In these days of moral relativism (your truth is your truth and my truth is mine)…being “spiritual” is the new catch phrase. When someone calls themselves “spiritual”, I wonder what they mean. Do they understand that there is only one way to heaven?
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Maybe next time I hear that, I could be bold enough to dig deeper. I suppose the conversation could go something like this:
THEM: “I am a very spiritual person.”
ME: “Oh, I see. Are you a Christian?”
THEM: “What do you mean? … I pray a lot.”
ME: “Who do you pray to?”
THEM: “God, of course!”
ME: “And how is it that you have that kind of access to the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth?”
THEM: “Anyone can pray. God hears us all.”
ME: “Actually, the Bible says that God hears the prayers of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29; James 5:16)
THEM: “I’m a good person. God knows that.”
ME: “I’m sure you’re a good person. But how can you be sure you’re ‘good enough’ to be considered righteous by God?”
THEM: “I give much of my income to charity. I volunteer often. I am kind and helpful to everyone I meet. I don’t usually lie. I don’t swear. I’m a faithful spouse. I think I’m living a pretty good life.”
ME: “That’s a nice list. But do you know that God says that because we are all “infected with sin…our righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags”? (Isaiah 64:6)
THEM: “Well, what does God want me to do, then?”
ME: “He wants you to admit that you’ll never be ‘good enough’ on your own and to accept the free gift he offered to you through Jesus Christ.”
THEM: “How do I do that?”
ME: “Admit to God that you’re a sinner and that you need Jesus. Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9)
THEM: “Then what?”
ME: “Then your faith will be credited to you as righteousness.” (Romans 4:24 & 25)
THEM: “Just like that?”
ME: “Just like that! Then your eternity with God is sealed. Then you can be a light to others with all of the good things you do.” (Matthew 5:16)
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For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:23, 24 NLT)