Good News About the “Good Place”

Written by:Pastor Jim Lennon

Ask anyone on the street what God will use at the final judgment to decide whether they will go to heaven or hell, and most will answer their good works and bad works.  Everyone will get what they deserve based on what they did in this life.  Something like that philosophy is the basic theological conclusion of every religion in the world – except Christianity.

It is the popular view that you are likely to see reinforced by Hollywood productions like NBC’s show “The Good Place.”  In one episode the angel, Michael, informs Eleanor, “The Good Place accepts only the few individuals who did the most good while on earth.”

Even Ben Shapiro, a politically conservative orthodox Jew, recognizes that Christianity is unique when he said, “In Judaism, you’re constantly atoning for your own sins.  I’m works-based; Christianity is largely grace-based.”

And, so it is.  Our choice is to try and do the best we can to meet God’s righteous standard, so that we may live with Him forever, or to believe the Gospel, and rely on Jesus who satisfied God’s Law on my behalf, and gives me His righteousness to stand before God.

Consider me firmly grace-based.  I choose to rely on Jesus’ finished work for my salvation, not my own good works.  That is the Good News of the Gospel.

Pastor Jim Lennon