Tag Archives: works salvation

Quit Trying

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Psalm 49

What is a person’s eternal soul worth? We know God thought it was worth dying for. But I can’t die for my own sins. If I die a sinner, I can’t come back clean. If I die a sinner, I will spend eternity as a sinner, separated from God.

Some people try so hard to be good enough. Friend, I hate to break it to you, but there aren’t enough good works in the world to ransom one lost soul, “to redeem him is too costly.” (vv 7-8) I love the psalmist’s conclusion also found in those two verses: “One should forever stop trying.”

Quit trying to be good enough to earn a spot in heaven. Quit trying to go to church enough, or say enough prayers, or give enough. The cost of your redemption is beyond what you can pay.

So stop trying so that (you) may live forever and not see the Pit. (vs 9)

Are you so arrogant to think you can equal what Jesus did on the cross? Paul said this:

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:21)

If you can earn your way into heaven, then Jesus’ horrible death was a waste of time.

Have you ever tried to accomplish a daunting task? You try and try and try, but with each attempt you are met with failure. No matter what you do, it’s just not good enough. You’re frustrated, defeated, hopeless.

But then you rush to a parent, a spouse, or dear friend, and melt into their embrace. No words need to be spoken. Yet as you feel the warmth of their loving presence you begin to relax, the frustration is calmed, you can breathe.

That’s kind of what it’s like to stop trying to be good enough to go to heaven. It’s like how it feels to receive what Jesus died to give you. You feel the warmth of His presence and you begin to relax. The strain of all the “trying” is released and you can breathe.

Have you ever been asked the question, “If you were to die today and stand before God, how would you answer His question: “Why should I let you into My heaven?'” The saddest answer begins with “I.”

I went to church
I gave to the poor.
I was a good person.
I hope I did enough.

Let me put your mind at ease. You can’t do enough. Period. Dear one, that is really, REALLY good news.

If you are depending on you, you are in for a world of hurt. So quit trying.

Surrender. Rush to Jesus and melt into His embrace. Admit you are a sinner in need of saving. Confess your inability to save yourself, and accept the free gift of total forgiveness bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

You can’t do enough, but Jesus did.

You can’t do enough, so quit trying.

The Rich Fool

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Luke 12:13-21

I find it sadly relatable that the man seems to have been present when Jesus was speaking to the crowd about the hypocrisy of false teachers, about the necessity of fearing God, and bowing to Him. Yet, he blew it off because he had an agenda:

I WANT…

The thing is, by Law, if his brother had received the inheritance, his brother was the first-born and doesn’t owe this man anything. The man wasn’t asking Jesus to help him get what he deserved. He was asking Jesus to force his brother to give him what he did not deserve.

Who doesn’t want something for nothing? Who doesn’t look at what someone has, and want it or better for themselves? The problem of envy is a monster in all of us.

Unless we have a change of heart. Unless we move our priorities from self to God. We can have the healthiest bank accounts, the nicest homes, the newest cars, and the most expensive clothes and be the poorest of the poor if our souls are bankrupt by sin.

Thank God, through Jesus we all can receive what we don’t deserve – the forgiveness of our sins, and all the spiritual wealth of being adopted into the family of God.

That being said, I think there might be a chance this parable can suggest a works salvation. O’Donnell, The Parables of Jesus (Crossway Publishers; 2023) says Christians “must use their God-given financial means to be generous to others and thus store up treasure for the life to come. (p 24, emphasis mine). He cites 1 Timothy 6:10 and Matthew 6:20.

I guess my question is – what constitutes treasures in heaven? If our good works are compared to filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), do we present those to God in exchange for treasure in heaven? Do we give to the poor to get a star in our crown? Is that what Jesus is teaching here?

Or do we combine this with what Jesus says in Luke 17:9-10, and give simply because it’s our duty and NOT expect even a thanks from our Master. We are servants who obey, nothing more, nothing less.

Does our treasure in heaven consist of things? Or will it be the eternal souls we have touched with the Gospel? I believe this parable and the consistent teaching of Jesus teach that the only thing that matters are the souls. He Himself became a servant, emptying Himself of all the riches of heaven, and became obedient unto death on the cross. Why? It wasn’t for a nice mansion.

And Jesus is our example to follow.