Tag Archives: fairness

“WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL”

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

QUESTION. In Luke 1:51-53, Mary appears to be speaking under inspiration when she says of God, “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away” (ESV, from which most quotes are taken here). My questions are these: do these words imply that God is against the rich? Do they imply that Christians should support a socialistic economic theory? Should we … Continue reading →

Saved by Grace #1 — GRACE ISN’T FAIR, BUT THAT’S GOOD!

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

Almost everyone develops a “fairness mentality” to some degree. We are conditioned from childhood to respect and seek fairness, otherwise known as justice. We know what it means to deserve (or not deserve) something. Very early in life, kids learn to say, “That’s not fair!” Most of the world, including many groups and individuals within Christendom, try to apply the fairness mentality to salvation itself. The assumption is that only those who are “good enough” go to heaven. Long ago I saw the results of some random answers to the question, “What are your chances of going to heaven?” One … Continue reading →

Saved by Grace #2 — SAVED BY GRACE, NOT BY LAW

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

Think of heaven (just for the purpose of this illustration) as a gigantic city enclosed by an impenetrable and unscalable wall. You can see this city from afar, and you desperately want to enter into it. Your life is a journey toward it. As you begin to get closer to this heavenly city, you can see that there are two gates that allow entry through the wall. Soon you can see that each gate has a large sign above it. Over one gate the sign says “LAW,” and over the other the sign says “GRACE.” And then you understand. Theoretically … Continue reading →