What sets Christianity apart from other world religions is this idea that one is saved by God's grace only and that one cannot enough good to earn any of it (Ephesians2:8). It is not that Christianity does
not believe in human effort or good works. The truth is that Christianity has
done more good in this world than any other religion. It has given birth to
such organizations as the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army and
through such Christians as Mother Teresa has done much to care for the poor and
the impoverished in this world. But Christianity is also a religion of
humility before the greatness of God. It is not that Christianity does not
believe in good works or human effort, it is that Christianity does not believe
that a human being can do enough to enter heaven
without God’s help. It is not that Christianity is arrogant or narrow-minded.
It is actually a sign of humility that Christians claim Jesus, the help sent by
God as the way to God and does not claim to have a spiritual or moral map-quest to God. Christianity’s assessment of the human condition
is sober, because it realizes that humans corrupted by sin are unable to keep
the high standard of God’s law. For that reason Apostle Paul in Romans 7:14 writes, “For we know that the law is spiritual but I
am of the flesh, sold into slavery to sin…For I do not do what I want, but I do
the very thing I hate.” Paul describes well the human predicament, the
inability of a human to overcome the tendency to sin.
In fact, it is the do it yourself religious philosophy that seems arrogant. As Ajith Fernando, a Christian scholar from Sri Lanka pointed out in a sermon, self sufficiency is a product of the human pride that says we do not need God, we do not want a Savior and that we can do it ourselves. And pride as we know is the source of all sorts of sin. Therefore, “you can save yourself” religious or secular philosophy actually is the product of that pride of self-sufficiency of humanity which itself was the first sin against God. In Genesis 3 we read that humanity wanted to be God themselves instead of letting God be the God. On the other hand Christianity’s emphasis on the grace of God and on faith or trust in Jesus Christ for salvation is a reversal of that pride. It is regarded as righteousness in the Bible because it relies not on self but on God (Romans 4:5).
In fact, it is the do it yourself religious philosophy that seems arrogant. As Ajith Fernando, a Christian scholar from Sri Lanka pointed out in a sermon, self sufficiency is a product of the human pride that says we do not need God, we do not want a Savior and that we can do it ourselves. And pride as we know is the source of all sorts of sin. Therefore, “you can save yourself” religious or secular philosophy actually is the product of that pride of self-sufficiency of humanity which itself was the first sin against God. In Genesis 3 we read that humanity wanted to be God themselves instead of letting God be the God. On the other hand Christianity’s emphasis on the grace of God and on faith or trust in Jesus Christ for salvation is a reversal of that pride. It is regarded as righteousness in the Bible because it relies not on self but on God (Romans 4:5).
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