“When the bad outweighs the good”

I want to start this write up by giving a snippet on Islam. ISLAM is the world’s second largest religion with a following of over one billion people called Muslims—one-fifth of humanity. The word “Islam” actually means “submission to God.” Therefore, “a Muslim is one who strives to submit to God".  Islam is fundamentally different from Christianity. Islam is a works-oriented religion, while Christian faith is based on salvation by grace through faith as a result of the shed blood of Christ. Muslims around the world do good deeds because the Quran teaches you must have more good works than bad to get into paradise. “Then those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], they are the successful” (Qs 23:102). On Judgment Day, Allah will put their deeds on a scale. If the good deeds tip the scale, they will go to paradise. But if there are more bad deeds, they will go to hell.

 Let us now come back to the understanding of scriptures (Holy Bible) where it declares in Ephesians 1:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boasts” We cannot save us by our righteousness or merely by our good works because the Bible says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Thankfully it does not end there but gives us hope because of the Son given to us and who died on the cross of Calvary for the remission of our sins (Galatians 1:4).

What do you think is the problem if we borrow the understanding of trying to ensure good outweighing the bad? The Bible says in James 1:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” It is not the gross good or meagre evil that justifies you or condemns you, it’s the one disobedience itself which is capable to separate you from God. Once a theologian brilliantly quoted “Many believe that one needs to discipline himself to perform good deeds in order to master his faults and weakness. They don’t necessarily correlate except that the resources for sinning are channeled in doing good. Doing good doesn’t conquer faults which have to be handled at an entirely different level.”. We are transported from Compliance level to conscience level and He is big enough “..to cleanse our conscience from dead works..” (Hebrew 9:14) when we acknowledge and accept His forgiveness.

You relish in what you invested. Allow me to comment this before I wind up this short write up. We are all building memories therefore build it good so that it will cherish you, inspire you, encourage you and build you while you are old. Most of the people regret later because of wrong moves and failed action. Also let us understand, our mind will keep drawing out what we have invested, therefore the goodness stored will refresh us and draw us closer to God, but if it is otherwise, then it is much likely that our memories will remind us and allure us for yet another fall. Ask God for His grace to be assured of his forgiveness and hold on to the goodness of the Lord.  May God Bless you.

Blessings,

David Raj