On The Last Day, Jesus

The Story Goes That A Public Sinner Was Excommunicated And Forbidden Entry To The Church. He Took His Woes To God. 'they Won't Let Me In, Lord, Because I Am A Sinner.' 'what Are You Complaining About?' Said God. 'they Won't Let Me In Either.

The Forgiveness Of God Is Gratuitous Liberation From Guilt. Paradoxically, The Conviction Of Personal Sinfulness Becomes The Occasion Of Encounter With The Merciful Love Of The Redeeming God. "there Will Be More Rejoicing In Heaven Over One Sinner Repenting..." (luke 15:7). In His Brokenness, The Repentant Prodigal Knew An Intimacy With His Father That His Sinless, Self-righteous Brother Would Never Know.

Sheer Scholarship Alone Cannot Reveal To Us The Gospel Of Grace. We Must Never Allow The Authority Of Books, Institutions, Or Leaders To Replace The Authority Of Knowing Jesus Christ Personally And Directly. When The Religious Views Of Others Interpose Between Us And The Primary Experience Of Jesus As The Christ, We Become Unconvicted And Unpersuasive Travel Agents Handing Out Brochures To Places We Have Never Visited.

The Noonday Devil Of The Christian Life Is The Temptation To Lose The Inner Self While Preserving The Shell Of Edifying Behavior. Suddenly I Discover That I Am Ministering To Aids Victims To Enhance My Resume. I Find I Renounced Ice Cream For Lent To Lose Five Excess Pounds... I Have Fallen Victim To What T.s. Eliot Calls The Greatest Sin: To Do The Right Thing For The Wrong Reason.

The Ragamuffin Who Sees His Life As A Voyage Of Discovery And Runs The Risk Of Failure Has A Better Feel For Faithfulness Than The Timid Man Who Hides Behind The Law And Never Finds Out Who He Is At All.