commit yourself to God’s calling. Seek God’s direction for your life. Then, and only then, will your good deeds matter in the eyes of God.
By the way, Lou did turn his life over to God in Christ. He made a commitment to Jesus one night at an altar. I witnessed him do it. Thereafter, he gave up gambling for good. He didn't stop gambling to earn a good relationship with God, he did it out of the love of Jesus. To others, he seemed like the same old Lou, but he was not. From that moment on, Lou was a true child of God.