A Massachusetts church is scheduled to launch a new monthly worship service for dogs. Calvary Episcopal Church runs a “Perfect Paws Pet Ministry” aimed at giving pooches and their owners “improved odds at getting canines into heaven”.
It seems to me that this church is barking up the wrong tree. Leaving the dogs aside (or outside) for a minute, is it true to say that going to church “improves your chances at getting into heaven”? Is there anything you can do to improve your chances at getting into heaven?
The answer is “No”. Check out Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.”
There is nothing we can do to save ourselves, and get into heaven. That is why Jesus had to come, live, bleed, die, rise and bungee back to heaven. He saves us. He gets us into heaven. He doesn’t just improve the odds, he guarantees it. Jesus did it all. Jesus paid it all. That’s grace. And all we have to do is believe it. That’s faith.
So why do Christians go to church or youth group if it is not to improve our odds at getting into heaven? We go to church to learn more about God’s amazing grace. We go to grow in our faith and encourage others to grow in their faith. We go to church to serve, love, encourage and care for one another. We go because God is building a whole group of people to be His own. We go to youth group because the Christian life is tough and we need each other to persevere.
So keep going to church and/or youth group; not to improve the odds of getting in heaven, but because you are already saved into heaven through faith in Jesus. And go to church/youth group ready to learn, grow and serve. To go to church for any other reason would be a real cat – astrophe. (Sorry to “hound” you with all these “paw” jokes. They’re a bit “ruff”!)