Alternate Plans
Bible Order: Exod 37–38
Chronological Order: Gen 48–50
Why Serve God
God really doesn’t look at things the way we do. I have always been struck by how God’s way is often counterintuitive to man’s. We think the first should be first and the last should be last but God says the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Doesn’t make sense in human terms does it? We think that if we do more good than bad we should be able to get in to Heaven but God says even being angry with someone is enough to keep you out of Heaven no matter how much good you’ve done.
In today’s reading Jesus tells a parable that says those who belong to Him will inherit Heaven and our share of Heaven will have nothing to do with how long we were a Christian. This means the guy that has lived a horrible sin-filled life and truly submits his life to Christ just a day before he dies will have the same inheritance as a person who lived faithfully as a Christian for 60 years. Theoretically a brutal mass murderer could be saved and have the same inheritance in Heaven as you or me. Would that make you mad? (I say theoretically because a brutal mass murderer would have a pretty hardened heart – Jesus could melt that heart but they would still have to submit.)
You know, I don’t believe the story Jesus tells is really about the size of our inheritance but about our attitude toward others and toward God. Do we think we really earn a greater reward because of time served? Let me tell you something, the amount of time you serve Christ is meaningless; the attitude of your heart is everything. You were a sinner before a Holy God. He chose to show you grace and mercy. Does He take anything from you if he shows grace and mercy to another? Do you lose if a last minute convert receives as much of a blessing as you? Of the people I know that are following this blog I have a hard time imagining that they would be disturbed by such a scenario, but evidently there are enough people out there that would be disturbed to warrant Jesus addressing the issue.
We all need to understand something. None of us deserves Heaven. No amount of good work, pre or post conversion, matters. We serve God after our conversion because we love Him and want to serve Him, not because we hope for a greater reward. If you are serving God for any other reason you need to examine your heart. Something is wrong. Serve God out of love not desire for gain.
Have a blessed day!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
