The Merciful King
Here is a story…
There was a very good and kind King named Fredrik whose name means “merciful leader”. He was the leader of a very large and very rich kingdom. King Fredrik had a general who controlled entrance to the kingdom named Herod. King Fredrik told Herod that he should freely allow anyone into the kingdom as long as they would acknowledge and accept him as the king.
So for the first year General Herod did as the king ordered and allowed anyone that acknowledged and accepted the king into the kingdom. However, the second year Herod thought to himself that the rules should be a little stricter. Why should just anyone be allowed into the kingdom? So Herod added a rule that you must be well dressed if you want to enter the kingdom.
The third year Herod thought the requirements to enter the kingdom were still too easy. Herod now added a requirement that you must swim 20 feet to prove your sincerity before entering the kingdom. The fourth year Herod noticed there were still a large number of people entering the kingdom, so he increased the distance they had to swim to 40 feet.
The fifth year Herod was sick and tired of all the people that were being allowed into the kingdom so he increased the distance they had to swim to a mile. Herod did not see why the wealth of the kingdom should be shared with others that really didn’t deserve it. Now Herod was very happy as almost no one was being allowed into the kingdom.
At the end of the fifth year King Fredrik noticed that the population of the kingdom had not grown very much and there were few new faces in the kingdom. So the King inquired of Herod why it was that there were few new people entering the kingdom? Herod told the King that he had instituted new rules over the years to keep out those who did not truly love the King and informed the King of the latest 1 mile swim requirement.
The King became extremely angry and said. “You have changed a requirement that was easy into something that is nearly impossible! You have changed my kindness into meanness, my mercy into ruthlessness, my love into hate, and my good into evil.” So the King banished Herod from the kingdom. He then made a proclamation that anyone who would acknowledge and accept him as the King would be allowed into the kingdom and anyone who changed this proclamation would be punished.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Galatians 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
In the story or parable that I made up, the Good King is an example of Jesus/God. Herod is an example of any Christian that adds works to salvation. God will not be happy with anyone who changes the requirements for salvation. Paul in Galatians 1:6 and 1:9 calls this another Gospel and states that those who preach it should be accursed.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy , and my burden is light.
In Mathew 11:30 above Jesus states that his yoke is easy. What Jesus means by yoke is ownership or belonging. A farmer would put a yoke on his bull or cow when he put it to work to maintain control as it belonged to him. When Jesus states that his burden is light. He is stating that after you belong to him (yoke) the work he wants you to do is not hard, but is in fact work. This work is not for your salvation, but is to determine your heavenly rewards.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
In Romans 10:9 Paul makes it clear that you must believe and confess that Jesus is Lord to be saved and that’s all.
Romans 5:15 - But not as the offence, so also is the free gift . For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace , which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many
Romans 5:16 - And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift : for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
In Romans 5:15 and 5:16 Paul makes it clear that salvation is a free gift. So if God says it’s a free gift to enter his kingdom, who are we to add any additional requirements. That is just what Herod in the story I made up did and you can see how that was a bad thing.
Please do not add work to your or anyone else’s salvation. Not before, during or after you get saved. Christ died for all of the past, present and future sins.