How Good is Your Balance?

- Roy Timpe

I have a friend, who used to work with me, who believes that God places all your good works on one side of a balance and all your sins on the other side of the balance. If the balance tips to the good side, you go to heaven. If it tips to the bad side, you go to hell. Perhaps he gets this idea from the handwriting on the wall described in the book of book of Daniel (5:27) thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. This verse refers to God's assessment of the Babylonian Empire, it is not telling how sinful men are to be made righteous before a just God.

Notice that in this system there is no need of Christ. No need of a Messiah. Our problem is that our good deeds will never outweigh our sins. The bible teaches that, all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understands, There is none that seeks after God; They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that does good, no, not, so much as one. (Rom 3:10 ff)

Our problem is that the bad side of our balance is weighted down with sin. That is both sin that we have done ourselves and the sinful nature we inherited from our fathers. This sin nature was ultimately inherited from the first man. Paul teaches this in Romans 5:12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned.

Now let's look at good works. Nearly everyone has good works. We may give money to the United Way at the office. We may volunteer with the fire company or the ambulance corps. We may help our parents, or do other volunteer work. There are many good works we do.

Our good works are like this feather. They look fine and good, but they are not usefull in counterbalancing the sin. In fact, our good works are are less useful than the feather. If we honestly examine these good works we find that they are often done for the wrong motives. We wanted our boss to see our contribution at the office. It would help us with the office politics. We enjoy the status our volunteer work gives us in the community. Perhaps we like running through traffic with a blue light on our car. If we are really honest with ourselves, we realize our good works actually belong on the bad side of the balance. Even our best good works are done with the wrong motives. The bible says, all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isa 64:6)

>

So then, this is our condition with out Christ, our balance is hopelessly loaded down with sin, and we have no hope of performing any good work satisfactory to tip the balance toward the good side. In this condition we are doomed to spend eternity in hell.

What happens when a person comes to Christ?

What did Christ do? Jesus came to earth and lived a life in perfect obedience to God. His life was righteous. He was not only righteous. in that he did not sin. Jesus was both actively and passively righteous. He was actively obedient to God the Father.

When a person comes to Christ, God performs a miracle. He credits Christ's righteousness to the good side of our balance. That is the full weight of Christ's perfect obedience to the father. The righteousness of Christ is more than satisfactory to counterbalance our sin, and “good” works done for the wrong motives.

To make matters even better, God empties the bad side of our balance. Our sins have been placed on Christ at the cross and are covered by His blood. They are paid for in full by His finished work on the cross. Jesus, the infinite God, suffering for a finite time, in obedience to the Father, to pay for sins that would require finite men to suffer for eternity. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps, who did not sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth." Who, when he was cursed, didn't curse back. When he suffered, didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:21 – 24)

When we view what God does for us when we come to Christ, we have to agree with Paul, that "no man can boast." Look at Paul's words in context:

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Notice the good works are a result of God's grace. They are the evidence of His work in our lives. Paul says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

What is the condition of your balance before God? The only way to have your balance tip to the good side, is to have God do it for you. Your own efforts at good works will never suffice. Call upon the name of the Lord. Ask God to credit the Righteousness of Christ to the good side of your balance. Acknowledge that Christ paid for your sin in full with His blood. Ask God to apply this forgiveness to you. There is no other way. Jesus himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)