Object Lessons - 5 minute devotions to give - Scales
You were thinking, I meant fish scales? I was first introduced to this concept at an attorney's office. He had some scales of justice in his office and explained to me how the legal system works. He said that the plaintiff presents his case and all the evidence goes in one side of the scale and the balance tips toward guilty. Then the defendant presents all his evidence which goes in the other side weighing toward innocence.Whoever has the preponderance or the weightier side wins. I got to thinking, all religions use this in some way. Religions are all about us being separated from "God" somehow and how we get on his side so we can go to "heaven". All religions except real Christianity say to put things on the innocent side of the scale and if we do enough things to please "God" (even killing infidels) we can balance out our bad Karma and attain Nirvana.
Christianity, also believes in justice. In fact we believe in a God who is loving but also Just and says "The soul that sins shall die", "The day you eat from that tree you will die", "The wages of sin is death". The difference is that we believe sin is so heinous (see blog http://thoughtsfromtherightbrain.blogspot.com/2013/06/jesus-is-remedy.html ) that there is nothing we can do to counterbalance it. In fact sin is so insidious that even our efforts to be good are sinful. Picture this; Valentine's Day is coming or your anniversary so you are going to buy your sweetheart some flowers. Why- because you love her! That's good! Why else - because you will be in trouble if you don't; you will be sleeping in the proverbial doghouse. Or when she compares notes with her friends you will be looking like a chump. All our good deeds are ruined by selfishness at the core. The Bible says "All our righteousness is as filthy rags", "fuel for the fire". Therefore even though we think we are piling up good on the innocent side, it is actually going on the guilty side. Not only that, but God has provided a remedy for our sins and every time we try to earn our salvation another way, we are saying that we know more than God. So what is our hope?
(Take out a heavy cross and place it on the innocent side) Jesus died for our sins. Since the soul that sins shall die, Jesus died for us. Since "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins", Jesus shed His blood for us. Since we were under the curse of sin Jesus died on a cross because "cursed is anyone who dies on a tree". And then He rose from the dead to defeat Satan and give us eternal life and all that is not by works but by freely receiving by faith His death on the cross for us.
How do you know if you are trusting Christ or your works? It's easy. Ask yourself this question - When I stand before the Lord some day and He asks "Why should I let you into My kingdom"? - what is your answer? If it sounds anything like "I've been" or "I've done" or "I haven't done" or "I've tried..." that means you are trusting your works and if I could be so bold, let me say, you aren't saved. Eph. 2:8,9 says "By grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest anyone boast." The answer is "I don't deserve to come in so I'm trusting in your Son's sacrifice for me" If that is your answer, you are saved. Now live like a free person!
