A friend had just read my book, God Makes Us Holy. Something
clicked, so he asked, “What is your version of God’s plan of salvation?”
He was sincere, a true seeker of truth. Yet for decades, he struggled with this
concept. The problem was his highly
conservative upbringing. Rules
restricted and condemned. Love and
forgiveness were absent. Only the few, who
followed perfectly, found salvation.
Everyone else went to hell.
He knew that view conflicted with many biblical
teachings. It rejected God’s compassion,
mercy, and forgiveness. Instead of God redemption
saving us, our actions save us.
Through the years, he realized that condemnation condemned
himself. He learned the rules were blown
out of proportion because they did not show God’s love. He learned that forgiving others freed his
soul. Forgiving himself is still a goal,
but one much closer than it once was.
However, his preachers still taught dogmatic rules that condemned. They segregated those who follow a
denomination’s ways from everyone else.
What I told him, I will give you.
God loves you. God
loves you so much that He wants you to live with Him forever. Period.
Reread that statement.
It is God’s plan of salvation.
His own blood paid the price to save the worst sinner. If you are not worse than the worst sinner
that ever lived, then you qualify for His love and heaven. He only asks that we make the choice to live
His way. It is not difficult, but
culturally it is not easy.
God wants us to live a life filled with goodness, because it
is good for us, and those around us.
God wants us to discard anger, hatred, lust, and all those
thoughts that lead to self-centered evil, because they are bad for us and for
those around us.
When bad thoughts enter our mind, He wants us to talk to Him
about it, so that we can recover. He
desires that we acknowledge our sin so that we can confess and repent: to God,
to “self,” and to those around us. He
will forgive instantly. He wants us to
forgive ourselves too. We cannot control
the response of others.
For us to hold on to bad thoughts and actions, we must
justify their continuation. When they become
“normal,” we deem confession and repentance unnecessary. Self-centered evil slowly kills our God
Breathed spirit. With a dead spirit, we
no longer look like God. Our choices let
us become children of Satan.
When others hurt us, physically or mentally, we must work
through the emotions and learn to forgive.
Forgiveness is key. Forgiveness
is God’s way. Forgiveness is not easy
for humans. Yet, holding negative
emotions hurts us more than “what happened.”
It hardens our heart (thoughts and emotions) and distorts our
relationships with everyone else. It is
bad for us. Learn to forgive as God
forgives.
All the other “requirements” called for in “Plans of
Salvation” are ritualistic.
Do not complicate God’s love and salvation with cultural
“requirements.” There is no “one perfect
way,” except by God’s love. Our faith to
act is important to God. Our commitment
is important to God. But, what God wants
from us is our love, the reflection of His love. All other “things” pale in comparison.
Most of the rituals are for our benefit. I believe that “confession of belief” and
baptism are important, but their appearance changes with culture. They are points in time that redefine “self.” They are part of our testimony where
God cleansed us for a personal covenant with Him. But, neither forces compliance. Likewise, their absence does not require God
to send good people to hell.
Trust God to save mercifully and justly. In the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus
said compassion trumped personal beliefs and even knowledge of Him. No religious restrictions qualified or
disqualified salvation. In the story of
Cornelius, God filled the gentiles with His Spirit before they were baptized. He accepted them before Peter was sent. The story of Jonah tells us that God has
always loved and was always willing to save, even the enemies of His people. God knows our heart. His salvation is for everyone willing to live
His way.
Still, only His love saves us.
First and foremost, remember what He did. God loved us first. Learn to love Him back. Our soft heart, filled with His Spirit,
secures salvation. Because, God loved us
first.