Hunches and Pet Doctrines

In the 1995 movie "Heat" (which I do recommend if you appreciate a good film), Robert Deniro plays a "tragic bank-robber" (who I actually found myself feeling sorry for). He is chased the entire movie by Al Pacino, who plays a dedicated and tired cop who has a wreck of a personal life to show for it. I watched the 3 hour movie with my dad one night laying flat on the couch recovering from hernia surgery.

One anynomous blogger from England commented about the character Deniro plays, "a man of philosophical merit who realises he's stuck in a life of crime he doesn't want to lead." There are several scenes in the movie that remain etched in my memory, but one in particular is a scene towards the tail end of the flick. Deniro has decided it's time to leave his life of crime behind and run off with the girl. As he drives out of town under the city lights he breaks his one cardinal rule and turns around to complete some unfinished business. To make this short and sweet I'll just say his turning around doesn't end too well. It was his swift undoing.

There are some beliefs I hold that I refuse to sweat over. There are entire passages of scripture I don't think mean the same thing I used to think they meant. There are even other teachings I have turned my back on. But justification by faith alone isn't one of those hunches or pet doctrines.

Could it be so simple, so cut and dry, so free of charge, so undeserved? The answer is a resounding Yes!

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. ~Romans 1:17 (KJV)

There are times to turn around, there are times to stop, and there are times to keep our foot on the gas.