The Moral Plan
This plan offers the incentive of reward for those who perform well. It promises paradise or heaven if you behaved morally.
It can be termed “scale theology”. It views our life’s works as being put on a scale. If the good works outweigh the bad ones, then one will make it. Most following this plan feel rather hopeful that unless they have done something horrible, the scales will likely tip in their favor.
Pros
This thinking does put a certain amount of meaning into life. It gives a reason for moral behavior. Otherwise a perverted murderer or a child molester would have no different results in eternity than the one who gives his or her life to good. It helps society by giving incentives for love and respect to your fellow man.
A good percentage are following this plan. There is a certain amount of safety in numbers and majority thought. (Albeit history is full of majority error).
It seems to make common sense.
Cons
This plan lacks any Divine authority. While some great men and women advocate this plan, there is nothing in God’s gospel that does. (See Romans 3:20 – 4:6 / Ephesians 2:8,9). It is built on an assumption that God’s love is greater than His holiness and thus will tolerate a certain amount of sin. It is the opposite of “chain theology” where two people holding the ends of a 500 link chain see it break apart with the breaking of just one link. (This is what the Bible teaches, Gal. 3:10-12/ James 2:10)
It leaves one with the uncertainty of how much good is enough. Thus, there is no way, or no need, to seek to be fully prepared to meet God.
It defies the logic of law which claims a person is judged for the wrong he or she has done and that good deeds have no legal power to remove the guilt and punishment of wrong. The fact that you baked a pie for your neighbor does not remove a speeding ticket.
Conclusion
This plan’s salvation trusts the reasoning of human intellect for its hope and makes the person his or her own savior by virtue of his or her “good” performance. It gives one a reason to be proud before God.