Four Words God Will Never Say

"Let's be perfectly honest," the author wrote as he was explaining to his readers how "to receive pardon for your sins, peace in your mind and heart, and power in your life-power to live a godly and victorious life."

The author's intent in the article was to answer objections people give as to why they aren't Christians. In turn, he took up the objections, "I don't understand the Bible," "too many hypocrites in the church," "I can't hold out," and "someday, not now."

Then he came to a fourth reason: "I'm not a Christian because I would have to give up too much." We can see where an objector might make such a statement. If he attends church, he would hear a roll call of sins preached against. The sins would vary depending on his location. If he lived in one region, he might hear powerful sermons against smoking, but not if he lived in Kentucky or North Carolina, the Tobacco Road States.

If he lived in the north, he might hear sermons about the "sin" of wearing cosmetics, but not in the South. Then there would be invective sermons leading the charge against drinking. But if he ever read Deuteronomy 24 or John 2, or I Timothy he might wonder what all the fuss was about. Then, for good measure, he might hear a one-month series of sermons against legalized bingo if his state legislature was about to consider such a nefarious bill.

Nonetheless, we can see where it would be a fast and easy conclusion for him to come to that "to receive pardon for [his] sins" he must stop smoking and drinking and it might be good for him to lecture his wife on the "evils" of Mary Kay. (Never mind about the bingo, he's in the clear there since he considers the game a waste of time and he's too tight to spend the money for a card.)

To answer the objection, "I have to give up too much," the author explains, "Let's be perfectly honest: there is something to give up, and something to take up. The drunkard must give up his liquor and take up a sober life; the gambler must give up his gambling and take up an industrious life; the immoral person must give up his immorality and take up a righteous and pure life; the selfish person must give up his selfishness and take up a generous life."

As he looks at the author's list of things we must give up for everlasting life, the serious questioner might ask, "Why did the author name those sins and omit others? Once he starts the list, where does it stop? Does it ever stop? Do I have to give up smoking? Do I stop lying now and then? What if my doctor tells me to take a drink? Do I have to give up being judgmental? How about envy? What about overeating? Doesn't Proverbs say that's a sin? Is heaven only for the slim? Do I work out a deal with Him about what I'll give up?"

If the objector reads John 4, he will find that Jesus never mentions "giving up" and "taking up" to the woman. To the serial monogamist (her marital record is about the same as Elizabeth Taylor's) at the well, Jesus tells her not to give up any sin and then take up whatever," but to drink of the water of everlasting life.

"Drink (believe) once and you will never thirst again, He promised. She doesn't have to give up any sin(s), including the present one she's committing. The issue for her and the objector is believing in Jesus words, that is, that He guarantees everlasting life to all who believe Him for it.

The author of that article just couldn't leave it alone.

He just has to tamper with it. He just has to change John 3:16, John 6:40, John 11:25-27, and Acts 16:32 by importing works into those verses. He refuses to let the word "believe" stand alone. He must make his additions of hubris. He must add, "Believe and give up . . . and then take up . . . ." With such give-it-up-additions we can make a name for ourselves, we can work to break the habits, we can start to erect our own towers of righteousness and then we will "have something to boast about," the very thing Paul condemns in the book of Romans.

Everlasting life is a "gift," Jesus says in John 4. Gifts exclude works; if a person works for something, it's not a gift. Salvation is an absolutely free gift to all who believe.

So salvation isn't dealing with God about what we'll give up and take up because it's a gift. Four words God will never say? "Let's make a deal."

Dr. Mike Halsey,
Pastor, County Line Church

*Tuesday, May 30, 2006 Section A, page 1