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I recall reading long ago that the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven are sincerity, more sincerity, and more sincerity. That really didn’t resonate with me at first because I believed then, as I do now, that we are justified by faith and faith alone. Of course, over the years, we each learn that faith is more about the perfection of purpose than it is about any certitude we may enjoy. In fact, our deliverance from the uncertainties of time is wholly dependent upon the loyalty aspects of faith.
I’ve since given much prayerful consideration to those early lessons on sincerity. I believe they refer, first and foremost, to the quality of our faith-submission. After all, even atheists often seem to value the things of God such as his goodness. They just don’t acknowledge or recognize the Originator, the First Source and Center of All. Jesus addressed that very point when he said: “Why do you call me good? There is no one good but God.” Indeed, all Truth, all Beauty, and all Goodness originate with the Author and Finisher of our faith.
It seems to me that people of faith have modes of perception that non-believers clearly lack. We see Our Father’s Truth, Beauty, and Goodness as scintillating pearls arrayed along a drawstring that pulls us nearer to the heart of God. So, if we are in agreement, that the first part of the sincerity test is the authenticity of our faith, the second would likely be in our responsiveness to Divine Leading.
I’ve often heard it said that prayer is not about getting your way. It’s really about taking God’s way. In that light, many of us have struggled with the various concepts of destiny. Pre-destination and fore-ordination seem, at first glance to be at odds with any doctrine of free will. However, upon close examination, we begin to discern the fact that God knows us better than we know ourselves and, because of this, He’s our ultimate Thesis Advisor.
As we mature in our faith, we eventually realize that our inherent attributes appear to align with and support a higher calling, a first-best destiny. Now we are all free to interpret this as somehow in accordance with God’s plan. And we are certainly free to accept or reject any part, or all of it. The question before each of us is always one concerning whether or not we will choose to take full advantage of our God-given opportunities.
So the third sincerity test in my estimation would be centering on this last question. Many of yesterday’s Hell fire and brimstone preachers would have us believe that God would corral us into his camp by means of manipulation and by leveraging our fears. Such a base motivator is unworthy, and likely offensive to, Our Loving Father. His program is never one of coercion and it is best understood as one of attraction rather than promotion.
Affinity marketers push the notion that a shopper’s rewards card will help to insure customer loyalty. Think about that the next time you buy something from that store’s competitor simply because it’s a dollar cheaper. Such an experience could also serve as a constant reminder that, while there may be incentives for living, God is more focused upon your true motivations.
A person of good will can be instrumental in bringing others closer to God. Those possessing a thin vernier of religiosity, one that is more of a fashion statement than a witness, usually lack any deep abiding devotion to Our Father or his supreme values. The truly faithful are always the ones whose commitment is voluntary, wholehearted, and sophistry-proof.
When we pray in the light of scientific facts, philosophic wisdom, intellectual sincerity, and spiritual faith, we are not engaging in a process whereby we treat Our Father as if he’s just one big cosmic vending machine catering to our every indulgence. We are also not seeking some unfair advantage over our fellows. We are instead appealing to Our Universe Sovereign just as Jesus taught his disciples—honestly, unselfishly, with fairness, and without doubting.
Without sincerity, we are like cancer cells running amok within the Body of Christ. It is unlikely that, within such a state, we would advance anything of true value while we may be causing tremendous amounts of damage. Ask yourself, what is your opinion of someone you perceive as less than sincere. Would you vest any significant amount of trust in such a person?
A sincere person is the one we tend to rely upon, even when they are occasionally wrong. If they are well motivated, we can count on them to realize they’ve made a mistake and take corrective measures. We are all learning. Jesus promised the Spirit of Truth to help drive out all serious human error. The open question is whether we will be responsive to such Divine Leading.
In this way, sincerity can be seen as the master key. It unlocks the provisioning whereby God has granted all that we need to be increasingly more effective in our respective ministries. Such ministries serve to advance the will of God in the hearts and minds of human kind. And we know, based upon our experience, in just a closer walk with Thee, that this is the best way we can love others as Jesus loved and continues to love us.