‘Our Swiss cheese righteousness’
Before Easter, Bee columnist Andrew Fiala pointed out that 70 percent of Americans believed in heaven as a place where “good people” are eternally rewarded. Though confident of the inherent kickbacks of a “good life,” he added that should you “perhaps” appear before the Pearly Gates you’ll have a “good story to tell,” just the same.
Any “good birds,” with that wind in their wings, were shot out of the heavens from his sighted post-Easter article. “We are not rational. Nor are we good,” he fires. The Fresno philosopher has boomed Sinai’s thunder, that is, first the legal ethic followed by a crashing gavel of guilt (Romans 3:9-20).
Truth be told, only one story will pass heaven’s tribunal. The story of him who is innocent and righteous, and yet bore the cursed crown of thorns. And this story becomes ours to tell by faith, not “good works.” So, a tip o’ the hat to the “Good Doctor” for calling attention to our Swiss cheese righteousness. May it goad at least 70 percent of Americans to “get their stories straight,” for as he said, “none of this is going to last forever.”
Rev. David Inks, Clovis
This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 4:10 PM with the headline "‘Our Swiss cheese righteousness’."