One of the things I was taught growing up in a cult was that I had to be morally perfect in order to be eternally saved. This was referred to as the doctrine of overcoming or perfection. At the time, I thought this was a conservative stance that was "tough" on sin.
(The group taught, and still teaches, that a person is saved from their past sins by faith in Christ, but after this "initial stage of salvation" there was much more to be accomplished. I am still amazed that the group wholeheartedly claims to believe in faith alone, yet believes a person's soul isn't truly alive until they have spoken in tongues.)
As I have left the group and come to truly know Christ I have been astonished at how a doctrine based on our ability to attain moral perfection actually makes a mockery of God's law and our sin. In all actuality, there is nothing more worldly than believing human beings can merit eternal salvation. Every man made religion is steeped in the belief that what God wants is for mankind to reach out to him. Christianity is different because it is about God coming to man.
Genesis 11:4
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
The builders of Babel had spiritual aspirations for their city. At the heart of their city was a tower whose heights reached the gods. This tower would meet God halfway and obligate him in some way to meet their efforts. This is the epitome of worldliness.
1 Kings 18:25-29
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
The worshipers of Baal believed they could excite him enough to act on their behalf. The belief was that when Baal and Asherah would be aroused by their active worship they would become intimate and bless the land with rain.
False gods, idols, are always worshiped with deeds and sacrifices based on the theory that favor can be obtained by human effort. The God of the bible is entirely different. He is holy and only worshiped by men and women who have been granted access through the merits of another.
Jonah 2:9
But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
The God of the bible comes down to man to bring salvation. He is not reached, he reaches. He is not obligated, he is gracious. Grace isn't grace if there is a trace of obligation. Salvation doesn't belong to the Lord if it can be earned.
There is nothing more worldly than the belief that God is attracted to us or obligated by us because of anything good in us. Any doctrine that maintains salvation is based on merit of any kind is steeped in man-made religion and results in the worship of an idol.
Jesus Christ, Immanuel, is God with us. He became a man, lived the life we should have lived, and died the death we should have died. The cult I grew up in was correct in their stance that only moral perfection is good enough to connect humans to a holy and righteous God. They are incorrect in believing we can contribute anything to that connection.
When believers put their faith in Christ their sin is imputed to him and his righteous is given to them. Not some of his righteousness, all of it. Not a portion of his holiness, all of it. Not a fraction of his perfection, all of it. The Father sees his adopted sons and daughters as being as obedient as his eternal son. Thank God for the gospel. Thank God for salvation.
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