| Chapter 1: The Gift, and the Giver | | Chapter 2: The Receipt of the Gift by Faith | | Chapter 3: The Relationship of Honor and Grace | | Chapter 4: Honor The Son By Honoring His Grace | | Chapter 5: Common Approaches to Salvation by Works | | Chapter 6: Common Approaches to Salvation by Works | | Chapter 7: The Purpose of the Law. | | Chapter 8: The Enemies of Grace | | Chapter 9: Grace - The Eve of the Battle | | Chapter 10: Grace--The Battle Begins | | Chapter 11: Grace - The Debate Goes Public | | Chapter 12: The Jerusalem Counsel | | Chapter 13: Guerrilla Tactics in the War On Grace | | Chapter 14: The Four Perversions of Grace-- 1 & 2 |
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The Doctrine of Grace
by
Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D.
Common Approaches to Salvation by Works
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THE BALANCE SCALE
"But I've done very many wonderful things in my time!"
In many cultures, balance scales have been used to engage in commercial transactions. In more sophisticated cultures, the balance scales were simply used to confirm the accurate weight of gold or silver, which was a universal commodity for purchase. In barter cultures, however, unrelated items must be balanced against each other.
Many people picture a similar means by which God will measure a man's good works against his wicked works to determine the eternal destiny of that man.
(In future editions, this space will include a picture of a balance scale. In one balance will be "Acts of nobility, charity, and good works." The other scale will be marked "sins and transgressions."
MOST PICTURE GOD'S JUDGMENT AS A BALANCE SCALE IN WHICH GOD WEIGHTS A MAN'S SINS AGAINST HIS ACTS OF CHARITY AND NOBILITY TO DETERMINE THE MAN'S ETERNAL DESTINY.
To barter, however, both parties must value the relative items equally, and desire to exchange them.
If a commodity is worthless to one of the parties, no exchange will take place.
Imagine trying to purchase a new Mercedes-Benz by offering sea shells or peanuts to an automobile dealer. The owner would be quick to point out that this manner of payment was not acceptable to him. Some form of money would be required in payment.
Similarly, man cannot erase sins by obeying the law or doing good deeds because obedience and good deeds are not the currency which God has decreed must be paid for sin. The only payment which can be offered in payment for man's sin is the shedding of blood and death of an innocent victim.
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. . . So Christ was offered once to bears the sins of many."
(Hebrews 9:22, 28)
To attempt to pay for one's sins by one's acts of goodness and kindness is as foolish as trying to purchase a new car with sea shells or peanuts. It is not an acceptable form of currency to God. Celibacy and gentleness cannot erase past adultery and murder. Obedience, charity and kindness cannot erase past sins.
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MAKING PROGRESS IS NOT SUFFICIENT:
"But Your Honor, I haven't done it since the last time I did it!"
In many areas of life we are judged more heavily by our most recent performance. Previous failures may often be ignored if progress is being made in some endeavor.
In matters of law however, a thousand years of obedience cannot undo the reality of a transgression.
Imagine standing in front of a traffic court judge, and telling him that you should receive leniency since you have not committed the same crime since you received the traffic citation for which you are currently on trial.
The judge would probably say, "That's very good to hear. But you still owe $320 for the one time you failed to stop.
The same is true with regard to God's laws. God evaluates one's entire life, not the last five years of it. Obedience to the law therefore cannot provide man with salvation. "Turning from one's sins" cannot rewrite past history nor erase the reality of sins which have already been committed.
A season of celibacy cannot erase the sin of adultery, and a season of kindness cannot erase the sin of murder.
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Chapter 5: Common Approaches to Salvation by Works |
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