MUHAMMAD ALI

- BOXING AND GOOD WORKS?

The world is mourning one of its "greatest". Muhammad Ali, famous as well as notorious for his extraordinary boxing skills and political statements (he was opposed to America's involvement in Vietnam) has died.

Ali did a lot of good things. He used his notoriety for charity work, helping raise millions of dollars for food and medical relief around the world. In 1998, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

His good works should be appreciated by all, but what disturbs me intensely, is the following said by Lonnie Ali :

"Muhammad feels that everything he did prior to now was to prepare him for where he is now in life. He is very much more a spiritual being. He is very aware of his time here on Earth. And he has sort of planned the rest of his life to do things so that he is assured a place in heaven." 

This is the typical thinking of Ali as a Muslim. Islam is a man made religion based on the principle of human achievement. (unfortunately many so called Christians think along the same lines.)

Let's be clear, according to God's work, doing good things can never guarantee us a place in heaven. Salvation and eternal reward can only be found by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who took the punishment for our sins on the cross! Indeed, as Christians we need to do good works, not as a way to earn grace and acceptance with God, but as a way to thank God for His grace in Jesus.

“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV)

8 Car c'est par la grâce de Dieu que vous avez été sauvés, au moyen de la foi. Ce salut ne vient pas de vous, il est un don de Dieu ; 9 il n'est pas le résultat de vos efforts, et ainsi personne ne peut se vanter. 10 En effet, c'est Dieu qui nous a formés ; il nous a créés, dans notre union avec Jésus-Christ, pour que nous menions une vie riche en actions bonnes, celles qu'il a préparées d'avance afin que nous les pratiquions.