But I'm a good person...

Today: Ezekiel 31-33

Have you ever heard someone say, "But I'm a good person..."?

I have.

Most religions are based on the idea that, "If you're good enough, then you can get into Heaven/have a great life/be healthy and prosperous/yada yada yada." :) But God isn't the God of good enough--and He's not into religion as much as He's into relationships with us.

I thought this passage (surprise: from the Old Testament!) was really interesting. Take a look at God's words to the prophet Ezekiel:

"There's more, son of man. Tell your people,

'A good person's good life won't save him

when he decides to rebel,

and a bad person's bad life won't prevent him

from repenting of his rebellion.

A good person who sins can't expect to live when he chooses to sin.

It's true

that I tell good people,

"Live! Be alive!"

But if they trust in their good deeds

and turn to evil,

that good life won't amount to a hill of beans.

They'll die for their evil life.
"'On the other hand, if I tell a wicked person,

"You'll die for your wicked life,"

and he repents of his sin

and starts living a righteous and just life—

being generous to the down-and-out,

restoring what he had stolen,

cultivating life-nourishing ways that don't hurt others—

he'll live.

He won't die.

None of his sins will be kept on the books.

He's doing what's right, living a good life.

He'll live.
"'Your people say,

"The Master's way isn't fair."

But it's the way they're living that isn't fair.

When good people turn back from living good lives

and plunge into sin,

they'll die for it.

And when a wicked person turns away from his wicked life

and starts living a just and righteous life,

he'll come alive.
"'Still, you keep on saying, "The Master's way isn't fair."

We'll see,

Israel.

I'll decide on each of you exactly according to how you live.'"

There are a few very important things about this passage that we need to talk about:

1. It's from the Old Testament...which means Jesus hadn't entered the scene yet. Sin separated mankind from God and there really wasn't a way for people to have eternal life beyond trying to follow God's law...and sacrificing animals as token payments for their sins (thank goodness we don't have to do this today--Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice).

2. Is it possible for good people to plunge into sin? YES! Is it possible for people to be perfect in every way? NO! The main point of this passage (and one of the key points of the entire Bible)? Goodness doesn't save you or me--God does.

3. God saves "bad" people who ask for His forgiveness. (And guess what? All of us are sinners, unworthy of Heaven and a relationship with God.)

4. God's way of doing things doesn't seem fair to most people. Perhaps it's because that by definition, grace and salvation are not based on fairness. It's not about what we deserve. At all.

5. Salvation in the Old Testament, New Testament and today is based on faith in God--and a commitment to follow Him. We are saved by grace, through faith. Yet at the same time, the Bible also teaches that, "faith without works is dead." Does God expect His people to be perfect? No way!!! But when we really love God, we start to live life God's way--it's putting faith in action.

* For more on this topic, see Romans 3:21-28, James 2:14-25, and Galatians 2:15-21.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 34-36

"It's not fair!"

Today: Genesis 38-40

"It's not fair!" is a pretty common statement and thought for many people. Today is Thanksgiving day in the U.S. and while many are feeling pretty grateful, I'm sure some "It's not fair!" exclamations were made...as in "It's not fair! My favorite football team lost!" or "It's not fair! I can't eat pie and stay thin like my sister!"

But perhaps there were more serious statements, too. Someone probably thought, "It's not fair! I should be home with my family instead of sick at this hospital" or "It's not fair!
I should have food--at least a turkey--to feed my kids."

Even though all of us have plenty of things to be thankful for (if you're reading this, you're breathing...and reading...so there's two!), life doesn't always seem fair. What do you do in the "It's not fair!" moments in your life?

In today's passage, it was very interesting to read about two people--Tamar and Joseph--who faced extremely "unfair" situations.

Tamar was a widow whose husband "grievously offended God and God took his life." She was a woman who could have been seriously angry at her husband and God. To top it off, her husband's family treated her poorly. Their tradition stated that her deceased husband's brother(s) should have married her--restoring her place in their family and her livelihood. Instead, she was basically left to fend for herself.

Tamar took a unique approach to her "It's not fair!" situation--she resourcefully (maybe even deviously?) tricked her father-in-law (the same guy who unjustly kept his youngest son from marrying her) into sleeping with her and taking her back into the family. Wow. I don't know many people today who would still have that fight, that courage, within them to go after what was rightfully theirs...and back then, it would have been even more difficult for a widow to do so.

What's really amazing is that Tamar's name is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. First of all, women's names didn't normally appear in genealogies. At. All. But the fact that this once abandoned...and later scandalously courageous...woman was mentioned as one of Jesus' ancestors? That's mindblowing.

The other person who faced an "It's not fair!" situation in today's passage was Joseph...again. The guy sold by his brothers into slavery is thrown into jail unjustly--because he actually did the right thing! To top it off, he helps two politically well-connected guys in jail by interpreting their dreams. And at the end of the passage, we learn that one of the guys (Pharaoh's cup bearer) was restored to his place of honor...only to forget Joseph, the guy who helped him. It's not fair!

Throughout today's chapters, you won't read that Tamar or Joseph said anything resembling "It's not fair!" even once. Tamar powers through her unjust situation through her ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness. Joseph just keeps trusting God, working hard, doing and being his best. God saw their attitudes and their hearts and completely turned around their unfair circumstances. We've got more reading to do before we find out the rest of the story...

Tomorrow: Genesis 41-42