To Do or To Be

How does one procure salvation?

Is it by his good works?

Is it through paying penance?

Is it through attending church?

Can one really know he is saved

Or must he wait for judgment day

To stand before Almighty God

To know if he is in the way?

And if we must work for salvation

What level must be achieved

To warrant a place in heaven

And a crown of life receive?

Are we to do to be saved?

Is salvation performance based?

Is there a list of rudiments

That we must master to be saved?

What is the determined percentage

That we must obtain in life’s test

So that we can know for sure

We have made it into God’s rest?

Is there anyone out there

Who can give me the answer to these?

If you are, please come on in

And give the details, please! 

For there are those who teach

I can’t know that I have salvation

And with all that I might do here

There is still a chance of damnation.

So be vigilant and be diligent

Use every chance to do good works

For should you let an opportunity slip

You may be left out in the lurch.

Not very inspiring I would say

If to do is the basis for my hope

For I have slipped so many times

I must be going down hell’s slope.

Ah, but wait a minute!

Let us paused and think this through,

We’ve heard from al these pundits

Let’s check the biblical view.

Him whom the Son sets free

Is truly free indeed,

Jesus bled and died for everyone

So that we won’t have to bleed.

Why would he die on the cross

From sin to set us free

If to do is where we are at

With no possibility of being to be?

He that has the Son, I am told

Is he who presently has life

So that to do is not a worry

To be has saved me from such strife.

Salvation is not premised on to do

That exam none of us could pass,

Only Jesus ever had a perfect score

And he is in a different class.

Only he could unlock the gate

Of heaven and let us in

So that to do is not what’s required

If we are to be saved from sin.

To be is where we need to get

Only through Christ can that be done,

To be in the way which is Jesus Christ

Not in a race that has to be run.

For Jesus has completed the course

And now he asks that we trust in him,

To be is really the born again

Who have been forgiven of their sin.

So that to do is the impossible

Until one has been born again,

To be puts to do in right perspective

When in us God’s Spirit reigns.

Do not put the cart before the horse

The to do before the to be,

It’s only when we get the order right

That to do is complementary.

By their fruits they shall be known

All that belong to Christ,

To be is who they really are

Since identifying in his sacrifice.

Who we are determines what we do

It’s not the other way around,

Of the born again is who we are

To do by itself is hell bound.

It’s not primarily about doing

Though doing is an indication

Of the work that has been done in us

That wrought our salvation.

He who has begun that work in us

Will see it through to completion,

To do is Satan’s way of bringing doubt

But to be is our redemption.

Stewart Russell (c) January 2018