Can You Buy Your Way Into Heaven?

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager is found in Luke 16:1-15.   Jesus shares this parable to highlight that being a person of this world and chasing after the things of the world does not serve God and does not get you eternal life. In the parable the manager stole from his boss and when he got caught, he made deals with his bosses business associates to continue to steal from his boss in order to gain favor with the business associates. He used his knowledge of shady business dealings to try and save himself from poverty when he got caught. The manager didn't repent or ask what he could do to repay his boss, he just continued to steal. The manager's actions in this life might help him now but it will not help him in the next life. The lesson Jesus was conveying is that you cannot put the principles of this world above the principles of the Kingdom of God. God already promises us that he will take care of our needs but we need to serve him and be obedient. Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Serving ourselves first diminishes the hierarchy and power of God in our lives. While it may be hard to disconnect from the ways of this world because we live in this world and we are exposed to its culture daily, we also have access to the Living Word and if we focus on the Word of God and meditate on it daily, it can become our go to guide on the way to conduct ourselves in this life and without compromising our access to eternal life with God. Romans 12:2 says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." It takes work to untangle our thoughts and actions from the culture of this world, but with time we can discern what serves God and what serves ourselves/the world. We must choose God first, chase after him, submit to his Kingdom rules and be saved. Deuteronomy 30:15-16 says "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess."  Our good and gracious God loves us and calls us to serve him.  We can trust and be secure in knowing that he wants us to prosper in this life and the next if we put him first.  Abandon the culture of the world for there is much more to gain in the Kingdom of God.