One of the values of my new blog, Be Transformed, is the emphasis it places on grace. Actually, since it focuses on the daily devotions found in New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp, it is really only fair to say NMM places an emphasis on grace. I do invite you to join me there-not only in the discussion but also in the daily reading.
But this post is not a plug for Be Transformed. It may appear that way, but it really isn’t. However… 🙂 Back in October I read a devotion by Derwin Gray called A Never-Ending Climb. I thought it was really good so I clipped it for future use. I saw it again today and decided it was a good one to use today:
Religion, or works-based righteousness, paints a picture of a god sitting atop a high peak, waiting for us to scale the mountain through our good behavior or adherence to religious principles. The more “good” we do the closer we come to approaching our god. If we do something bad, however, the god on top of the mountain turns Zeus-like and throws a lightning bolt to strike us and knock us back down the mountain. After the electric shock wears off and our singed hair stops smoking, we dust ourselves off, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, and start the long trek all over again.
Long story short: the trek of works-based righteousness is a never-ending hill climb. One step up and two back. That to me is what religion is like. To give another picture it is like the hamster in the wheel. “‘Round and ’round it goes, where it stop nobody knows.”
Get off the treadmill. Be done with works-based religion. Get on the GRACE track.
Righteousness is the art of ALWAYS being right. Whether by works or by grace or by any other means it is a hamster wheel. No one is always right. Religion is the false method of convincing people they can be right. It is also very dangerous and has led to many wars and much divisiveness. To think you are right because you believe this or that or follow this dogma or that dogma is false hope and packaged as one religion or another. If everyone just follows the golden rule and forget the religious dogma we would all be better off.
No one has ever been always right Jeff. You are right in saying that. Even the Bible says that. I debunk religion myself. But I also believe that those who follow Jesus will be found in the end to be the ones who have chosen correctly. i think it is going go to take more than just living by the Golden Rule to make a big difference, largely because each person makes up their own rules.
I have no issue with believing the Jesus story or any other religious story. Unfortunately many that believe religious stories let it get in the way of the Golden Rule. It seems that would be a better thing to improve upon. I think religious thinkers also tend to make up their own rules to suit themselves as much as anyone else.
I’ll meet you on that Grace Track, Bill! I’m all in.
Blessings, and thanks so much for your continued prayers for Danny’s mom. She was in the hospital all last week, and is now staying with us until she is strong enough to return home. I couldn’t put all this on my blog because she is quite a private person, but I did see your comment there today. Thank you!
And I look forward to this adventure Martha. Hope Danny’s mom is improving.
Well said, Bill! Amen!
Thank you Pam.
Thats a great quote by Grey, going to use it on my facebook wall. So thankful I am on the grace track, it may contain some mountains and valleys but I know where I will finish.
It’s as if we believe He gave Himself up for us when we had no hope of reaching Him, that it’s His free gift and choice, but then once we accept this as salvation, we have to work to maintain and/or advance. It’s a terrible way to live and so far beneath what He has for us. Grace. Every day. From now to eternity. That’s our heritage and His gift. Thanks Bill.
Good call on the hamster wheel, Bill. It’s insanity thinking that going round and round is ever going to arrive us at our destination.