Forgive me for my Goodness -
      An indictment of our Christianity

A discussion on our efforts to earn God's blessing.  Are the things we do to become "closer to God" in reality to create leverage to "beat the system" or "manage our salvation"?  We can do nothing good without God.  
We are called to two things; worship our Creator and serve His Creation.  In practice, we can't even do either without His help.  Our human predicament is to choose be part of God or isolated from God.  Only two choices.

Psalms 26 - Luke 18: 9-14  -  Luke 15: 25-32

"Father in Heaven, forgive even my goodness for it separates me from you."


Psalms 26
Of David.

1 Vindicate me, Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life; 
I have trusted in the Lord
    and have not faltered. 
2 Test me, Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind; 
3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love 
    and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
4 I do not sit with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites. 
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, 
    and go about your altar, Lord,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise 
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells. 
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty, 
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes, 
    whose right hands are full of bribes. 
11 I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me and be merciful to me


Luke 15
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”


Luke 18
Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”