God doesn't grade on a curve...

[Medic911]

I think that the beginning of wisdom began for me when I realized that "God doesn't grade on a curve"....

Now let me justify that with a few quick points:

1. I emphasize "beginning" of wisdom, because I've a long, long way to go before I would ever be so bold or pretentious as to claim to be "wise"... but I do believe the journey began for me when I reached this revelation.

2. We are all saved by Grace... that is to say through the blood of Jesus, the Lamb. Hereafter when I refer to 'pleasing God' I do not necessarily use the term as it pertains to our Salvation...
I like to view our Salvation much as an adoption: If you adopt a child it is entirely possible for that child to displease you; sometimes to the point of severe anger... yet you do not disown the child merely because he's done something which is against your will. You may very well punish him/her... but they will remain a part of your family, so long as they willingly accept the gift you've offered them.

Now to my point:

For much of my life I wrongly believed that I must be satisfying God, because I was, after all, behaving much better than those around me.
My peers drank, stole, committed adultery, did drugs, and used God's name in vain, all on a regular basis... therefore I believed that I must surely have favor with God because I either rarely commited these sins, or else I avoided them altogether.

I was like the proverbial Pharisee in Jesus's parable, beating his chest proudly and exclaiming, "Thank you God, that I'm not like these others! Thank God that I don't sin as often, nor as badly as these others!" (You may remember that in contrast it was the lowly publican who bowed down and admitted he was indeed a sinner... and therefore left justified before God)

Yet God doesn't grade on a curve. If He judged mens' behavior on a curve, then half of Sodom would've been spared, and Noah would've been accompanied by a fleet of arks!

No. God judges us not against the standards which our society sets... but rather against the standards which He sets forth, through His Holy Word.

I again wish to emphasize that I'm not speaking of a legalistic need to impress God with our righteousness in order to win our salvation.. the Bible makes very clear that "none are righteous" and that only through Jesus's death may we be saved. (Quite luckily for us!) ...but I do believe that despite this, it's important to recognize that the Bible is full of people who found favor with God through behavior which pleased Him; and also full of those who displeased Him with their sin.

Just my 2 cents.

[FollowerofJesus]

Amen brother

[sunshine4jesus]

I hear you.

Fear of the Lord is Reverential attitude of submission.
That is the beginning of wisdom.
And we have a great Helper in the Holy Spirit if we just remember to ask for the help!!

You are right in that none of us are righteous, worthy, deserving of God's grace.
We are told to be witnesses for Christ. How do we do that? By our actions before we ever open our mouths. I had to really study out a statement made by our pastor. He said when you are dealing with unsaved people, you have to earn the right to witness to them. "Learn it, love it, live it. THEN you can talk it."
No holier than thou attitudes allowed here is a good motto to go by. We will never be sin free in our fleshly exixtence here. But we are to strive to walk with Jesus rather than to run with the world.

OH, my. I am glad you opened this thread. It is food for thought, and can only make us examine ourselves and not others more closely. Thanks.

[Medic911]

I think there's a happy median between remembering that we are saved through Grace rather than our own works, yet also remembering that it is possible to please God, or to displease Him.

The Bible is full of examples of men and women who managed to please God through their good actions and attitudes. I sometimes wonder if we're not too hard on ourselves, constantly reminding ourselves that "none are good" to the point of discouraging ourselves from ever even attempting to please God with our actions..?

In my opinion, there's a balance between the two points, which I've only recently begun to remind myself of. I was so strongly rooted in the mindset that "all our good deeds are like dirty rags before God" that I lost sight of the fact that God nonetheless does recognize and is pleased with certain behaviors.
There are many, many verses which make clear that our favorable actions can bring forth blessings and can help us find God's approval. (or "lay away treasures in Heaven" as one popular verse puts it)

This is not to be confused with 'earning Salvation', but the Bible does make clear a distinct process of earning 'treasures' or 'crowns' and of 'finding favor' before God.

As Christians I believe we should work hard to live righteously in a sinful world, much as Noah did. We will always remain creatures of sin, saved only by Grace... but it obviously shouldn't stop us from trying hard to live lives which are pleasing to God.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this... I'm really just thinking aloud, and interested in Scripturally sound discussion.

[FollowerofJesus]

Faith w/out works is dead as Paul I believe so eloquently put it.

[Vickimac]

This is how I see it. There is absolutely going to be an accounting at the bema. Some may shrug that off as "Oh it's just an awards thing. I'll already be in heaven for it, so no big deal". But it's a major deal. These "crowns" are certainly approval.

But any lost crowns are certain DISapproval.

I do believe wholeheartedly in eternal security. I believe Jesus is the source of our salvation, not ourselves. But we ARE going to stand and face him and I think that in itself is going to come very hard for many Christians.

I guess like many children, it's a tendency to point out our brothers & sisters faults to the parent and say "But he did.. or she was..... and I didn't" and expect that pat on the head :angel
I don't think that is going to cut it. We are going to be judged individually, stand alone. That is why we are told to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. God doesn't accept the dog eating homework or pointing fingers stuff. He's looking directly into the heart of each and every believer.

The Truth will set you free (from the wages of sin = death) but you will also one day face the Truth in his glory with your homework in hand to be graded by the one who suffered for those very sins. What will you bring to honor him? What will you bring to shame him?

My security lies only in him. My "good" comes only from him. But my shame lies only in me.

It is only by grace through faith that you avoid the "F" because Jesus took that for the believer. You are right. There is no "curve" in the grade. And I really don't want that "D-". That's a horrifying thought. :(:

When it comes to sin, Jesus is the overcomer, the victory. But we have to have the desire to please him. We have to make the effort. Our works are as filthy rags when they are "our" works. His work through us is the victory. But we have to first desire it and then allow it. And to Him the glory when he succeeds a good work in us.:nod To us, the reward for obedience and faithfulness. (Or lack thereof)

Every single thought or action either pleases or displeases God. And we will one day look him in the eye with homework in hand.

Good thread Medic!

[Elizabeth_S]

Originally posted by FollowerofJesus
Faith w/out works is dead as Paul I believe so eloquently put it.

James :):

But you are right. James said you could say you have faith, but He could SHOW you Faith from clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, loving the sinner.

James wanted to illustrate a living faith,(not a mouth confession, with no heart involved, but our very self involved in serving Christ) a desire to help others and show in this way, we are doing that which is pleasing to God and that is to love our neighbor.

But we do this out of love, not points before God. :):

Medic, you are so right, many are afraid to appear legalistic, or working on their salvation, so many do not "do" things. I think this is satan whispering in our ear. So many do nothing.

But when we serve God out of love, these things will come naturally....with a giving and loving true heart for people, We know when we are true in our service, to please God with our serving Him, and when we are hoping to "earn" points.

We will desire to help others, to love our neighbor and this will be from our hearts and not our minds.

[MindieRose]

Thank you medic, I think that we cannot hear that enough sometimes. It is a nice thing to be reminded of, I know I need to hear it a lot.

[Medic911]

Great feedback all! Thanks!
Well-put, and thought-provoking.

[BarbT]

I made peace a long time ago with the fact that my pile of wood, hay, and stubble will burn with a vengence at the Bema Seat. There is no getting around it.

That said, I will also be looking forward to any crowns the Lord sees fit to award me.

As I try my best to run the race and fight the good fight, I also fail as much as I succeed. Thank GOD for His patience and grace. :):

[Medic911]

Remember Barb, Paul had to stand before God and explain why he persecuted Christians.
King David had to stand before Him and explain why he sent his wife's husband into battle to die, so he could take her as his own...

I think we both have a great deal of work to do, but we have the same opportunities as they did to find favor with God and to be washed of our sins.
;):

[Werner]

Excellent thread Medic! :thumb

..and Vickimac, that was an excellent post. I hope everyone goes back and reads it again! :nod

Maranatha! :dancing

John

[Lonewolf7]

Goooood thread medic:thumb

[Indiana Janz]

Originally posted by Vickimac
My security lies only in him. My "good" comes only from him. But my shame lies only in me.

Yes. This same thought sobers me up pretty quick whenever I start feeling proud of myself for doing something that I know pleases God. It is really only by His grace that I please Him, and in the end I can only praise Him for the good things that I might do.

[Vickimac]

IJ, I've felt that pride before too. Not only sobered me but scared me! I could almost audibly hear the "Ahem".

I thank God for his patience and grace too Barb. I'd be so completely lost without it! And it takes away the fear, there is no fear in love. But sometimes my heart breaks at how much I must disappoint him. How much more it will break to face Jesus with my homework in hand. Not because of what I do or don't get at the bema, but because I know I can never please him the way I wish to. My unworthiness overwhelms me sometimes.

Yes I want crowns. I want them to represent/show how much I love him, how grateful I am to him. I want to lay them at his feet and my heart wants to honor him. Sometimes I feel like I may wilt completely in his presence. But he told us to come boldly to the throne. Because we are to have the confidence of his promise and believe it with our hearts! Be assured of his love, forgiveness and faithfulness!

I've thought alot about the bema. You know the old adage you can fool some of the people some of the time.... well, you can't fool God at all, ever. And I think that not only is God going to look at the resulting deeds, but the intent behind them. This is where some folks are going to find more stubble than they may expect.

What I mean is that if you do a charitable work to "find favor" either with the world or even with God then who is the deed intended to glorify? If I do this, God will be happy with ME. When the focus should be "If I do this then GOD will be happy." I think those "happy with me" things may also burn more than we may expect.

Also if you do things because you think you "have" to or with a wrong attitude, I think the stubble pile gets bigger. God sees past it all and examines the very heart behind everything you do.


That said, I also know that God loves us so very much that his grace covers us completely, his forgiveness perfect.:): For God SO LOVED.... SO loved.... And I know that he will wipe every tear from my eyes. I know every deed and every intent will be brought to light, but I also know how very much he loves us. So much so that Jesus died to forgive us.

I can do nothing good on my own or of my own. But I can allow God to work through me ~ because I love him. And it is His glory I seek. As much as I yearn to be with him, free of the flesh (Thank you Lord) and the world as it is, I am also going to hate disappointing him. (Not enough to keep me from wanting to go, no way, but hurtful to me just the same.)

More of you Lord, less of me, nothing of me. Pray for this daily! Submit daily! I think this is key to pleasing God and allowing his light to shine in the world. His glory! That is where all truly good comes from. And when that day comes, and it's coming soon, there won't be any fear, maybe some sadness and loss, but such tremendous gratitude and so much love!! It will be awesome.

I agree, Maranatha!!!:nod Come Lord Jesus!!

Thanks for this thread Medic. I need this reminder DAILY.:):

Edit to add...hope I didn't run off in too many directions here. I tend to think out loud sometimes. I'll be quiet now.:P:

[Byfaith]

There was a sign outside a church that read "God doesn't grade on a CURVE, He grades on a CROSS" Just thought it fit in with this :): because this post brought it to mind.