BEING GOOD WON’T GET YOU TO HEAVEN – BEING BAD WON’T KEEP YOU OUT

That’s a shocking title, isn’t it? But it’s shocking only because much of what we believe is based on culture and folklore, not necessarily on truth. We believe what we believe because we’ve always believed it, and we’ve always believed it because everybody else does.

The result is that our religious opinions are shaped by the thoughts of the few, accepted by the many who can’t be bothered thinking things through for themselves, and often our understanding of God is based on little more than myth.

For me, when it comes to the relationship between God and his creation, there are only two options. Either God is a celestial puppeteer, directing every tiny detail of our lives, or he’s not. If he’s not – which is what I believe – then he doesn’t stick his nose in where it’s not wanted. Rather, he waits in the wings of our lives offering guidance to help us avoid life’s potholes, and comfort for when don’t listen and mess up.

The trouble is, few of us ever risk arriving at our own conclusions, we prefer to feed on the second hand thoughts of others. The basis of the Christian life is knowing exactly where we stand with this God of ours. And this is it: he has given us the freedom to live as we wish, and the wisdom to live as we ought. Sadly, not many will ever experience the wonderful liberty that Jesus talked so much about and that he lived and died to make available to us.

There’s a story told about Willie John the Cullybackey man who made the pilgrimage to Ballymena to buy a new pair of Wellies.

He poked about in the general store until he found the ones he wanted, plain black and half price, tied together by a piece of string and hanging on a nail. He bought them and shuffled off home. Next week he was back.

‘It’s not like you Willie John to be here two Saturdays in a row. What’s wrong? Are yer boots alright?’

‘Och they’re great Tom,’ says he. ‘I just wondered if you’d have a pair with a longer piece of string.’ It hadn’t occurred to him to cut the string that was restricting his movement so he couldn’t enjoy his new boots.

You know, I haven’t been to a church service in a while – I’ll tell you why some other day, but for more years than I care to count I was there several times a week. And never once did I hear the gospel of freedom preached, not once. You want to know why? Sixteenth century Statesman Sir Thomas More understood well. Of King Henry the eighth he said, ‘Tell the king what he ought to do, not what he may do. For if a lion knew his own strength, hard were it for any man to rule him.’

Cut the cords. Enjoy your hard-won freedom.