A ROWBOAT TO HEAVEN

If one could work his or her way to heaven I’m sure there would be plenty of people lined up in the waiting aisle for the chance to take their turn. I think that if you could convince people this was possible the appeal would be great even if the suggestion does sound a bit unrealistic.

I only mention it to point out the basic element of barrier at times for us in our capacity to truly trust God. That is the need for control. So for some, they want a “rowboat” instead. Which translates simply into some means we can use our own strength that will allow us to reach heaven by our own effort.

The scriptures to me are clear that the “just shall live by faith.” Yet there sure are plenty of people out there teaching that the truth is if you use their version of rowboat you’ll get to heaven. They’ll even provide the oars of conformity and a map of rules to guarantee that you will get to heaven.

Now the big problem with their rowboats is that the person handing them out is still on earth. It isn’t like they have been to heaven and just dropped by for coffee to share their experience and help somebody else get to that destination.

So how come when they aren’t any closer to heaven than anyone else we take their word for how their rowboat version will guarantee we reach heaven? That’s a question each person would have to answer for himself.

Perhaps the problem is that the rowboat they offer just looks impressive. Maybe it has the wood of self-righteousness that has been whitewashed with their claims of living a “godly” life. Of course the one thing you can’t do is look underneath that coat of paint to find out about the stains of sin underneath. Otherwise you might get depressed and doubt how well the rowboat is really going to work.

As we search for insight and hopefully seek God’s truth through his word and trust in the Lord Jesus for our salvation above all it is important to see heaven as a destination that we will only reach in eternity. Some try to find it now by turning this life into heaven.

I don’t think that ever works. But I doubt they will be honest when it doesn’t. For if they did you wouldn’t support what they say.

This too is a form of spiritual rowboat. And when it comes to Christianity and problem almost any religion the number of boat builders out there is so plentiful.

However God would prefer that instead of trying to use a rowboat we instead allow his holy spirit to give us wings. The kinds of wings that allow us to soar while others are so busy rowing and trying to impress others with their labors. Their sweating garments my prove their enthusiasm, but it is never a substitute for having your garments washed by the blood of the lamb. I pray we learn to fly with God’s spirit far better than spending all our time with rowboats that are going nowhere.