The Scale of Sin

A day's work, a night's sleep given up to serve others, surely I am saved now? Nope, never, negative, how many times must I remind the me that good works done to save the self is the very definition of selfish? Had Jesus died on the cross to save Himself first it would have done us no good. I cannot hope to pile enough good deeds on some scale that I cannot see in a vain (that's the selfish vain) hope of at least balancing the sin. How horrible to have to stand in line at the judgment day hoping the weight of good deeds I bring is enough to make the scales tip in my favor.

Imagine for a moment that is the case. God sits behind a giant balance scale. A soul approaches the judgment stand with his bag of good deeds. God places the sin we all bear on one side. It is black and heavy, as in uranium heavy, so dense that no light escapes and it seems to seduce more light into it. The scale tips the wrong way with a hearty clang. Uh-oh...

The sinner, for that is what the scale says now, approaches and begins to lay the ping pong balls of good deeds on the other side. A lifetime's worth of occasional good deeds piled up as high as the scale can hold quite fails to move the sin upward one bit. Sorry, pal, it still says sinner in spite of all your efforts. Then, just when all hope seems lost, Jesus takes the weight of sin away. "I paid for this, it doesn't belong here!" He says.

Not one of us can ever hope to make up for the wrong we have done by performing good deeds. None can apply enough good works to balance the sin of Adam that weighs us down. Our hope is in Christ. Jesus saves.

Rejoice in Christ this week!
Bucky