BACK SCORE 5'?m2f Assurance of salvation, grace vs works (scene: a park bench or four chairs side-by-side facing audience) LIZ -- (enters carrying small notebook and calculator, sits, opens notebook, alternately reads a line then enters a number into the calculator, turns page, repeats) AMY -- (follows carrying Bible, sits, reads Bible) LIZ -- Oh, no! AMY -- Something wrong? LIZ -- Yes. If I was to die today, I would go right to hell! AMY -- You arrived at that conclusion using a calculator? LIZ -- Yes, of course. It's the only way to be sure. AMY -- How does a calculator make you sure? LIZ -- Well, a calculator only makes you sure if you use it every day. AMY -- Excuse me for saying this, but that sounds a little like idle worship. LIZ -- Oh. I... Oh, no. I'm not WORSHIPing the calculator. The calculator is just a tool I use to remove the doubt. AMY -- To remove the doubt. LIZ -- Yes. AMY -- But you just said that if you died today you'd go right to hell. LIZ -- Yes. AMY -- That sounds rather doubtful to me. LIZ -- Oh, yes it does. I'm absolutely certain that I am currently in a deficit condition. AMY -- A deficit condition. LIZ -- Yes. AMY -- I'm not sure what you mean. LIZ -- Oh. I'm sorry. I noticed that you were reading a Bible. I just assumed that you were a Christian. AMY -- I AM a Christian. LIZ -- You're a Christian, but you don't know what it means to be in a deficit position? AMY -- I must have missed that chapter. (flips a few pages) LIZ -- You see, every time you sin, you enter into a potential deficit situation. AMY -- I'm with you so far. LIZ -- In order to compensate for a sin, you have to do a good deed, like giving to the poor or helping someone in need. In order to be sure I have enough good deeds to compensate for my bad deeds, I keep a detailed list of good deeds and bad deeds here in my notebook. It's the only way to be sure. Otherwise, a person could be in a deficit position and not notice it. I can't afford that! AMY -- Fascinating! LIZ -- Thank you. A lot of people think I'm going a little overboard. But where a person's eternal future is concerned, a person can't be too careful, don't you think? AMY -- You know, you might have a point there! LIZ -- Thank you. AMY -- Can you give me a reference? (points to Bible) LIZ -- A reference? AMY -- Yes. Can you point to the place in the Bible where it says that you'll get to Heaven by doing more good deeds than bad deeds? LIZ -- Well, no. I don't read the Bible at all. AMY -- Then, how do you know that all your meticulous recording and calculating will get you to Heaven? LIZ -- Well, everybody knows about that! I mean everybody in my church.... I'm sure I heard that... somewhere. I'm sure it must be in the Bible. AMY -- You know, I've read through the Bible a couple of times and I can't recall a single passage that even hints that good deeds compensate for bad deeds. LIZ -- I'm sure it's there. AMY -- Here in the Book of Hebrews its says "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." LIZ -- (gasps) You're not suggesting that I slit my wrists, are you?! AMY -- No. The blood has already been shed. LIZ -- Oh. You mean Jesus. AMY -- Yes. LIZ -- Well, that's just a start. That only pays for the sins you committed BEFORE you became a Christian. After that, you're on you're own. AMY -- Not according to the Book of Hebrews. It says Jesus paid the price "once for all". And when Jesus shed his blood for your sins ALL your sins were in the future. LIZ -- All of them? (scratches head, snaps fingers) Well, of course! Once for all means once for all! You mean, I don't have to (points to notebook) keep track? AMY -- Not according to the Bible. LIZ -- And I don't have to calculate? AMY -- Not according to the Bible. LIZ -- Well, surely, there must be something I have to do. AMY -- Trust Jesus. LIZ -- No, I mean some REAL things. What kind of religion would this be if you don't have to DO something?! AMY -- According to the Book of Galatians, if you rely on doing things instead of relying on Jesus, you're sunk. LIZ -- You mean, doing things is not even an option?! AMY -- Oh, giving to the poor and helping people who are in need are important things for a Christian to do, but, if you rely on good deeds to save you, Jesus can't save you. LIZ -- Boy, did I have it backward! (picks up notebook, writes, exits) Thanks for the tip. AMY -- (follows) You're not still keeping track, are you? LIZ -- (stops, turns) No. I'm writing down those Bible verses. How do you spell Galatians? (exits) AMY -- G. A. L. A. T.... ©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: bob@bobsnook.org BACK |