The idea of the "home front" rose to prominence during the first and second world wars. As society became more industrialized, the winning of wars--which historically had depended upon battle strategy, skill, and resolve--became increasingly dependent upon which country could churn out the most munitions and machines. The battles were fought on the front lines, but civilians understood that the war could not be won unless those on the home front contributed their efforts.
The home front conjures up pictures of Rosie the Riveter...
One of the greatest self-deceptions regarding guilt is to not feel any guilt. One may think, “I’ve lived my life as best as is possible. What is there to feel guilty about?” There are multitudes who so live under this illusion that they are innocent. Repentance is not a necessary concept within their framework. They reason that God could not possibly be so limited in his acceptance.
I have been asked countless times in many cultures a question that seeks to make the Christian faith look unfair. People will ask, “Are you saying that so and so, who lived such a good life, may be in hell?” What the questioner in some cases tries to imply is that there is no such thing as hell. If hell is exempted for “good” people, what happens to the “bad” ones? Are they content, then, with even that reality—that the “bad” people indeed have a “bad” destiny? So who is “good” and more importantly, what criteria do we use?
In 1999 the Barna Research Group found in a national study that most people believe that heaven “is an outcome to be earned through their good character or behavior.” I shudder to think of how few there would be in heaven if goodness determined the number. What are we talking about when we say good? Is it up to each of us to define what is good enough?
There is only one who has the right to define good, and that is God. That is precisely why the message of Christianity is not one whereby we earn our way into heaven. Such a concept is completely out of keeping with what God has to offer us. Jesus did not come into this world to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live. In fact, when He was questioned by some as to why He was spending time with “sinners,” He replied, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
You see, even our best deeds can often be self-serving. We all need the grace of God to enter heaven and to be freed from our guilt. Claiming innocence in the eyes of God is unjustifiable, for Jesus himself said, “No one is good except God alone.” The most virtuous person in this world is not too virtuous to need God’s grace and thanks be to God for this hope! Ravi Zacharias
=============== Please note: If you see a UNC student or a liberal reading 'Thought & Humor', please explain to them which is thought & which is humor. They always get it backwards.......