“So, tell me about yourself? What are your weaknesses and strengths? Why should I let you into My heaven?”
If salvation was like a job interview, what would you say?
When I asked a friend, “Why would God let you into His heaven?” her answer was like a job interview. “Well,” Kate started, “I have a lot to offer. I am a happy person and will help keep the happy vibe of the place.”
Or another person I spoke to on the street one night explained he had given his neighbour $10 when he needed money to pay a bill. His good deed, he said, showed that he was a good person and therefore qualified him for a spot in heaven.
God, don’t miss this opportunity!
Resumes and job interviews are meant to impress. So do you think the Creator is in debt of your virtues and feels obligated to let you in? We often think that our good deeds impress God. Like our resumes, we convince ourselves of our brilliance. God would be crazy to miss the opportunity to sign us up, right? And these virtues, we say, far out way any sins (if we haven’t cognitively restructured them to label them as not a problem, or forget them).
Why Jesus?
The problem with my friend Kate’s specious logic is it fails to answer the question of “why then did Jesus have to die?” If salvation is like a job interview where we try to project our best self forward to get the position, then why would Jesus have come to die? Wouldn’t this be a pointless and cruel death if we can do it ourselves?!
Jesus’ resume is better
The answer comes in a humble reality that our resumes aren’t that good compared to what God demands: loving Him with ALL our heart and loving others as ourselves. Our resumes fail to meet the job requirements.
But what He demands He also provides. Jesus’ resume is spotless: perfect obedience and always loving. The good news is that Jesus’ death paid the price for our pride and in an amazing act of grace Jesus’ resume is credited to us.
In Ephesians chapter 2 from verse 4 it explains, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Our resumes are useless because of our “transgressions.” Yet Jesus’ free gift sees us hired for His service (to use the job metaphor).
That is why Jesus died: to remove our transgressions from our resume and give us His perfect CV. Our part is to thank Him for His great love and to live Life in its fullness to reflect this joy.
This simple concept takes all the pressure off trying to be better to earn that job. It allows us to be a human being made in His image for His glory rather than human “doings” striving for achievement for our resumes for our own glory.
So why should you get the job? Because your resume and reference point to Jesus.
Jeremy Dover is a former sports scientist and Pastor
Jeremy Dover's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/jeremy-dover.html
Jeremy Dover is a former sports scientist and Pastor
Jeremy Dover's previous articles may be viewed at https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/jeremy-dover1.html
And https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/jeremy-dover.html