Ok, so we've figured that because there is no universal agreement on right or wrong and the good people view has obstacles to clear we need to continue in our quest to figure our eternal destinies. How does this all work? Does it matter?
For those not quite wanting to give up the "good people" go to heaven view let's continue there. Suppose that we do know and agree on a formula that defines unquestionably what is right and wrong. Even if we have a clear definition, how do we get graded on this? When we hit mid-life where would we be on the good/bad chart? It's always good to have a mid-term to give one an idea of how they're doing thus far. Middle age seems reasonable for this mid-term. When you finally die, do you get to go to heaven if you hit a 70%? Or is the magic number for a passing grade a 51%? What if HE grades on a curve and Mother Teresa is at the head of the class? Wouldn't that raise the bar for good works that we would find almost impossible to reach? Most of us are not even close to what she did for humankind. What would that do to our grade?
I don't know, because God hasn't revealed this to us. What if we were one act of kindness shy of getting in? We'd have no idea , but then again, he didn't say that we get into his kingdom via the good works route. So in all probability I guess that's why we don't know what the passing grade is because there isn't one. It's not that he's not clear. He's just not revealed any such idea.
What about time? What if you are all just finding out now that good works is mandatory and a passing grade as well? Would we have enough time to fit this into our busy lives? I see all the time how students love to wait and cram everything into the last week or two of the semester hoping that will get them passed. If they fail, it's not so big of a deal, they have to re-take the class. For an eternal grade that could mean life or death. Much more at state definitely. So I need to find out for sure.
Stanley, in his book "How Good is Good Enough," asks "If God is good and good people go to heaven, shouldn't God show up every generation or so and give us the updated version of what he expects? Goodness 7.0."
Ya, but I have to tell you, I hate updates. I just get used to a program and then they want to make changes and it slows me down for a bit until I acclimate again. So I wouldn't like it if God kept giving us updates for goodness. It would slow me down for sure.
So even tho God is very quiet on this subject many of us still cling to this hope that good people go to heaven. Of course we all think we are in that "good club." Why wouldn't we be? We think that God only notices our strengths and ignores our downfalls. Isn't that what we do with our children? We just close our eyes, to our children's weaknesses.
Why do we cling to this theory? Isn't it interesting that almost all the world religions believe this to be true? Why? Could it be because there are not many good options out there? If good people don't go to heaven, then who does? Maybe we all do. Hmmmm well that's not what is being taught by our religious leaders. It's also not mentioned by God in his book.
For me, as a Christian the "good people go: view contradicts the teachings of Christ. He actually taught the very opposite view of what most people in the world believe. He outright taught good people don't go to heaven. In fact, God doesn't give us what we deserve. If he did, it would be certain death. No, he gives us what we don't deserve. It's called Grace.
When Grace met the religious leaders of His day, there was instant trouble. He was messing with what they were teaching. I mean, com'on, He was actually teaching that God loves bad people and bad people actually go to heaven. He had to be stopped.
He actually dared to say even the most righteous Pharisee was not good enough to reach God. Wowsa!! He said this:
"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:20
They were professionals do gooders is how Stanley puts it. They worked at this. They made more rules than God. If any would get a passing grade it would be them. How irritating to hear Jesus say they were not good enough. He was mad, in their opinion.
So while the Pharisees were irritated, at the very least, the people had to be very depressed. How could they measure up? Who could be found worthy then? The Pharisees made a living out of being good. Where does this put me? You?
So if you're looking for a God who doesn't accept good people into heaven, stay away from the teachings of Christ and the NT. He even assured the bad people they had a place reserved for them in heaven. Unclean people? Tax collectors? Adultresses? Criminals?
Not only did he set the standards even higher, he assured the low lifes they would be with him in heaven even as he spurned the good works of the Pharisees.
next......the bad guys.
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