The other night I was feeling brain dead, so I decided to watch a little TV. I looked in the paper, and there wasn’t one thing that sounded good. (The ballgames were all over.) So I looked through my movie library and popped in an old favorite – Shane.

Shane is a good movie for several reasons. There is no foul language, no intimation of sex, illicit or otherwise. Yes, there is violence, but there is also the clear cut notion of right and wrong. (Shane was a top box office draw in a generation that did not feel compelled by its violence to do anything but stand up for what is right.) It was filmed in Jackson, Wyoming, with the majestic Grand Tetons as a backdrop for nearly every scene. Like most scenic spots, the old movie set is now covered with condos and restaurants, but not in the movie.

The characters in the movie were more real than they are today. They were simple people with not many illusions about life, the role they played in it, or themselves. There was none of the cool behavior or hip phrases that kids would be repeating until they collect social security – i.e. "I’ll be back." – Arnold in the Terminator. In fact, I could tell by Johnny’s chuckle that some of the dialogue was a little backward. But I got to thinking, that’s more the way people talk in real life. (I haven’t said, "Go ahead, punk, make my day" since my kids left home.

Anyway, something that was said by the Shane character, played by Alan Ladd, got my attention. He went to town to by some work clothes to replace his buckskins, and he was dismayed at the price of shirts and trousers. He said, "I guess it’s been a long time since I bought ready made pants." That kind of stuck in my mind.

The advantage of ready made is that you don’t have to make it yourself. What a blessing. Some of us can’t sew and stitch, and it would cost a lot more to have someone sew for us. And the quality of ready made is greater now, thanks to modern technology, making good clothes less expensive to everyone. When it comes to clothes, ready make, in most cases is superior.

The same thing is true about faith. God has given us a "ready made faith." The plan of salvation is from the mind of God. It is his plan, and no man could have devised it. Paul writes, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen" (Rom. 11:33-36 ). God’s wisdom is so much greater than ours that we could never have thought up for ourselves the plan by which both the love of God for man and justice could be satisfied. But God did, and he gave that plan to us – ready made.

It was not only by God’s design, but through his love that this plan was given. John tells us, "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10). It wasn’t our idea to be reconciled to God, but his idea. It was neither our love or goodness that brought about the sending of Jesus.

And God did all the real labor. "But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18-19). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God decided to save us, he devised the plan whereby we might be justified, and he sent his son to fulfill that plan.

Then God did the work of revealing that plan to us. God’s first work of grace is in the fulfilling of the plan of redemption in the sacrifice of Jesus. The first manifestation of that grace is in the revelation of what God did through the Holy Spirit in the form of instruction. "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12). Not only does God reveal to us what he has done, but he tells us what we must do as well. His grace provides the sacrifice, but it also reveals to us that sacrifice and the duties to which we are bound.

Those instructions are complete and flawless. "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). It is referred to as the perfect law. James writes: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves" (James 1:22). Then he says of the word, "But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing" (vs. 25).

There is nothing that man can add or take away that would improve on the ready made gospel of God. And yet, that is what men have tried to do since it was given. Unhappy with it because it was too simple, or too complicated, or it interfered with their lifestyles, men have tried their best to adapt the gospel to their ideas of how things ought to be.

Paul warned the Ephesian elders, "I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). And he warns us, "I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema" (Gal. 1:6-9). Paul warns of those who would modify what God has given us, and he reveals the curse of God upon such people.

What God has given us comes not without cost. Shane was surprised that ready made cost so much more than it used to. Friends, we are getting off light. We live in a time and place where we don’t have to give much for the Lord. We have not yet suffered unto blood, as Hebrews puts it. But there is a cost. "Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation" (Heb. 5:8-9). The grace of God might be received in vain ( 2 Cor. 6:1). Jesus is the author of salvation to all that obey – a small price to pay considering what God offers.

Shane preferred the ready made. It was better, and worth the extra cost. But he had to go to the store and fork over the money to get ready made.

The gospel of Jesus Christ comes ready made. It is perfect, nothing is left out, and there is nothing that we can do to improve upon it.

When it comes to a faith that will please God, ready made is best.