A Simple Equation; A Profound Resolution
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
(The First Letter of John 5: 13 NASB)
so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Consider for a moment how your life would have been, what you might look like today—
If someone had not shared his testimony with you.
- Would you be walking today as you walk?
- Would you find yourself hanging out with those you love?
- Would your priorities today have become the important aspects you cherish?
- Would you speak about the man named Jesus—If you did not believe?
The reality remains, we become a new person (a new creature the Bible calls us) when we encounter Jesus and believe in His work upon the cross. A good friend said to me just yesterday, “We can make the Gospel message so difficult.” Is that not the truth? !
- Do this, but don’t do that.
- Say this, but don’t speak that.
- Be this way, but don’t be like that.
If we are not careful, we can become ritualistic in our belief, when all that God calls us to do is to BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR.
Then God does the rest!
- God never asks a person to change himself BUT ONLY TO BELIEVE!
- God never asks a person to clean up his life BUT ONLY TO BELIEVE!
- God never asks a person to do this or that before he comes to know Him BUT ONLY TO BELIEVE!
GOD ONLY ASKS US TO COME TO HIM WITH A CHILD-LIKE FAITH!
True, there are many things we should do & not do. In fact, the Word of God lays out ten commands we must not do & commands we must do—
Because if we continue to not do what we must, if we continue to disobey and disbelieve God, then we will remain lost for all eternity.
Thus, the question becomes: What must I do to be saved, to live forever with God & to not perish, apart from God?
“The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself;
(The First Letter of John 5: 10-15 NASB)
the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar,
because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.
And the testimony is this,
that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son.
He who has the Son has the life;
he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
so that you may know that you have eternal life.
This is the confidence which we have before Him,
that, if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask,
we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
Having the faith of a child requires that we put aside our own will. Jesus spoke of this when he talked with his disciples. They were so human in their questions, so much like us, and truthfully, like the disciples, we come to Jesus and ask:
“Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
(The Gospel According to Matthew 18: 1b NASB)
Is this not so much like us at times. We may actively do this or that; we may refrain from doing this or doing that, and while there are certain things we must not do. SIN IS STILL SIN!
Just as true is the statement: THE TRUTH OF GOD IS STILL THE TRUTH!
“And He called a child to Himself
(The Gospel According to Matthew 18: 2-6 NASB)
[Jesus did]
and set him before them, and said,
“Truly I say to you,
unless you are converted and become like children,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever then humbles himself as this child,
he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble,
it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck,
and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
The way a person comes to know Jesus really remains quite simple. We must come to know Jesus Christ with faith just as a child does.
- A child sees Jesus.
- A child believes in the things Jesus did on the cross and in the grave.
- A child does not second-guess but only believes in Jesus!
It really is that simple.
It is a child-like faith, a Simple Equation but one that brings a person to A Profound Resolution.
Maybe this is where Mathematics meets English.
A Simple Equation—Just as a problem in math needs an equation in order to move one to the correct answer, a child born to his parents contains (at his birth) the problem of a sinful nature, one that needs a Savior!
A Profound Resolution—Just as a story in English needs a resolving to the conflict a character faces, a child born to his parents lives out his life-story and desperately needs to encounter Jesus & His story so that the ending (the resolution) will not find him without Christ Jesus!
Last night, we sat in the sanctuary of the church building, there purposedly to celebrate the life of a young man we love so much, one who was taken to heaven before we were ready to let go. Behind me, a young mother of two said the words we all know to be true.
“The greatest work of a parent is to teach his children about Jesus.”
Lucas’ parents did this great work; they led Lucas to come to know Jesus as his Savior; and now Lucas resides in heaven with his Father and his Lord.
- Let us Teach the truth of the Bible to those we know.
- Let us Preach the Gospel message.
- Let us Love as Jesus taught us.
- Let us Share our testimony, telling our story to all who will listen.
- Let us Desire the Father’s will be done through us.
With Joy & With the Glory of God—Let us Share Jesus!
For if we do not—They will be left behind to face the end (death & eternity) all alone—WITHOUT GOD!
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
(The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 4: 16-18 NASB)
with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,
and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.”