My little garden spaces boast a wide mix of plants, and my “wish list” for new additions keeps growing. I have even made a Pinterest board with links to the garden catalogues so that I can get them when the time is right.

This begs the question; what plant is worthy to enter the place we lovingly refer to as “The Backyard of Serenity and Songbirds?”

This little spot is my escape from the world’s cares, my bit of heaven on earth. I am becoming very choosy about what new plants to accept into this limited space. What about God’s Heaven? What would it take to reserve a spot there?

The new Pope shocked the religious world this week by his announcement that atheists will go to heaven. While his remarks centered on the fact that atheists can also do good things, he used the word “redeemed,” which is reserved for those saved from their sins and destined for heaven.

Here are his words:

“The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ, all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!” We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there” [http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077].

Francis’s attempt to appear tolerant is nothing new. This trend seems to be pervasive, even in the church.

While I love all flowers, and want every new one that I discover, they will not all end up in my garden. I have limited them to certain criteria. God, who is infinitely wiser and more just than I, has similarly limited the entrance into the gates of eternal glory.

In Matthew 7, there is a sad account of those who performed miracles in the name of Jesus and were not admitted into heaven. Why not? (I hesitated to write this question, as no one on earth has the authority to question God’s motives.)

Because God has laid out a plan for Man’s redemption in the Bible. It is not hard to understand. But it’s more than a simple command to do good.

“There is none who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12b). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It is a dangerous misconception that our good deeds can save us; they are like filthy rags compared to God’s righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).

The pope was right in one thing, he understood that some of the differences that divide various belief systems don’t matter. The larger truth that Francis missed was that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

“No one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Perhaps the concept of anything goes comes from a refusal to follow specific requirements set out clearly in the Scriptures.

Once we say repentance is not necessary, then we are free to say that faith isn’t even a requisite for our redemption. Once we say that baptism (literally, “immersion”) can be done by sprinkling or pouring water, we might ignore the fact that baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).

The gradual chipping away of belief in the tenets of the Bible has led Christianity down the path that ends in pretending that God didn’t really mean what he said.

I dearly love nemophila maculata, or “Five Spot Flower,” and fancy tulips, but neither will make it into my garden for various reasons. Find out what God’s expectations are for your redemption (Philippians 2:12).

Then do good.

Christine Berglund – www.forthright.net

Christine Berglund