(Read Hebrews 12)
You might find this hard to read but we are all saved by works. There, I said it. For much of my life, I believed that if I was good enough, followed the rules of my parents and society well enough, I could go to Heaven. Of course, I didn’t do either, but I always thought I wasn’t a bad person. I just knew I wasn’t as bad as John and Jane Doe. They were the real sinners. Getting to Heaven was on me. It was a result of my intentions and behavior. A me-centered pathway.
In the Muslim faith, the Quran states that God judges us by our deeds. Heaven welcomes the righteous and hell the unrighteous. According to Smith & Haddad, in The Islamic Understanding of Death and Resurrection, entrance to Jannah (paradise or garden) requires “those who refrain from doing evil, keep their duty, have faith in God’s revelations, do good works, are truthful, penitent, heedful, and contrite of heart, those who feed the needy and orphans and who are prisoners for God’s sake.” Not too far from what many Christians believe.
Not all Jewish people believe in heaven. The Reformed don’t believe in any form of life after death. They put all their eggs in the Earthly basket. The very religious Orthodox Jews, believe in a literal heaven that is earned by good works or “mitzvahs.” Anything a Jewish person does that benefits another is in the mitzvah category.
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:24-26
I read this the other day during my morning reading time. The beauty of its directness blew me away. Christ didn’t sacrifice for sins in a symbolic, human-created temple, He could only atone for our sins in one way — in God’s presence. By the sufficiency of His act, the writer of Hebrews acknowledges that it was a one-for-all event. Unlike the high priests who would come with blood sacrifices (not of their own) year after year, Christ “appeared once for all… to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
“But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:3-4) The words were shouting at me. It’s not enough, it’s never enough for us to try to wipe away our fallen nature. We can’t paint over or hide our blemishes from God. Our efforts to try are just reminders of our inadequacy and point to the greatest fulfillment of lifesaving in human history.
In Psychology Today online I read an article from a practicing clinician who takes a completely neutral, somewhat negative stance on belief in the afterlife. His take is that it’s more humble (and acceptable – my words) to accept that we just don’t know. He believes the mystery behind death, “is one of the gifts we have been given by virtue of being sentient beings.” Huh??? The worldly view seems to be that it’s more acceptable to have no beliefs, to claim we don’t know what we believe, than to be convicted with faith and encourage others in a belief system that promises eternal life and eternal love for all. Admitting uncertainty in our stance on heaven and hell helps us choose what we want out of our Earthly life and what is truly important since that’s the only given in his ideology.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
When I asked him, my son quoted these verses from Ephesians as being the most pivotal Scripture in the Bible for him. I think it points to our lack of ability to fix our fallen state and God’s perfect capability to resolve it.
Hindus believe the soul is reincarnated after death and then is reborn in another physical form. Each soul is on a journey of spiritual development facilitated in part by karma- the relationship between a person’s mental and physical action and the consequences that follow. Similarly, Buddhists believe that through good deeds and Buddhist practices, their adherents go through upward stages until they can attain Nirvana – which is not an actual place but a condition of bliss or peace.
Even in the Christian or Christian-like faiths, there are denominations that highlight repenting, being Baptized, confessing, living good lives, proving obedience, receiving sacraments, church attendance, tithing, and moral behavior that claim a pathway to a return to a Heavenly presence. These are all great principles, but if required for entrance through the gates of Heaven, they are our finishing touches, not Christ’s.
If we are buried with Christ in His death and share in His resurrection, then His sacrifice is good enough. He didn’t do anything more after His ultimate sacrifice. If you don’t believe me, look up τετέλεσται (tetelestai). “It is finished” (John 19:30). As believers, we share in death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. God’s grace comes from Jesus alone, not Jesus + Sacraments or Jesus + something else.
Tim Keller once wrote, “Religion says ‘if you obey, then you will be accepted’. But the Gospel says, ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure you’re accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.”
We should show our belief in the Gospel in all that we do in life. In church, at home, on the streets, and at work. If we are not being obedient in our faith to Christ, then we are, “setting aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21) We are commanded to show our obedience to God through our worship, moral behavior, Christian brotherhood, and stewardship. Those works glorify God but only Christ’s work – on the cross, earns us a place at His table. Only Christ is the perfector of faith.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Key Applications:
- Discipline is a necessary part of spiritual growth. It helps us overcome sin and develop a more Christ-like character. How can you embody this in your life?
- Hebrews 12 reminds us of the eternal reward that awaits those who persevere in their faith. Our earthly trials are temporary, but the heavenly reward is eternal. Allow hope in Christ’s work to shape your heavenly perspective.
- Remember that our sufferings have a purpose for God’s glory. Pray that this gives you strength and endurance.