Baseball season has opened. Sorta. Churches are beginning to reopen. Kind of. But baseball and church have more in common than just opening with the pandemic flourishing as it is.
Suppose you have a conversation with a neighbor or a friend about the Lord. It may start out like this: “Do you attend a church and if so, do you believe in Jesus?” you ask, gently. He replies, “I’ve got my own religion. Besides, I’m good person,” he replies. So, the conversation continues.
“Could I put it in perspective?”
He nods.
“Let’s say you are playing baseball. You are on Cee’s team and another player is on Bee’s team. The rules of the Baseball Handbook are the same whether you are on Cee’s team or Bee’s team. Cee’s team is up to bat. You hit a ground ball; the short stop snatches the ball and wails it to the first baseman who catches it a split second before you stomp the base. The umpire shouts the call – “Out!” “It doesn’t matter if you were from Bee’s team or Cee’s team. You are out because that’s a rule in baseball – if a baseman catches the ball before the runner tags the base, he’s out.”
“So, what’s your point?” he asks.
“Glad you asked,” you say. “There are many different churches, right?”
He shifts his weight. “Yeah, I guess.”
Churches can’t make up their own rules any more than baseball players can make up their own rules. They have to go by the book. God is the One who authored the Handbook to Heaven, so it stands to reason, He has the authority to set the perimeters for the game of life. When the Handbook to Heaven clearly specifies the means to eternity in heaven is though faith in Jesus Christ, there is no other way.”
Mr. Skeptic frowns. “Sounds pretty narrow.”
‘You are exactly right. The gate is narrow that leads to heaven, and the road is wide that leads to destruction. Let me ask this,” you continue. “Do you think a baseball player who runs to second base, bypassing first base, can flagrantly ignore the rules of the Baseball Handbook and get away with it? Of course not. It’s the same with God’s Handbook to Heaven. Anything added to the gospel, such as doing good works or being a good person to gain heaven is like a baseball player running around the bases twice in order to score an additional run. That would be ridiculous!”
“The same holds true for anything short of what the Handbook to Heaven says is needed – like not having faith. That can be compared to a baseball player who hits a home run, but does not run the bases. He simply stands at home plate swinging his bat back and forth. He would not score a run. That is equally as preposterous. Does it make sense to you yet, that man cannot add to or subtract from the Baseball Handbook and think he is going to do it his way? If he thinks he can, he’s out! He will never make it to home plate which in this scenario, represents heaven. The life-game player who does not abide by the Handbook to Heaven is out just like the baseball player who plays the game making up his own rules is out!”
“It’s beginning to make sense – this baseball and church stuff,” he concedes.
You smile.
“Can we talk more?”