…or just being a good person will do (?)

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Catholicism

A recent interview added one more piece to the less-than-orthodox portrait of the current pope.  Theology has not been Francis’ strong suit.

Taking questions from a group of children, the pope was confronted with a question no one enjoys answering, about the fate of a loved one who died separated from the Lord.  Specifically, a young boy asked about his deceased atheist father.

This is a question that should be answered with great sensitivity and care, and with an unswerving devotion to the truth.  Pope Francis answered with great sensitivity and care.  But as regards truth…well, he told the boy that even though his father was an atheist, since he was obviously a good father God would not keep him away from Himself.

Orthodox Protestantism maintains that we are justified by faith alone.  Orthodox Catholicism maintains that we are justified by faith and works (a savvy Catholic can say faith alone, but they mean faith and works).  For Pope Francis, it would seem, just works will do.

Jesus is the only way, and apart from Him there is no eternal life.  To give false hope to those who are grieving may seem merciful, but it is poison for lost souls.

Identity in Christ

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Identity

How often do we, as Christians, think about our identity in Christ?  It is a marvelous thing, and I suspect that we would be stronger in faith, holier in life, and firmer in hope if we dwelt more on the glorious gift of newness God has given us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

See how the apostle Peter describes it:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)

Those are remarkable words.  In a culture struggling for identity and finding it in all kinds of shallow, destructive, and misguided ways, God offers a new and wonderful identity to those who come to Him in Jesus Christ.

Instead of being lost we become part of the chosen people; instead of insignificance and separation from God we are made into a royal priesthood; instead of being fallen and alone we are built into a holy nation; instead of being enemies of God we become His special possession.

This new identity comes with a new calling, the vocation of praise.  We have been given newness and lifted up in order to declare God’s praises and worship our Savior.  And this calling to praise reflects the new life and hope we have entered, having been called out of darkness into his wonderful light.

This is a glory the world cannot match or comprehend, an identity that should make us supremely grateful and shape every aspect of our lives.

Faithful

Do you ever worry that you might fall away from God’s grace?  That your faith will fail?  That God will give up on you?

“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6, CSB)

Those are words of the apostle Paul to the Christians in the ancient city of Philippi, and they have a message for us today.  Our hope is not in ourselves but in God, and in God we have a sure and certain hope indeed.

The wonderful message of the gospel is that even though we are utterly lost in the darkness of sin and unable to save ourselves, we still have hope because God’s light pierces any darkness and He is fully able to save all of those who will turn to Him in faith.  The gospel (“good news”) is all about God, His grace, His strength, His faithfulness.

That means that no matter how weak we are, we can still have hope in Him.

And this hope rests in God through and through.  God doesn’t just draw us to Himself, He holds onto us in His love and grace.  That doesn’t mean that we aren’t called to draw near to God and to follow Christ each and every day—we are.  But it does mean that we never need fear that God will abandon us.

God is faithful.  God finishes what He begins.  Praise be to God for His boundless and wonderful love.