Over on Kirby's blog, I suggested a motto for life's winners, “I stole it, fair and square.” I even went so far as to suggest that this might be a way we can think about own salvation, a notion that Brother John objected to: How can we steal a gift? It is a fair question.
We play by multiple sets of rules. Our most fundamental moral choice is not whether or not to follow the law, but rather, which law to follow. Will we follow God's law, or man's law? Will we follow the rule of our community, or will it take a second place to our rule of self-interest and pride?
Life's winners are often perceived by life's losers as having cheated, whereas they perceive themselves as victors by merit. One set of laws broken, another upheld. The motto captures this tension, “fair and square” by my laws, but “stolen” by yours, but also, It's mine, and I'm not giving it back.
So it is with our salvation. Under the old covenant, our obligation was to follow God's law, a law we've often subordinated to our own law of self-interest and pride. The old covenant offered ways to repair the relationship broken by our rebellion: repentance, sacrifice. Yet if we're honest with ourselves, we know that our rebellions are many, and our efforts at repair are selective, few, and perfunctory. So the old covenant condemns us, and if we seek salvation in it, we deceive ourselves. It is not by our merit that we receive salvation, but only by Jesus's free gift. In receiving his gift and making it ours, we break the old rules by which we are condemned, and hold onto the new rules by which we are saved.
Salvation is mine, and I'm not giving it back. I stole it, fair and square.
Peace
